Photo credit: Stephanie McCabe / Unsplash
You don’t need a reason to make a playlist, but a holiday sure does provide a good one.
And today, on July 4th, one of my favorite days of the year, I like listening to one of my favorite Spotify playlists. Like my summertime mix, it’s a collection of songs all built around a theme — in this case, the word “America.” All included songs feature some use of the word America (or a variation of it) in a prominent way — which is why John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses” qualifies, but, say, “Horse with No Name,” by the band America, does not. Bruce Springsteen’s “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” may be an exception to that rule, but come on. How could I not include it?
And, because it’s a mix for the Fourth of July, there are a few patriotic or July 4th or “Independence Day”–themed or related songs (like Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” and Katy Perry’s “Firework,” natch) thrown in too. Yes, there are even some songs, like Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” that sound patriotic, but really aren’t.
I call this playlist, no surprise, American Tunes.
Of course, you can’t call a playlist that without including the song “American Tune,” and I’ve included not one but two versions of it — one by Simon & Garfunkel and one by Eva Cassidy. Actually, Cassidy’s lesser known but even better cover version may be my favorite of all the tracks on this playlist.
What else is on it? Here’s a partial track list, in no particular order:
1. “Liberty Fanfare” – Boston Pops Orchestra
2. “On the Fourth of July” – James Taylor
3. “American Girls” – Counting Crows
4. “American Baby” – Dave Matthews Band
5. “America” – Simon & Garfunkel
6. “Pink Houses” – John Cougar Mellencamp
7. “Surfin’ U.S.A.” – The Beach Boys
8. “Doddletown Fifers” – Boston Pops Orchestra
9. “American Land” – Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band
10. “American Life in the Summertime” – Francis Nunnery
11. “Young Americans” – David Bowie
12. “America the Beautiful” – Ray Charles
13. “American Tune” – Eva Cassidy
14. “Independence Day” – Bruce Springsteen
15. “American Girl” – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
16. “All-American Girl” – Train
17. “America” – Neil Diamond
18. “America, Fuck Yeah” – Team America
19. “American Idiot” – Green Day
20. “Born in the U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen
21. “The Stars and Stripes Forever” – Boston Pops Orchestra
22. “Almost Independence Day” – Van Morrison
23. “Living in the U.S.A.” – Steve Miller Band
24. “Star Spangled Banner” – Jimi Hendrix
25. “Living in America” – James Brown
26. “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” – Bruce Springsteen
27. “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” – Toby Keith
28. “Made in America” – Jay-Z & Kanye West
29. “Independence Day” – Lil Rounds
30. “Party in the U.S.A.” – Miley Cyrus
31. “American Boy” – Estelle (feat. Kanye West)
32. “Real American” – Rick Derringer
33. “America’s Suitehearts” – Fall Out Boy
34. “God Bless America” – Kate Smith
35. “Saturday in the Park” – Chicago
36. “This Land Is Your Land” – Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
37. “Breakfast in America” – Supertramp
38. We’re an American Band” – Grand Funk Railroad
39. “American Woman” – Lenny Kravitz
40. “Kids in America” – Kim Wilde
(Note: Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” was excluded on purpose. I can’t stand that song. Yuck.)
The full playlist has more than 50 tracks on it and is backyard-barbecue-ready! So go ahead and give it a listen. Happy Independence Day!
Am I missing anything? Please let me know in the comments section below.
Martin's Musings 
One more good ol’ boy song from Toby Keith: Made in America (‘Merica?)
Good one, Brian! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
Hey Martin, What about Kate Smith?
Her version of “God Bless America,” I assume? I’ve added it to the Spotify playlist. Thanks, John!