Rev up your 4th of July party with 50 songs that express independence, featuring American artists from Motown to Beastie Boys. This is a really well-thought out list.
Our playlist comes from Bradley Spinelli, author of the apocalyptic novel Killing Williamsburg, and detective sensation, The Painted Gun. He has dual passions: writing and music. He’s played bass for ‘90s Dallas punk band Clutch 5, DJ’d in Brooklyn, and interviews bands for New York Magazine’s Bedford + Bowery.
The 4th of July lends itself naturally to day parties, so this playlist starts in daylight and gradually fills to bursting with starlight.—Bradley Spinelli
Here’s what’s in the mix:
Jazz is distinctly an American form, and this song was a huge hit, stepping out on its own with the unusual time signature 5/4:
Dave Brubeck: Time Out
When it comes to independent labels, there are the classics like Stax:
Eddie Floyd: Knock On Wood
Booker T & The MGs: Green Onions
Sam And Dave: Hold On, I’m Comin’
Otis Redding: Pain in my Heart
…and Motown:
The Temptations: Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Marvin Gaye: I Heard It Through The Grapevine
…and of course Matador:
Pavement: Stereo
Modest Mouse: Heart Cooks Brain
…and Grand Royal, the now-defunct Beastie Boys’ label:
Butter 08: How Do I Relax
Luscious Jackson: Naked Eye
Without getting into Sousa, there are some obvious “America” songs, but I prefer less-obvious Americana:
Johnny Cash: I’ve Been Everywhere
Willie Nelson: Denver
John Cougar: Jack & Diane
Lenny Kravitz: American Woman (cover)
Tom Petty: American Girl
Being independent often means getting away from someone:
Allen Toussaint: Get Out Of My Life Woman
Kelly Clarkson: Since You’ve Been Gone
…or getting out from under someone:
Beyoncé: Run The World (Girls)
Lauryn Hill: Doo Wop (That Thing)
No Doubt: Just A Girl
Janet Jackson: Control
…or getting out of jail or bondage, literally or figuratively:
Lucinda Williams: Concrete and Barbed Wire
Bang! Bang!: Le Tigre
Roberta Flack: Go Up Moses
…or wanting to be in bondage:
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Please, Please, Please
Rolling Stones: Beast of Burden
Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams
…or just facing up to the facts:
George Michael: Freedom! ‘90
Scissor Sisters: Take Your Mama
Marcus Collins: Seven Nation Army
Billy Idol: Dancing with Myself
Robyn: You Can’t Handle Me
Katy Perry: Firework
Our independence was forged by rebellion—and rebellion is the heart of rock n’ roll:
Arlo Guthrie: Comin’ into Los Angeles
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Almost Cut My Hair
Jimi Hendrix: If 6 Was 9
Cream: Tales of Brave Ulysses
Clash: Straight to Hell
Hiphop was nothing short of a revolution, a distinctly American art form:
KRS: 1 Step into a World
Grandmaster Flash: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
Public Enemy: Welcome to the Terrordome
Notorious B.I.G.: Mo Money Mo Problems
Beastie Boys: Sabotage
MIA: Paper Planes (DFA Remix)
And sometimes there’s a rebellion against the revolution, which got us the creation of the “Indie:”
Fuck: Twist Off
Blondie: Heart of Glass
Ciccone Youth: Into the Groovey
Velvet Underground: What Goes On
And this song kind of says it all:
Alicia Keys: Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down
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