Independence Day 2013

Happy Independence Day! I tend to rerun some mix of these tunes each year (plus some spoken word pieces), but it's hard to beat 'em for the occasion. Every nation has things in its past it can take pride in and things to be ashamed about (and that's certainly true of the present as well in the U.S.A.). But as E.J. Dionne wrote back in 2006 for July the 4th, "The true genius of America has always been its capacity for self-correction." That spirit always needs nurturing, though. It helps to celebrate...

The soulful:

The wild and expressive:

The revolutionary:

The playful:

And the equality-loving and free-spirited:

Have a good Independence Day! Feel free to link any of your favorites for the day in the comments.