State of Independence

Well, here we are again. And it's the Fourth of July. Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend. I'm working both days -- and even had to fill in for someone on Friday. But I'm still looking forward to two big Wimbledon finals -- the all-American Battle of the Williamses today and the resurgent American Andy Roddick against Roger Federer on Sunday.

Now for the past few years I've done my best to turn the Dave Alvin song "4th of July" -- which X recorded for their "See How We Are" album back in '87 -- into the holiday anthem it was destined to be. X was great in concert last month but sadly did not perform it for me to film. You can, however, hear the band's singer/guitarist John Doe perform this bittersweet love song live in the clip below or click HERE to play original version.



While I stand by my assertion that it is the definitive Independence Day song, it does have some serious competition from Aimee Mann song of the same title, which somehow slipped my mind until earlier today. It's from the former 'Til Tuesday-er's debut solo album, 1993's "Whatever," and while I must say it's one of her finest, I do not recommend listening to it alone if there is a bottle of pills or a loaded gun in the house. (Then again, isn't that true of all of her song?) Watch her perform it below or listen to the original HERE.