GAC Chooses Top 20 Patriotic Songs

Posted by Stephanie Myers on 07/02/2010
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Aaron-Tippin
With the 4th of July around the corner, GAC has chosen what they believe are the country’s top 20 patriotic songs.
 
“In recent years we’ve heard heartfelt songs by several artists who may not be household names yet – like ex-soldiers Luke Stricklin (”American by God’s Amazing Grace”) and Keni Thomas’ (”Not Me”).  But the tunes that made it on our list of the 20 Greatest Country Patriotic Songs are by some of country’s most influential artists, and these patriotic tunes are among their most enduring,” David Scarlett and Sarah Wyland, of GAC, said.
 
If You’re Reading This,” co-written and performed by Tim McGraw in 2007, is a tribute to fallen soldiers and is meant to sound like a letter, but only to be read if the soldier didn’t return home. GAC reports that at the 2007 Academy of Country Music Awards, there wasn’t a dry eye when McGraw performed the song.
 
Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue,” written and performed by Toby Keith in 2002, was written partly as a tribute to Keith’s war veteran father and also to sum up Keith’s feelings of a forceful response to terrorism.
 
God Bless the USA,” written and performed by Lee Greenwood in 1983, is often called the “unofficial National Anthem.” GAC said Lee wrote the song to show his appreciation for his country.
 
“Letters from Home” was written by Tony Lane and David Lee and performed by John Michael Montgomery. The song is based on the military, but stresses the importance of family during far-away conflicts.
 
Some Gave All,” co-written and performed by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992, is a tribute to the sacrifices all veterans of war make. Because of the song, some soldiers have been embraced by veterans’ groups and have also been featured as the plotline in Cyrus’ former Doc TV series.
 
Bumper of My SUV,” written and recorded by Chely Wright in 2004, was influenced by an actual event that happened to Wright. She was driving down a Nashville street and received an obscene gesture from another motorist because of the United States Marines sticker on her vehicle. GAC reports Wright has visited and performed for troops around the world on numerous occasions.
 
Only in America” was written by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Ronnie Rogers and performed by Brooks & Dunn in 2001. The song was written after 9/11 and celebrates the freedom and opportunities that are available to Americans, from becoming president to going to prison.
 
American Child” was written by Phil Vassar and Craig Wiseman and performed by Phil Vassar in 2002. The song honors a grandfather killed in combat while also recognizing the blessing it is to be an American child.
 
The Fightin’ Side of Me,” written and performed by Merle Haggard in 1970, expresses Haggard’s view that people in positions of leadership are making mistakes. The song is from the Vietnam era, and talks about how Haggard wants people to stand up for things they believe in.
 
America,” written by Sammy Johns and performed by Waylon Jennings, was years in the making before Jennings finally realized the song captured what he’d been wanting to say. He carried the song in his pocket for years. The song admits America isn’t perfect but professes a tender love for what’s right about the country, what’s unique in all of its history and what’s worth preserving.
 
In America” was written by Charlie Daniels, John Thomas Crain Jr., Joel Di Gregorio, Fred Laroy Edwards, Charles Fred Hayward and James Marshall. The song was recorded by Charlie Daniels in 1980 and re-released in 2001. Daniels proclaims his love of America in the song.
 
Arlington” is a song about a fallen soldier being returned to his parents and his final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery. Trace Adkins, who recorded the song, had his record label stop promoting the song once he got word that some military families had issues with the song.
 
Ragged Old Flag,” written and performed by Johnny Cash in 1974, represents a ragged flag flying high on top a courthouse. It tells the story of its bravery through the many battles it has faced.
 
They Also Serve,” recorded by John Conlee, has a different take on the traditional patriotic song. It tells the story of pain and sacrifice family members of those who serve the country endure.
 
Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” written and recorded by Alan Jackson in 2002, reveals America’s national psyche on 9/11. Jackson ends each chorus with the reminder that the greatest gift God gave us is love.
 
What started out as a reminder for all Americans as to why we are fighting, “Have You Forgotten” became a career record that wound up spending six weeks at No. 1. Darryl Worely, who recorded the song, said he felt the urge to support our service men and women the way he saw them fighting for us in the battlefield.
 
I Just Came Back From a War,” also co-written and performed by Darryl Worely, was also inspired by Worely’s experiences while on tour supporting our troops. The song was influenced by a conversation with troops.
 
“I was talkin’ to this kid and he was telling me a very intense story,” explains Darryl. “Something had happened to him when he got home [from the war]. He got into a little trouble. It was obviously a product of what he’d been through. And this line just came to me, ‘Hey man, you know what? Cut me a little slack. I just came back from a war.’ And I just wrote that line down real fast. And I remember getting chills.”
 
In God We Still Trust,” recorded by Diamond Rio in 2005, is a song that calls to preserve America’s spiritual heritage and tradition.
 
Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly,” recorded by Aaron Tippin, tells of America’s virtues — freedom, hard work and the “lady in the harbor.” The song was written two-and-a-half years before 9/11, but Tippin said he knew it was time to get the single out once the terror struck that Tuesday morning.
 
The Eagle,” performed by Warylon Jennings, tells a perfect metaphor of America’s courage through its greatest symbol — the eagle.
 
American Soldier,” written by Toby Keith and Chuck Cannon in 2003, is a story of a family man who is trying to “Be a father, raise a daughter and a son, Be a lover to their mother, everything to everyone.” The song has a bit different tone from Keith’s in-your-face style in “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
 
Source: GAC