Happy 4th Of July!

[Des-Lab]

To our Stateside fellow tapers. Happy 4th of July to all of you. Today we recognize the 232nd anniversary of the founding of our good ol' USA.

Today is going to be a classic 'American' summer holiday: Hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, swimming at the pool with the kids and family, going for little spins in the Ford convertible (the kids love it), and consuming mass quantities of apple pie, root beer floats, and watermelon. The day will be finished at sundown when we all gather around to shoot off a bunch of fireworks.
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So tell me fellow tapers. What music of 'Americana' do you like that you think is appropriate for this day?


I have a handful.

My favorite "4th of July" song is "Justice And Independance" by John Cougar Mellencamp. It is the very essence of the day. Look up the lyrics to it if you don't have them. Then listen to the song itself. The lead guitar in that song just doesn't get any better. It is *THE* American rock-and-roll-song. If you want to get a good, concentrated dose of "USA" wrapped up in three-and-a-half minutes, this is it.


My other songs for the day include:

"The American", also by John Cougar Mellencamp (a great song, but not old enough to warrant 'classic' status as it was only released in 2006)

"My Hometown" by Bruce Springsteen

"American Pie" by Don McLean (yes, I know this song is meant more as a tribute for Buddy Holly/Ritchie Valens/Big Bopper, but it *IS* a recognized piece of general Americana nonetheless)

"Coming To America" by Neil Diamond

"This Old Flag" by Johnny Cash

Just to name a few. I try to avoid those clichéd songs that have been too overdone and/or too overplayed such as "America The Beautiful". Not that there's anything wrong with them at face value.

So here's wishing all of you a safe and happy 4th of July.

Yes, here in the States we are facing some very serious bumps in the road. And yes, we do have our share of problems. But we still must be doing something right. Look at how many people still want to come here. And look at how many other nations are trying to emulate us in one form or another.

And for all non-US TH'ers for whom today is just another Friday, I still wish you a safe and happy day for whatever you plan to do. And be sure that when YOUR National Day Of Celebration comes up, you be sure to tell us.

http://www.whatistruth.info/july503gZJbub_ph.jpg

[clhboa]

I have to work today. But I woke up early and watched the 1990 movie "Spirit of '76". It's one of my favorites and I always watch it on the 4th of July. Any movie that features David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Tommy Chong and Moon Zappa is alright by me!!! If you haven't seen it I highly recommend you do. As far as music goes I'll probably crank up "In America" by The Charlie Daniels Band before I head out the door.

P.S. I just got word that my 8-Track deck is done being serviced and should be here soon!

[Fast Forward]

I had plans to go to my favorite little Wisconsin town for the weekend,,I like small town celebrations,,the mayor is a friend of mine and I usually work the Beer tent or Brat stand,,but I have been out of a job for about a year and have a 2nd interview at 3pm today so plans change ,,any way Happy Birthday us US)dance(

[stuwee]

Happy 4th to all and theirs, a couple of don'ts:

Forget who is keepin' us a safe as we can be: hug a veteran and thank them.
Forget to say a prayer for the boys and girls abroad.
Forget to keep the pets safe tonight.
Forget if you live in a parched part of the country, about fires.

And please do:

Have a great time.
Have a safe time.

Music wise, stuwee's gonna have a Springsteen weekend, now playin' for the first of many times this weekend, "The Rising".
I'll be throwing on some John Cougar for sure.
Gettin' funky with James Brown "Livin in America".
And anything others add if I have it.
Of course, Tchaikovsky "1812" when the show starts.

Peace,
Craig

[vinyldavid]

I got a couple for ya, Des.

Spirit of '76, Music of Fife and Drums from the Revolutionary War onwards.
Like you mentioned, america-Neil Diamond, and American Pie.

Copland-Appalachian Spring
Steve Miller band-Living in America

And of course, 1812 Overture...


I have everything I mentioned on vinyl, except Steve miler...that's on a cassette.

[Scorpion8]

Happy, happy! Enjoy and respect the liberty ...

