Top 5 Patriotic Rock Songs

Patriotic rock music are two phrases that on the service don't appear to go together very well. Folk and country music tend to be thought of and are well represented, but what about rock?. Patriotism appears to ebb and flow in America but it is always represented in music - even rock music. Although often rebellious, rock music can be patriotic as well. These are the top 5 patriotic rock songs of all time:

5. Chuck Berry, "Back In The USA"
This patriotic song was released in 1959 and made it to number 37 on the US charts. It has been covered by many artists including Linda Ronstadt. In 1978, her version made it to number 16 on the US charts. The song also inspired Paul McCartney's song "Back In The USSR". It is a tribute to all that makes the United States great done by a classic American performer.

4. James Brown, "America Is My Home"
James Brown, the Godfather of Soul wrote on many themes. "America Is My Home" was his spoken word tribute to America. Not only did James Brown perform this song, he also wrote it. This song provides a unique look at America from an African American perspective.

3. Johnny Horton, "The Battle Of New Orleans"
Johnny Horton's song is one of the great patriotic war songs of his generation. It is a song all about the New Orleans war in 1812 against the British. The light hearted song was written by Jimmie Driftwood and topped the Billboard charts in 1959. It is a classic song in the patriotic rock music archives. The song has its roots in a fiddle tune "The 8th of January". The song has been very popular over the years and has had many parodies done of it.

2. Elvis Presley, "An American Trilogy"
The King was also a patriot and sung about it in " An American Trilogy". The song is a medley of "Dixie", "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" and "All My Trials" performed as only Elvis can. Elvis first performed the song in 1972 and released a recording that same year on RCA records. It was one of Elvis's favorites and was performed on his 1973 telecast "Elvis-Aloha from Hawaii". The recording reached #26 on the US charts in 1972.

1. Jimi Hendrix, "The Star-Spangled Banner"
In the annals of patriotic rock music, the greatest performance without a doubt is Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock version of "The Star Spangled Banner". Hendrix's performance on August 18, 1969 is legendary. He capped the magical set with his solo-scorching rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner". It has become the iconic symbol of the 60's and of Woodstock. Not bad for a solo improvisation.

Patriotism is alive and well in rock music. Today there are hundreds of bands covering patriotic songs and creating new ones. A quick search on any Internet based music service will show hundreds of patriotic rock songs. Some are pro war, some are not but they all show a love for America while viewing the country through unique lenses and experiences.

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