\n<\/p>\n
\u25b6 Listen on <\/strong>Spotify<\/a>, Apple Music<\/a> or YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n Like Springsteen\u2019s \u201cBorn in the U.S.A.,\u201d Martina McBride\u2019s 1993 song has often been misunderstood and misplaced as a patriotic anthem. It was written from the perspective of a daughter whose mother suffered at the hands of an abusive husband before ultimately finding her own form of freedom by burning down their house \u2014 with him, and possibly her, in it. Gretchen Peters wrote the song, which was inspired by a real-life story from the late 1970s. \u201cWhat drew me to it was the brilliance of the lyrics,\u201d McBride told Rolling Stone<\/a>. \u201cIf you write it down on paper, it\u2019s like a work of literature, it\u2019s like a poem.\u201d The uncertainty in the song\u2019s story is balanced by the sturdiness of the track\u2019s classic country production, and the sureness of McBride\u2019s powerful, clear voice.<\/p>\n \u25b6 Listen on <\/strong>Spotify<\/a>, Apple Music<\/a> or YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n I could talk for hours about Elliott Smith, one of my favorite songwriters of all time. (And I will, in a future Amplifier, promise.) On this tune from his 1998 album, \u201cXO,\u201d he strikes a hopeful note over fingerpicked guitar and a gentle shuffle, telling a friend there\u2019s beauty and wonder \u2014 even if it\u2019s fleeting \u2014 just around the corner. If this song had been out when I graduated from high school, you can bet \u201cYou only live a day\/But it\u2019s brilliant anyway\u201d would have been my yearbook quote (alongside the R.E.M. one, of course<\/a>).<\/p>\n \u25b6 Listen on <\/strong>Spotify<\/a>, Apple Music<\/a> or YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n Plug those guitars back in! (But a few tears can stay.) El Kempner sings about a breakup that went down on the holiday on this peppy but regretful indie-rock jam from last year: \u201cSparkler in my throat\/Can we just take it all back?\u201d<\/p>\n \u25b6 Listen on <\/strong>Spotify<\/a>, Apple Music<\/a> or YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n And now, a moment of spiritual revelry. Donna Summer covered this track by Jon and Vangelis on her self-titled 1982 album. Jon and Vangelis were Jon Anderson (formerly of the prog-rock band Yes) and Vangelis<\/a>, the Greek synth master behind \u201cChariots of Fire.\u201d The song encompasses a mix of global styles and traditions, which Summer infuses with a joyful breeziness and wonder.<\/p>\n \u25b6 Listen on <\/strong>Spotify<\/a>, Apple Music<\/a> or YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n5. Martina McBride: \u201cIndependence Day\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
6. Elliott Smith: \u201cIndependence Day\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
7. Palehound: \u201cIndependence Day\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
8. Donna Summer: \u201cState of Independence\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\nThe Amplifier Playlist<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n