# Songs about the 4th of July **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447 "2017-07-03T16:35:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tilt-A-Whirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Tilt-A-Whirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tilt-A-Whirl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/1 "2017-07-03T16:35:04Z")
Hi!- After years of lurking, I’m finally jumping in. Looking forward to the goat. The 4th of July is a fun holiday, but it seems to inspire sad, or at least melancholy songs. Aimee Mann’s “4th of July” is certainly a downer, although many of hers are- “Today’s the fourth of July Another June has gone by And when they light up our town I just think What a waste of gunpowder and sky” Bruce Springsteen has a couple, Independence Day and 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy), both wistful. Any other songs come to mind? ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/2 "2017-07-03T16:37:26Z")
“Saturday in the Park” - Chicago ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/3 "2017-07-03T16:51:19Z")
“Chicago” by Lucy Wainwright Roche _Isn’t it funny, even with toys and all of the money People will still come out to see Lights in the sky and over the lake on the Fourth of July? Isn’t it funny, isn’t it funny Isn’t it simple after all?_ ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/4 "2017-07-03T17:54:17Z")
“Afternoon Delights” (You know, skyrockets in flight). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/5 "2017-07-03T18:52:39Z")
Bruce Springsteen’s “[Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_of_July,_Asbury_Park_(Sandy)).” ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/6 "2017-07-03T18:57:50Z")
X’s Fourth of July (no link due to no Youtube at work) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/7 "2017-07-03T19:13:10Z")
Tom Paxton’s [Born on The Fourth of July](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioV_aK5dY-I), though it’s about Ron Kovic. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/8 "2017-07-03T19:30:44Z")
Martina McBride, “Independence Day” (despite the title, it’s more about getting rid of an abusive dad than the Fourth of July itself): [Martina McBride - Independence Day (with lyrics) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIijnZDFLRI) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/9 "2017-07-03T19:47:09Z")
Shooter Jennings [4th of July](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nst009lH-08) ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/10 "2017-07-03T20:26:14Z")
_I knew a girl who was almost a lady She had a way with all the men in her life Every inch of her blossomed in beauty And she was born on the fourth of July_ John Prine ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/11 "2017-07-03T20:47:29Z")
Yankee Doodle Dandy, of course. “Real life nephew of my Uncle Sam, Born on the Fourth of July.” (Though Cohan was lying. He was born on the third of July.) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/12 "2017-07-03T20:52:30Z")
Songs that mention the 4th of July count? Rufus Thomas: Walking The Dog [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M6AZNywvF-s/hqdefault.jpg "RUFUS THOMAS - Walking the Dog (1965)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6AZNywvF-s) Aerosmith’s cover: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1SLVrd-TDZw/maxresdefault.jpg "Aerosmith - Walkin' The Dog (Live Texxas Jam '78)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SLVrd-TDZw) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/13 "2017-07-03T20:54:19Z")
[**God Bless The USA**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps7xmW-9LXQ), Lee Greenwood. **The Star Spangled Banner** , Francis Scott Key ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/14 "2017-07-03T22:08:10Z")
_Where do bad folks go when they die? They don’t go to heaven where the angels fly They go to the lake of fire and fry Won’t see them again 'till the Fourth of July_ -the [Meat Puppets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRaZWK_MwHY) ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/15 "2017-07-03T22:40:26Z")
The Wallflowers, [One Headlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QS3JQZ3i-U) She said it’s cold It feels like Independence Day And I can’t break away from this parade Once again, not exactly the most uplifting message… ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/16 "2017-07-03T22:42:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **The Star Spangled Banner** , Francis Scott Key That’s more of a 14th of September song, isn’t it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/17 "2017-07-04T01:04:33Z")
Tom Paxton’s “[The Subway Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRXS0HP00jY)” “Oh, the steps, they go down to a hole in the ground Where the subway goes rumbling by You go in one end in the middle of June And come out on the Fourth of July.” ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-4th-of-july/790447/18 "2017-07-04T22:34:57Z")
Dylan - _Tears of Rage_