JUKEBOX: Celebrate the Fourth With 16 Stately Songs
Since presumably the beginning of recorded time, humans have composed odes to their homelands, patriotic anthems declaring why their country, territory, city, or even neighborhood was the best. Although the 16 songs in this week’s Fourth of July JUKEBOX weren’t all created in the name of patriotism, all of them are infinitely better than the elementary school choir song that still haunts my nightmare, “Fifty Nifty United States.” (Not to be confused with its much cooler cousin, The Animaniacs‘ state capitols song, which coincidentally was a school-bus-singalong fave.) I think you’ll have a much better time blasting this fireworks-ready playlist during your weekend barbecue.
1) “Kansas City,” Wilbert Harrison (1959)
As Dick Clark notes in the video above, there are about 19,000 covers of “Kansas City,” but its first incarnation as a hit was recorded by Wilbert Harrison in 1959. Penned by Leiber and Stoller for bluesman Little Willie Littlefield in ’52, Littlefield changed the title to “K.C. Lovin’,” and though Harrison included it in his repertoire for many years, it took seven years and a few covers in the interim (one by Little Richard, which wasn’t released on an album until Harrison’s version had already hit) before “Kansas City” started its ironic run. Although many people prefer the more mainstreamed and high-energy interpretation by the Beatles, I tend to stick with Harrison, and it’s this version of “Kansas City” that I regularly throw on the jukebox whenever I have a chance. You just can’t compete with the gentle-yet-aggressive shuffling rhythm and the beat perfect for taking a little stroll (or Carolina Shag, but perhaps I should confirm with Rick Simmons before I make that assumption).
2) “Ohio,” Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (1970)
Earlier this year, I wrote about my relationship with the Kent State shootings growing up about 45 minutes down the road and knowing people who were there on May 4, 1970, when the National Guard fired on and killed four students. Neil Young wrote “Ohio” after witnessing the coverage of the events, and when the song was released hardly a month after the shootings took place, it was perhaps an even greater call to action. Many historians consider what happened at Kent State a definitive nail in the Vietnam conflict’s coffin, and it’s safe to assume that “Ohio,” with its call-to-action guitar riff, durging tempo, and fed-up lyrics was probably a catalyst in the movement to end the war.
(On an unrelated-to-“Ohio” but related-to-Ohio side note, the Buckeye State is the only one in the US with an official rock song — “Hang on Sloopy.” Bit of bragging there on my part. Carry on…)
3) “Carolina In My Mind,” James Taylor (1968)
Recorded on the Beatles’ Apple label and produced by Peter Asher in 1968, James Taylor’s ode to his homeland of North Carolina has become something of an unofficial anthem and is sung by the graduating class of the University of North Carolna at Chapel Hill every year. Living in London, Taylor began to long for home, particularly its warm sunshine contrasted against the typically gray and rainy English cityscape. It’s truly a beautiful tribute to one of the most gorgeous states, and, considering the heavy psychedelic jams of the same year, its easygoing, country-tinged, clear-eyed vision was foretelling of the singer-songwriter-heavy decade to come.
4) “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar),” The Doors (1967)
Okay, so this song has nothing to do with Alabama. (But it’s better than “Sweet Home Alabama,” amirite?) If it sounds more like a German bierhaus barnstormer, that’s because it is. Originally set to music in 1927 from a poem published two years earlier, “Alabama Song” first appeared in a songspiel (literally translated as “song play,” but something more like an opera) called Mahagonny. Traditionally, its lyrics are always in English, which might explain why Jim Morrison sounds like he’s already been to several whisky bars. Or maybe he really has. Either scenario is acceptable.
5) “California Sun,” The Rivieras (1963)
In addition to being a fun-filled West Coast romp, the Rivieras’ version of Joe Jones’ “California Sun” (which comes up in our list of 10 noteworthy surf-rock songs not by Jan and Dean or the Beach Boys) also embraces a traditional Midwestern pasttime: dreaming about warmer temperatures, the beach, and beautiful people. The Rivieras, who broke up in 1966, failing to even come close to the success of “California Sun,” were from Indiana, and presumably tried to ride the trendy surf-rock wave. Even today, this is one of my must-have tracks when landing at LAX, and I’d consider this version definitive over the original. Though, it’s interesting, comparing the Rivieras’ vs. Jones’, you can almost hear not only the evolution of surf-rock as a genre (Jones’ version is more R&B heavy), but also the perception of California from a place to have a swingin’ time, to somewhere that’s an all-out party.
Obviously, there are scores more songs written about these nifty, fifty United States (make it stop!), some of which are in the Spotify playlist below!
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July, REBEATers!
