Do You Have A Favorite Patriotic Song? Or Least Favorite?

[arwalden]

My favorite is "America The Beautiful" and think it would be a fantastic replacement for the current national anthem.

Least favorite: that Lee Greenwood POS. "Proud To Be An American"... ugh! Barf!

-- Allen

[donco6]

1. Onward Christian Soldiers

I know - borderline patriotic, but repulsive nonetheless.

[Kamika]

2. Born in U.S.A.

By the Boss

[NightTrain]

4. That is *not* a patriotic song!

Check out the lyrics if you don't believe me:

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
'Til you spend half your life just covering up


Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man



Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
I go down to see the V.A. man
He said "Son don't you understand"



I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone
He had a little girl in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years down the road
Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go

I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

[Kamika]

25. I don't know..

I find it patriotic

[Dogmudgeon]

61. Also check out ...

Rain On The Scarecrow by John Mellencamp.

Rain On The Scarecrow
- John Cougar Mellencamp

Scarecrow on a wooden cross
Blackbird in the barn
Four hundred empty acres
That used to be my farm
I grew up like my daddy did
My grandpa cleared this land
When I was five I walked the fence
While grandpa held my hand

Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation
This land made me proud
And Son, I'm just sorry
There's no legacy for you now
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow

The crops we grew last summer
Weren't enough to pay the loans
Couldn't buy the seed to plant this spring
And the Farmers Bank foreclosed
Called my old friend Schepman up
To auction off the land
He said John it's just my job
And I hope you understand
Hey calling it your job ol' hoss
Sure don't make it right
But if you want me to
I'll say a prayer for your soul tonight

And grandma's on the front porch swing
With a Bible in her hand
Sometimes I hear her singing
"Take me to the Promised Land"
When you take away a man's dignity
He can't work his fields and cows

There'll be blood on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
Blood on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow

Well there's ninety-seven crosses
Planted in the courthouse yard
Ninety-seven families
Who lost ninety-seven farms
I think about my grandpa
And my neighbors and my name
And some nights I feel like dyin'
Like that scarecrow in the rain

Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation
This land made me proud
And Son, I'm just sorry
They're just memories for you now
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow

Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation
This land made me proud
And Son, I'm just sorry
They're just memories for you now
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow
Blood on the plow



--bkl

[UrbScotty]

3. I agree.

Number 2 for me would be "My Country 'Tis of Thee."

[Zomby Woof]

5. This Land Is Your Land

By the immortal Woody Guthrie. It was a response to his (and my) least favorite, "God Bless America". :puke:

[Party of the People]

17. No question!

:pals:

[Zomby Woof]

30. Welcome to the DU party, Party!

:hi:

[NightTrain]

6. Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful" is a classic!

And that Lee Greenwood atrocity has always made me cringe! :puke:

[bookman]

11. Great Song

I agree on Ray's version.

I remember "This is My Country" a little, but you don't hear that much. Perhaps doesn't fit into right wing mind set.

[blondeatlast]

42. Whatever happened to that one?

I remember singing it in elementary school; let's just say it was SOME time ago.

It is pretty stirring . . .

[Swede]

7. I am a Canadian and it is almost embarrassing

watching Americans getting all misty. I know it's tribalism,but come on already.

[Kamika]

8. omg youre just jelous

Go back to russia!

[Swede]

9. Am not!

[Party of the People]

18. I like 'O Canada'

:hi:

[FlashHarry]

10. "Jerusalem" by William Blake

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills

Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire
Bring me my spear - O clouds unfold
Bring me my Chariot of Fire

I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land


Even though it's religious, it still send chills up and down my spine.

On edit: I agree that the execrable Lee Greenwood song is probably the worst piece of chest-thumping, jingoistic trash ever written. It's America's Horst Wessel Lied.

[absyntheNsugar]

19. Sends chills down my spine but...

did you know that was a hymm designed to celebrate the crusades?

[Dogmudgeon]

60. What's the diff?

Horst Wessel Lied.

George Bush Lied.

What's the diff?

--bkl

[grannylib]

12. Fave: "If I had a Hammer" Least fave: Lee Greenwood

[NashVegas]

13. My Country 'tis of Thee

Such a beautiful 'fuck you' to the Brits.

