In honor of Independence Day, I'm back to share with you some seasonal songs you’re not likely to hear on the radio!
1. Mayhem – Imelda May
Welcome to the land of political chaos. For those of you who aren’t supporters of the presumptive Republican nominee, best party it up this summer, just in case it’s your last summer of freedom. Just in case.
2. Fourth of July – Fall Out Boy
May the holiday weekend bring you “fireworks” of your own. Best of luck, lovers! Now is the season for flings.
3. Yorktown (The World Upside Down) – Cast of Hamilton Musical
What can I say? This musical is life-changing. And this song reps the American victory over those Red Coats two-hundred-something years ago!
Also see Re: America. #thanksObamas!
4. America’s Sweetheart – Elle King
Rock and roll, free love, cowboy boots. It’s Land of the Free Day. Guess we better live it up.
5. New Americana – Halsey
But how free are we? “Survival of the Richest.” America today is a majority-ruled society swayed by minority social rebellion. May the best (and most oppressed) man or woman win. Essentially social civil war. Enter “Royals,” “Here,” and “New Americana.”
6. An Immigrant – Jon Bellion
These days, even American-born citizens are starting to feel like immigrants. So much for “melting pot”? Nothing like cultural blurred lines to remind you you’re in the grand US of A.
7. Freedom – Pharrell Williams
To our founding fathers, freedom and equality weren’t actually afforded to everyone. Well, look at how far we’ve come, right? Wrong. Still, it’s good to have platforms to celebrate the liberties we have accomplished.
8. Little Toy Gun – honeyhoney
Guns, Second Amendment, Ten Ways on a Gun! All hot topics this summer. Regardless of your opinion on any of them, no one can argue that guns and American gun culture are some of this summer’s biggest buzzwords.
9. Sinner Like You – Parson James
Last summer the Supreme Court proved that #lovewins. This summer… this year, around the time of Houston’s Pride, tragedy and hate hit us hard in Orlando. Victory and tragedy together, oh how America must always have both. We have to stop thinking in the minds of our forefathers and focus on the things that connect us all. It’s the first step in being able to celebrate instead of fear the things that make us different.
10. Free – Broods
We are a people of contradictions. We have a rather skewed definition of freedom that has its roots in the unevenly distributed freedoms of revolutionary America. But if there’s anything we should celebrate this weekend, it’s that, in this country, we have the chance to come back from nothing. Land of opportunity. It may not be distributed equally, but we have chances to advance that people like us have never had before. Yay USA!
11. Kingdom Come – Demi Lovato
Two hundred years later, here we are in another kingdom, ruled by the healthy, wealthy, and white. We’re still on our way to freedom. And in the words of our forefathers, it’s our responsibility to seek freedom and to defy those institutions that deny us. Today they are social institutions, political movements — our own misconceptions. Minorities are still at a disadvantage in the kingdom of America. This summer, as we celebrate, let us not forsake the importance of their plights.
12. America – Imagine Dragons
In the end, no matter who you are, America is basically like your older brother: It beats you up and isn’t often nice to you, but it’s still your country, you know? Whether you were born here or you’ve lived here long enough to call it home, America belongs to us. It’s ours to love and ours to help. So you still throw it a birthday party and celebrate it — debt, discrimination, freedom, and all.
