Freedom Rock

In locales across the country this weekend, from backyard barbecues and community celebrations to bars and car stereos, chances are Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” will be blasting from speakers—the track seemingly set on an endless loop, crowds shouting the chorus en masse with a heightened level of patriotic fever, the song selection and singalongs rife with irony.

The Boss’s most recognizable recording is, after all, one of the great protest songs of all time. A damning criticism of the Vietnam War and a scathing indictment of the devastating effects of Reaganomics on the working class, “Born in the U.S.A” has been long been misinterpreted, by Reagan himself and other right-wingers. For those who understand the narrative and themes of the song, perhaps it is appropriate that this anthem serves as part of the soundtrack for Independence Day celebrations throughout the United States every summer. There’s nothing more American and patriotic than dissent and rock music (the First Amendment is first for a reason), from the spirituals of enslaved African-Americans and the early 20th century folk songs in support of the American worker to the protest music during the Vietnam War era and the resurgence of anti-war songs during the Bush administration.

So at a time when the right wing fights to cut off unemployment benefits for average Americans while apologizing to a foreign corporation like BP and Democrats continue to wage wars started by the previous administration, The Madness of Art offers a patriotic playlist (after the jump) different than most, one in which musicians use their voices and artistic ability to speak truth to power. 

Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Pete Seeger & Friends (Billy Bragg, Ani DiFranco & Steve Earle): Bring Them Home (If You Love Your Uncle Sam) | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Buffalo Springfield: For What It’s Worth | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Public Enemy: Fight the Power | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Eddie Vedder: No More | iTunes, AmazonMP3

System Of A Down: B.Y.O.B. | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Steve Earle: F The CC | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Dixie Chicks: Not Ready To Make Nice | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Ben Harper: Oppression | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Black Sabbath: War Pigs | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Green Day: American Idiot | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Jay-Z: Minority Report | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Bob Marley: Get Up, Stand Up | iTunes, AmazonMP3

John Lennon: Imagine | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Joan Baez: We Shall Overcome | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Pink (feat. Indigo Girls): Dear Mr. President | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Bruce Springsteen: Mrs. McGrath | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Phil Ochs: Here’s to the State of Mississippi | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Phil Ochs: Here’s to the State of Richard Nixon | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Pearl Jam: Here’s to the State of George W. | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young: Ohio | iTunes, AmazonMP3

The Thermals: Here’s Your Future | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Rage Against The Machine: Killing In The Name | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Edwin Starr: War | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Eminem: Mosh | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Bruce Springsteen: American Skin (41 Shots) | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Natalie Merchant: Which Side Are You On | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Pearl Jam: Masters of War | iTunes, AmazonMP3

Playing For Change: War/No More Trouble | iTunes, AmazonMP3

John Lennon: Give Peace A Chance | iTunes, AmazonMP3

By no means is this intended to be a comprehensive list of any sort, so please add to it by leaving a comment with a few suggestions.