What's Your American Anthem?

Which songs help us define what it means to be an American?

What's Your American Anthem? The NPR Music team is midway through a yearlong series that looks at 50 popular songs that help us define what it means to be an American. The American Anthem series dissects songs that reach across time, theme and genre to rouse, unite, uplift or call to action. These are songs that tap into our collective emotions and act as our personal and collective soundtracks. Here are a few of our favorite selections from the series.   Mark Weiss/Getty Images The Youth Empowerment Movement: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister   Listen up, kids: “We're Not Gonna Take It” can be anyone’s protest song. As weird as it sounds now, Twisted Sister's 1984 rock anthem works for people who long to buck all kinds of authority or censorship. It has been adopted by religious entities, teachers and even politicians, each bending it to their own definition. Band frontman Dee Snider said he set out to “write an anthem for the audience to raise their fists in the air in righteous anger."   Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The Civil Rights And Black Power Movements: “Dancing in the Street” by Martha and the Vandellas This 1964 hit is one of many in Motown Records’ mighty catalogue of dance tunes that double as songs of empowerment and change. “Dancing in the Street” was a cry from the heart of a summer in Detroit, which was boiling with energy, turmoil and hope. It was also one of the first mainstream hits to paint a vivid picture of racial and class integration. The song’s propulsive beat and Martha Reeves’ powerful vocals have inspired generations of people to find their own message in the lyrics.   Paul Natkin/Getty Images Good, Old-Fashioned Patriotism: “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood These days, Lee Greenwood’s country music standard, "God Bless The U.S.A.", has become one of the most famous go-to anthems sung during times of national strife. But the song didn’t catch on right away — and reactions to the song have become increasingly partisan. Released in 1984, "God Bless the U.S.A." was nominated for a Grammy for best country song. Its first high-profile use in a political setting came that same year at the Republican National Convention when it was used in a film about President Reagan’s life. During the 1991 Gulf War, it became a staple at parades and homecomings. Then came Sept. 11: Greenwood performed the song twice at Yankee Stadium, once for a firefighters memorial and again at Game 4 of the 2001 World Series.   Courtesy of the artist. Latinx Pride And Cultural Resistance: “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens Sixty years ago, a Mexican folk tune sung entirely in Spanish became a rock and roll phenomenon. And for generations of young Latinos, “La Bamba” remains a classic anthem of cultural pride and resistance. The 1958 hit by 17-year-old Mexican-American Ritchie Valens has its rhythmic roots in the Afro-Caribbean musical style of son jarocho. But it’s Valens’ swinging rock core that lent the song such unmistakable lift and danceability and allowed it to become the very sound of survival.   Patrick Pantano/Courtesy of the artist The Global Sports Jock Anthem: “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes The White Stripes officially broke up in 2011, but the band's presence is still felt in sports stadiums around the world thanks to the 2003 song, "Seven Nation Army." Hundreds of millions of people have heard it blaring over PA systems in soccer stadiums and on televisions around the globe, which makes it the world's most popular sports anthem. But what really vaults "Seven Nation Army" into the pantheon of stadium jams is the song's central guitar riff. And man, you haven't lived until you've heard 100,000 people shout it in unison — over and over and over.     Ian Dickson/Redferns/Getty Images The Female Empowerment Movement: “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy Helen Reddy's seminal 1972 single fully captured the spirit of second-wave feminism. Even today, the echoes of the feminist anthem still reverberate in American culture. After "I Am Woman" became a No. 1 hit in December 1972, Reddy won a Grammy for best female performance and famously thanked God in her acceptance speech: "Because she makes everything possible." The song is emphatically first person, and yet about all women. In 2018, it might just be a battle cry for everyone — just in time for the headwinds of #MeToo.   Fantasy Archives The LGBTQ Empowerment Movement: “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” by Sylvester The late dance music singer Sylvester was a gender-bending, makeup-wearing, kimono-and-leather-pants sporting pioneer, a kind of folk hero for many in the LGBTQ community during the 1970s. By the time "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" reached No. 1 on Billboard’s dance/disco chart in 1978, Sylvester was well on his way to becoming a beloved figure in the gay community. The song was a huge hit in discos — and its falsetto vocals, four-on-the-floor beat and bouncing synthesizer influenced generations of electronic dance music producers to follow.   Discover More American Anthems You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002