American Themed Songs for Your Fourth of July Party

The Fourth of July is near and it's getting close to time to plan what you will be doing for the long weekend. I would have to assume most of you will be attending or throwing some sort of party, whether at the beach or at home, to celebrate this day. While you and your friends and family are basking in, what I hope to be a wonderful day for all, while chugging your ice cold beer and pigging out on all sorts of goodies, you may not be thinking about what kind of music would be good playing in the background. While just about anything will do these days, and as good as they are, we really don't want to listen to the old classics such as the Star-Spangled Banner or You're A Grand Old Flag. We still want to listen to upbeat and yet inspirational music and here is a list of songs about America by artists we know today. Save the Star-Spangled Banner for later in the evening, when everyone is drunk, and see how many people can get the words right. Hey, that could be turned into a great game.

1. Hello America by Def Leppard is on their 1980 album, On Through the Night.

2. Living in America by the late James Brown which is probably easiest to find on his 1992 Greatest Hits of the Fourth Decade album.

3. America by Prince. Who can resist Prince? Not to mention, I really like this album. Find this song on 1985's Around the World in a Day.

4. Spirit of America by The Beach Boys can be found on their 1993 Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys album.

5. Crazy Island by John Mellencamp from his 2001 Cuttin' Heads album.

Who does America better than John Mellencamp? Needless to say he gets two entries on my list.

6. Pink Houses is another of his greatest hits which, by the way, you can find on his 2004 release Words & Music: John Mellencamps Greatest Hits.

7. America by the late and great Waylon Jennings from his 2004 album, Ultimate Waylon Jennings.

8. (You Can Still) Rock in America by Night Ranger. This is for my husband, because he tortures me with Sister Christian all the time, which song is also on the same album - Night Ranger's 1983 Midnight Madness album.

9. Only in America by Brooks & Dunn because we need a little more country on this list. This song can be found on their 2001 album, Steers & Stripes and actually pretty much the whole album will work.

10. Somewhere in America by The Outfield is found on the 1998 album, Bangin.

So go ahead and stick some of these tunes in your i-Pod or whatever you got and blast them this Fourth of July. Hopefully, at the very least, some of these songs will get your party guests in the mood for a smashing red, white and blue holiday.