[Web Police]

Happy 4th to all. FF good luck on your interview. :)

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[close652]

Happy 4th of July to all and keep the oldest democracy alive!

[Fast Forward]

Happy 4th to all. FF good luck on your interview. :)

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Thanks Web Police

[Acoustic]

Happy 4th evening everyone. I'm watching the fireworks from my 2nd story apt while taping Jazz In the Night on KANU 91.5. NPR from Lawrence KS. So I am having an enjoyable evening... my neighbors think I'm*el_loco* having the gear I do... reason: no portablility. They are not impressed by sound quality at all... and we are talking all ages here.

FF hope you had a good interview!!*hope*

[braxus]

my neighbors think I'm*el_loco* having the gear I do... reason: no portablility. They are not impressed by sound quality at all... and we are talking all ages here.

Either you have really bad gear or your neighbors are deaf. Each to their own if a good tape deck can't impress someone.

I watched the fireworks here from our place on July 1st which is Canada Day here. Funny how our two countries celebrate our countrys' birth just 3 days apart. Makes for a great summer day though. FF hope the interview goes well and they take you on.

[Fast Forward]

Either you have really bad gear or your neighbors are deaf. Each to their own if a good tape deck can't impress someone.

I watched the fireworks here from our place on July 1st which is Canada Day here. Funny how our two countries celebrate our countrys' birth just 3 days apart. Makes for a great summer day though. FF hope the interview goes well and they take you on.Thanks Braxus, It,s a diffficult time in
my life that I have to work thru,but it doesn,t get easier with unemployment,,the price of gas,, and the general cost of living on the rise,,tough to maintain a sense of humor

[clhboa]

How could I have forgotten "4th of July" by Dave Alvin? Great song!

[braxus]

Thanks Braxus, It,s a diffficult time in
my life that I have to work thru,but it doesn,t get easier with unemployment,,the price of gas,, and the general cost of living on the rise,,tough to maintain a sense of humor

I remember how it feels to be out of work. I wasn't working for a period of a year and a half in around 1990. It wasn't easy then either especially when you couldn't go out with your friends to even a movie. I was glad it finally ended. You will get a job if you keep trying. Its bound to happen.

[stuwee]

FF, thoughts and prayers for ya from AZ! Someone is bound to take notice of a great guy, worthy of employment:-)<- Hope ya had a great day, and, have a better rest of the weekend!

Craig

btw, our meager display was pre-empted by Mother Nature, what a show she put on though! Majestic, powerful, a nice soaker well needed in the desert.

[Acoustic]

Either you have really bad gear or your neighbors are deaf. Each to their own if a good tape deck can't impress someone.

I watched the fireworks here from our place on July 1st which is Canada Day here. Funny how our two countries celebrate our countrys' birth just 3 days apart. Makes for a great summer day though. FF hope the interview goes well and they take you on.

No bad gear here*hope*.. I believe it's the perception of what each person has of good sound. The consensus of most folks I know want all subwoofer and high end with little midrange in there vehicle, at home a 5 channel HT in a box that can replicate explosions or 128 bit rate songs on an iPod. All that is fine with me-noteeth- but my 2 channel stereo is just old and analog (let alone the..."you still listen to cassettes"??!? I hear)... and the anything digital must be better. I should start a new thread on opinions of perception of sound quality, usage of tone controls and the loudness contour.

To keep on topic... it's the 5th morning now and the smoke is just begining to clear from all the home fireworks displays in the neighborhood. And a mess to clean up from everyone who celebrated the 4th with a 5th!!!!!!

[Fast Forward]

I didn,t venture out,maybe I,ve seen enough fireworks I just sat on the Lazy Boy sucking down Diet Pepsi and switching between the Twilight Zone marathon and The Revolution on the History Channel,,,,I think my 2nd interview went well but who knows ,,Thanks for the support

[Jay Pemberton]

I got a couple for ya, Des.

Spirit of '76, Music of Fife and Drums from the Revolutionary War onwards.

Is that the album I think it is, with Frederick Fennell, on Mercury Living Presence? (I have that one, in stereo.)