Still a beautiful 'fuck you' to Northeastern-Liberal haters, now.

I can do without the last verse, however. And what's funny about that is, we used to sing this song every morning in my Catholic grade school, and that one always got skipped out.

[peekaloo]

14. Poor Aunt Clara.....looks like she fell down while saluting the flag

the flag on the roof that is.

Favorite: This Land Is Your Land

Un-favorite: You're A Grand Ole Flag (I'm a cranky hanky panky?????never a boast or a brag...)

[Aconymous]

15. Personally

I like "Have You Forgotten."

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. Really? How many Iraqi's were on those planes?

Have You Forgotten


I hear people saying we don't need this war
I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground?
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start preaching
Let me ask you this my friend

[VolcanoJen]

28. Before you start preaching, let me ask you this, my friend

Accurate words, eh?

Good one, NSMA. :D

[blondeatlast]

43. Methinks you have discovered another one, NSMA.

Here's an RC and Moon Pie from me!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

51. mmm RC's and Moonpies make freepers so much more

satisfying when they are tombstoned. :D

Actually, I think that guy cancelled his account so he could go enlist ;-)

[blondeatlast]

58. HAH!

Let's hope so. Better him than the poor kids who enlisted to make the country safe from terrorists, but ended up in Iraq.

[blondeatlast]

47. Damn, Mods--that was way fast. Kudos!

[Faygo Kid]

20. Worst: Sean Hannity's theme song

Not sure of the title; can't bear to listen to the screeching, screaming woman who sings it. Fits his show perfectly, though. Yecch.

[terrya]

21. "America the Beautiful" emphasizes the wonderful qualities of this country

It's not some "war song" like the Star Spangled Banner.

Plus, everyone can sing "America the Beautiful". Does anyone really know all the words to "The Star Spangled Banner"? I sure don't.

[Norbert]

22. This Land is Your Land

"This Land was made for you and me"

If you are looking for an instrumental work look no further than Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"

Lee Greenwood? Proud to be an Amrrkin? Pfffft!!

[Padraig18]

23. "America the Beautiful"

It so emphasizes the qualities that still make people want to come to America. My least favorite is "The Star-Spangled banner". :wtf: --- an English drinking song?

[VolcanoJen]

24. The Battle Hymn of the Republic

I realize this song might be a bit religious for folks, and I'm certainly not religious myself, but it really stirs me up whenever I hear it. It's a beauty, and the words penned by Julia Ward Howe expressed her belief that the wrath of God was about to fall upon those who advocated slavery.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free!
While God is marching on.

[Rowdyboy]

26. You are not alone , Jen...

"As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free" has ALWAYS sent a chill down my spine. I think of the thousands of American soldiers who died on the beaches of France or Iwo Jima and see their faces. It truly is my favorite patriotic song.

Second, of course, is Woody Guthrie and "This Land is Your Land"

From childhood, I have special feelings for "My country, 'Tis of Thee"

[VolcanoJen]

27. Thanks, Rowdyboy!

Something about that song just stirs a love of America from deep within my soul. I can't even express it, but everytime I hear it, I'm moved, often to tears.

It's off topic, but the Nessun Dorma Aria is the only other song that provokes such a reaction from me. :-)

[Spider Jerusalem]

34. I, too, vote for the Battle Hymn...

but my absolute favourite version does not include the lyrics. If you want to hear an absolutely incredible, kick-as, spine-tingling jazz piano version of the Battle Hymn, go to www.wabe.org (NPR station here in Atlanta) at nine o'clock eastern tonight (or any other Saturday) and click on "listen live". There's a show called "Jazz Classics" that uses it as its theme. Well worth the listen. Trust me.

[VolcanoJen]

36. Thanks for the tip, Spider!

Herbie Mann does an absolutely spine-chilling version on flute too, found on the wonderful album "Memphis Underground."

[blondeatlast]

46. Me too, actually. It reminds us of the enormous sacrifices

that come with war rather than celebrating tehm. I can understand that some would have trouble with the Christian tone in the lyrics, but it truly is a stirring song; just as an anthem should be.

