The 333 Best Pop Songs of the 2000s: #290

#290: "4th of July" (2005) - Shooter Jennings

On the anniversary of the worst attack on our nation's soil since 1941, I choose to honor the victims by glorifying America's freedom, and I can't think of a more appropriate song (released this decade) than this one, a tribute to the three qualities that make America the greatest country in the world: cars, women, and Bruce Springsteen.

Of course, Jennings never mentions or alludes to the Boss; in fact, the only musicians honored in the song are Ted Nugent and George Jones. The irony of those references seem to escape Jennings. He sees himself as a rebel. He despises Music Row (can't say I blame him, either), and longingly aches for the good old days when radio would play George Jones and Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson and Waylong Jennings--his father. Jennings chants this outlaw country mantra so often that he comes across less like his pops than more like another country music offspring--Hank Williams, Jr.

Jennings Jr.'s message is ironic because the real music he espouses to isn't outlaw country--or any country, for that matter--but rock and roll--and it's not his own, original brand of rock and roll, either. It's Bruce Springsteen's. "4th of July" is the quintessence of Shooter's brand of country, and it cops not only Springsteen's sound, but also Springsteen's Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A. themes, the lyrics a mash of "Thunder Road" and "Born to Run" and "Darlington County." It's as derivative and unoriginal as they come, and it's fantastic. It's better fake-Springsteen than John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band.

It starts with that great twelve-string, Byrds-like guitar chiming, and then it drives straight through, tossing out images of sunny and dusty life on the highway, lauging and singing with a honey who ran away from home in the middle of the night just to escape her boring life, yearning for the freedom of life on the road, for independence from life's responsibilities, eager to get out and see America and all it's glory--in an RV. Leaving home to go straight to another one. I doubt if Jennings knew all the implications of making his vehicle a motor home, but that's fitting I think. It's naive. The entire song is naive. The entire concept of this record is naive, but it's got the music to match its conceits. And that's beautiful. It's romantic. It's optimistic. It's American rock and roll. It's stupid. And it's wonderful. And it's inspiring.

Happy 4th of July everyone. Enjoy your independence.