Sing for the red, white and blue

[thatcrazycajun]

For reasons no one who knows me (or has read the last post) should have to guess, I feel patriotic and celebratory tonight. My favorite patriotic song for my country is, without doubt, "America the Beautiful" as recorded immortally by the Genius hisownself, Ray Charles, may he rest in God's own peace. (But Neil Diamond's "America" comes in a close second.) What's yours?

Comments

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Ray's the man.

Did you see The Colbert Report tonight? Newly elected Rep John Hall (D-NY) (oh, I like saying that! :-) dueted with Colbert on "The Star-Spangled Banner". Remember that Hall was a member of Orleans (wrote and sang "Still the One") -- he and Stephen were damned nice, singing harmony. If there are any teams in the NY-Penn League (a low minor league) in Hall's district, I hope they have the sense to use that version of the national anthem next summer.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Every time I fell an irrepressible upwelling of patriotic fervor, I burst out with "Power and Glory" by Phil Ochs.

Her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom,
Her glory shall rest on us all.

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

No contest: Woody Guthrie, "This Land Is Your Land."

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Although if you haven't heard Leonard Cohen's "Democracy," you should. It's brilliant.

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

I probably will give it a listen, especially since iTunes Store has it on their list of "Songs for Election Day."

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I think you'll like it a lot. I prefer Judy Collins' version, since I listen to anyone else singing Cohen rather than Cohen himself by preference (his voice ain't as good as his songs); dunno which version iTunes has.