[vinyldavid]

Is that the album I think it is, with Frederick Fennell, on Mercury Living Presence? (I have that one, in stereo.)

That is the LP. *check*

I forgot what mine is in.....I know it's Mercury....

[Jay Pemberton]

<snip>but I have been out of a job for about a year and have a 2nd interview at 3pm today<snip>

Whoa....I hope all this turns around for you! In the last five years, I went from looking after my mom (each of us the last family the other had) and having a rewarding part-time public radio station job (which included recording lots of classical music live, to running on-air programming several evenings a week) to having to leave all that behind when she died.

THEN having to move here to Arkansas where someone I thought was a friend took me in, as I had nowhere to go in Texas where I'd previously lived....spent all the money I'd inherited on kit for a recording studio (as the 'friends' thought I was disabled, and I had to 'look destitute' to get on disability--BAD advice) and was thereafter forced to try to live on minimum-wage fast-food money and the rare recording work, until my car wreck last September, which has put me out of work ever since. I get a little money now and then by selling off parts of the studio, but after that's gone, I don't know what I'm going to do. Fun, huh?

I would like to be able to get into, and then make a living at, refurbishing/upgrading (as in modifying) selected reel-to-reel tape decks and analogue mixing boards, and/or get into disc mastering for records, a life-long dream for me.

Anyhoo, hope your luck's better than mine, and the pay helps you make up for lost time/money ASAP! (Let us know how it all turns out, OK?)

[Rat44]

The fourth is my excuse to play Jimi's version of the Star Spangled Banner. :-)<-

[Manalog]

Back In The USA-Chuck Berry
4th Of July (Sandy)-Bruce Springsteen
The House I Live In-Frank Sinatra
American Trilogy-Elvis Presley

[Fast Forward]

Whoa....I hope all this turns around for you! In the last five years, I went from looking after my mom (each of us the last family the other had) and having a rewarding part-time public radio station job (which included recording lots of classical music live, to running on-air programming several evenings a week) to having to leave all that behind when she died.

THEN having to move here to Arkansas where someone I thought was a friend took me in, as I had nowhere to go in Texas where I'd previously lived....spent all the money I'd inherited on kit for a recording studio (as the 'friends' thought I was disabled, and I had to 'look destitute' to get on disability--BAD advice) and was thereafter forced to try to live on minimum-wage fast-food money and the rare recording work, until my car wreck last September, which has put me out of work ever since. I get a little money now and then by selling off parts of the studio, but after that's gone, I don't know what I'm going to do. Fun, huh?

I would like to be able to get into, and then make a living at, refurbishing/upgrading (as in modifying) selected reel-to-reel tape decks and analogue mixing boards, and/or get into disc mastering for records, a life-long dream for me.

Anyhoo, hope your luck's better than mine, and the pay helps you make up for lost time/money ASAP! (Let us know how it all turns out, OK?)Seems to me there should be a Federal program that would offer some help,,as far as disability people tell me you need a good disability lawyer to get what you deserve,,I can,t believe what I see in unemployment centers and social security offices in this country lately,, people who can,t speak the language,and who aren,t even citizens get more help than the people who pay taxes and speak english

[Web Police]

FF and Jay, I wish you two good luck in getting back on your feet so to speak. I can look back and be thankful for what I have.

[Jay Pemberton]

Seems to me there should be a Federal program that would offer some help,,as far as disability people tell me you need a good disability lawyer to get what you deserve,,I can,t believe what I see in unemployment centers and social security offices in this country lately,, people who can,t speak the language,and who aren,t even citizens get more help than the people who pay taxes and speak english

This is true. If only I was a 15 year old girl 'up the spout' (aka pregnant) instead of a 44 year old man with a bad knee and worse job prospects.

I wish I'd known one needed a lawyer last fall, the first time I applied for things post-wreck. At present, I've re-filed, and been rejected once again, but this time I do have a lawyer on the case, so here's hoping this will come out the way it should. I have a meeting with him Thursday.