Updated

Updated · The Advocate · Jun 25

Baton Rouge Musicians Pick 10 Patriotic Songs, Reflecting America’s 250-Year Musical Divide

Updated

Updated · The Advocate · Jun 25

Baton Rouge Musicians Pick 10 Patriotic Songs, Reflecting America’s 250-Year Musical Divide

Q: As America’s 250th anniversary arrives, can a song of protest also be considered a truly patriotic anthem?

Yes. In the American tradition, protest songs can be deeply patriotic because they ask the country to live up to its own ideals. The Louisiana musicians’ choices make that clear. Their picks ranged from Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful” and Toby Keith’s “American Soldier” to John Prine’s “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and James Brown’s “The Payback.” The point of Jan Risher’s poll was not to find one perfect anthem, but to show that the United States has always been too varied, conflicted and plural to fit into a single song. History supports that view. William Billings’ “Chester,” chosen by Griffin Campbell, was a Revolutionary-era song with a defiant political message, and Billings also wrote what is often described as America’s first protest song. Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” cited through Bruce Springsteen’s version, has long functioned as both a patriotic standard and a critique of exclusion. Black musical traditions, from spirituals to soul and hip-hop, have likewise expressed pride, grievance and hope at the same time. That is why many scholars and artists treat protest music as civic participation rather than rejection. A patriotic anthem does not have to flatter the nation; it can challenge it. As the country marks 250 years, the strongest “American” song may be one that celebrates freedom while insisting that freedom be shared more fully.

3 articles · Updated · The Advocate · Jun 25

Ten Baton Rouge-area musicians and music figures named favorite American or patriotic songs, producing a list that ranged from “America the Beautiful” and “This Land Is Your Land” to Sufjan Stevens, John Prine and William Billings’ “Chester.”
The selections underscored how differently artists define patriotism: Peter Simon called Paul Simon’s “American Tune” an immigrant’s song, while Quiana Lynell chose James Brown’s “The Payback” as a statement of Black pride and equal respect.
Several picks tied patriotism to personal memory rather than national consensus — Noah James cited Toby Keith’s “American Soldier” because of relatives and friends who served, and Chase Tyler said Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful” evokes unity.
Other musicians favored songs that challenge the country as much as celebrate it, including Bruce Springsteen’s version of Woody Guthrie’s 1940 “This Land Is Your Land,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” and Prine’s satirical flag song.
The feature’s broader point was that after 250 years of American democracy, no single anthem captures the country; the range of answers is itself the story.