These songs reflect a wide range of tones & points-of-view, just as our Founding Fathers intended.
On the Fourth of July holiday, you’ll hear many patriotic songs that have become anthems. Many have been around so long it’s hard to imagine a neighborhood parade or fireworks display without them. You’ll also hear songs that are, if not patriotic in the traditional sense, politically charged.
American Pie,” Don McLean (1971)
Don McLean‘s rollicking run through pop-culture history was so popular in 1971-72 that many stations played the full-length version, which ran 8:37. McLean’s single topped the Hot 100 for four weeks. McLean was nominated for four 1972 Grammys, but lost them all — a reflection of the inevitable fatigue that followed the song’s ubiquity. But over time the song has gotten its due. It was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 and the National Recording Registry in 2016. Madonna took the song to No. 20 on the Hot 100 in 2000, when she recorded it for her movie The Next Best Thing. Garth Brooks included it on The Ultimate Collection in 2016.
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