Musical anthems that stir the hearts of the US
American country music has been intertwined with United States national pride since it emerged in the late 19th century from the' Hillbilly' folk culture and musical soundings of people in the Southern Appalachian region.
This weekend the resounding patriotism of the greatest nation in the world will echo globally as proud Americans from "Sea to Shining Sea" step forward in celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the undisputed 'Land of the Free'.
'The Star-Spangled Banner' is legally and historically the most patriotic American song, serving as the official national anthem of the United States. Its lyrics were written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key after witnessing the resilience of the American flag during the War of 1812 against the British when the US military was led by General Andrew Jackson, later to become the seventh president of the United States.
Jackson, from Tennessee, was the son of Andrew and Elizabeth Jackson, an Ulster-Scots couple who emigrated from Carrickfergus in Co Antrim in 1765.
Though the national anthem holds the top spot, several other songs and anthems are deeply ingrained in American patriotism for different and cultural reasons.
'God Bless the U.S.A', written by Nashville country singer Lee Greenwood, is widely regarded as the top modern patriotic country anthem, heavily associated with military pride and national unity.
Greenwood, a Californian from Sacramento, wrote and recorded the anthem in 1985 and overnight his concerts became increasingly patriotic flag-waving affairs with the anthem the centrepiece of every performance.
Now 84, Greenwood was a prolific songwriter alongside his popular vocals and in 1984 he wrote the parody 'The Wind Beneath My Wings', a track which was a chart-topper for popular movie star Bette Midler.
'This Land Is Your Land', written by iconic Oklahoma folklorist Woody Guthrie in 1940, is deeply tied to American heritage, representing both a celebration of the country and a personification and reflective look at American people and their diverse cultures.
Gurthrie's contribution to American popular music is immense. He never tried to hide his south-west working class roots and always let his nasal twang and Okie accent shine through in his singing.
A national legend, he died in 1967, aged just 52.
'This Land Is Your Land' anthem has six verses, the first with the inspirational words: "This land is your land, and this land is here, for you and me; from the California to the New York island, from the redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters; this land was here for You and Me."
Written in 1896 by highly celebrated lyricist John Philip Sousa, 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' is the official national march of the US armed forces and it remains a stirring staple of July 4 ceremonial national events.
Meanwhile, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" was a song written and recorded by American country singer the late Toby Keith, who died in 2024 aged just 62.
The song was written in late 2001 and was inspired by the September 11 attacks on the US later that year.
It was released in May 2002 as lead single from the album 'Unleased'. Reaction was so strong that commandant of the US Marine Corps James L. Jones told Keith it had been his duty as an American citizen to record the song.
l Tomorrow, July 4, Americans of all political shades and colours will proudly mark the 250th anniversary of their nation. As a proud Ulsterman I too have good reason to quietly celebrate, as a certified honorary citizen of four American cities - Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) 1998; Louisville (Kentucky) 2002; Newnan (Georgia) 2005, and Knoxville (Tennessee) 2008. The honorary citizenships were granted to me by the city's mayors to acknowledge my 11 books (Scots-Irish Chronicles) on 18th century Ulster-Scots migration.