[BiggJawn]

29. The "Liberty Ball March" by Sousa

AKA the "Monty Python Theme Song"...:evilgrin:

Any jingoistic post-Sept. 11 redneck song gets the vote for "least fav"....

[arwalden]

31. Okay... thank you... now I'm humming it in my head...

Now I'll have to go ALL the way through until we get to the PTHPTHPTH raspberry sound and the foot coming out of the sky.

-- Allen

I suppose there are WORSE songs to have stuck in your head.

[BiggJawn]

56. Yeah, like "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue"...

I forget how many stanzas there are to that thing. Python used only the first one.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

32. Favorite!

Indian Reservation
by Paul Revere and the Raiders

They took the whole Cherokee nation
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan
...

[Michigander4Dean]

33. My Country 'Tis of Thee

Sweet land of Liberty
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
LET FREEDOM RING!

Yeah, George, Let It Ring!

[Bunny]

35. The Star Spangled Banner.

My absolute favorite. It is the perfect national anthem, and I'd fight to the end to keep it that way! It is unsingable by nearly everybody! But I love it!

[VolcanoJen]

37. This is such a great thread!!!

I want to keep it alive... :-)

I was just thinking of a few of my other favorites that haven't been mentioned yet. Some may call them patriotic, others may not. But I do, and this is my post, and that's all that counts. :+

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
"Yankee Doodle Dandy"
"Home On The Range"
"My Old Kentucky Home"
"This Is My Country"

[grasswire]

39. I always liked....

...Roger Miller's song about the Fourth of July.

Bells ring-alinging
Firecrackers popping
Lighting up the sky
Hail to the flag,
It's the Fourth of July

It's a day to stand hat in hand, watching parades
Singin' along with each song the band plays

Bells ring-alinging
Firecrackers popping
Lighting up the sky
Hail to the flag,
It's the Fourth of July!

But of course I also like "Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground" and "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean" and "American Patrol" and "It's a Grand Old Flag" (and the Pogo version "Ritzy grand ho frog and a hifi and frog...) and all the beautiful Stephen Foster descriptions of American life.

[arwalden]

44. "Over There"

[Spider Jerusalem]

45. How about Elvis' "American Trilogy"?

Medley of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Dixie" and a third song I don't know the name of...that one gives me shivers, too.

[mlawson]

38. The main theme in the 1812 Overture!!

Not the Marseillaise, but the overriding theme near the end, with the bells, and big finale. Was that the Russian Imperial anthem???

[grasswire]

40. yes

it's the old Russian anthem.

[mlawson]

49. I could fantacize about 1/20/05, at the Capitol,

and our Dem nominee is being sworn in. The National Symphony is there, playing a similar overture, the Mall is filled with one million deliriously cheering people.

:bounce:

[VolcanoJen]

52. What a gorgeous, inspirational picture you have painted, mlawson!

:D :D :D

[blondeatlast]

41. "America the Beautiful," indeed.

It has the added advantage of sounding much better when tone deaf types such as myself sing it.

I'd like to hear Ray Charles sing it at the convention. Hell, at the INAUGURATION!

[Piperay]

48. Favorite...This Land is Your Land,

least favorite...Proud to be an American. :puke:

[maxanne]

50. This Land is Your Land

should be our national anthem.

I also think "Born in the USA" and "Fortunate Son" are great patriotic songs.

[Mick Knox]

53. Battle of New Orleans

by Johnny Horton is one of my favs not mentioned here. America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner are tops.

Dont have an least fav that I can think of.

[Logansquare]

54. The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus

I like all of the songs mentioned in this thread, but in grade school we would sing a version of the poem written to commemorate the Statue of Liberty, and I always got a little misty hearing it.

"Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

[bbernardini]

55. Frank Zappa's 1988 version of "The Star-Spangled Banner"!

Very rarely performed, but stunning. His is also the only version of "Stairway To Heaven" that I'll listen to.

[Rowdyboy]

57. Dukakis in 1988 used Neil Diamond and

"They're comin' to America"...Very, very moving song about immigrants.

[arwalden]

59. That Is One Of Only A Few Neil Diamond Songs That I Like

although, I did enjoy his duet with Barbra Streisand too.

-- Allen