AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR PATRIOTIC SONGS AND FILMS

The original blog site hit 10 million viewers today.  Took 16 years to reach 3 million, and only 2 years to jump to 10 million.  Plus, there is also the new site, adding to that total. 

Today is a national holiday for federal employees.  

• Also for most state government offices.
• No school today.
• The stock markets are closed.
• But the Post Office and UPS will operate as normal, FedEx with modified hours and banks and shopping centers will maintain their usual Friday schedule.

The U.S. stock market is closed today, so the all-time attained by the Dow Jones Industrial Average of 52,900.07 will carry into Monday, July 5.  Why?  Not sure.  Apple rose 4.8% with an announcement it plans to launch five new iPhone models.

As the USA will celebrate our 250th year, I asked Google AI, what are our most patriotic songs.

These ten iconic tracks perfectly capture the spirit of America, blending historic anthems, folk storytelling, and heartfelt tributes. [1]

1. 
   "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key: The official national anthem of the United States .
2. "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles: A universally favored anthem celebrating the country's breathtaking natural landscapes.
3. "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood: The ultimate modern patriotic anthem celebrating freedom and sacrifice.
4. "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie: A classic folk song honoring the vastness and beauty of the American continent .
5. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa: The stirring national march of the United States .
6. "America" by Neil Diamond: An uplifting celebration of immigrants and the pursuit of the American dream.
7. "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" by Toby Keith: A fierce and unapologetic post-9/11 country rock anthem .
8. "Living in America" by James Brown: A high-energy, soulful track celebrating the interconnected American experience.
9. "Yankee Doodle": A historic, lighthearted marching tune that dates back to the Revolutionary War .
10. "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen: An energetic rock song with lyrics that double as a tribute and a critical look at the American working-class experience. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

I tweaked the questioning about what the world thought were the USA's most patriotic songs and got something similar.

1. "The Star-Spangled Banner": The official national anthem of the United States, penned by Francis Scott Key in 1814. [1, 2, 3]
2. "God Bless the U.S.A.": Written by Lee Greenwood, this 1984 country track is a staple at political rallies and celebrations . [1]
3. "America the Beautiful": Originally a poem by Katharine Lee Bates , this hymn reflects on the natural beauty and promise of the country. [1, 2]
4. "This Land Is Your Land": Written by Woody Guthrie in 1940 as a response to "God Bless America," highlighting the vastness and diversity of the American landscape . [1]
5. "The Stars and Stripes Forever": Composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896, this march is the official National March of the United States. [1, 2]
6. "God Bless America": A patriotic Irving Berlin composition famously popularized by singer Kate Smith.[1, 2]
7. "My Country, 'Tis of Thee": Set to the same melody as the British national anthem, this 1831 song is one of the nation's oldest patriotic standards. [1, 2, 3]
8. "Battle Hymn of the Republic": A rousing Civil War-era song written by Julia Ward Howe, blending religious imagery with American ideals. [1, 2]
9. "Yankee Doodle": A lively, historically rich song dating back to the French and Indian War, serving as a defining piece of American folklore. [1, 2, 3, 4]
10. "America" (by Neil Diamond): This uplifting 1980 track from the film The Jazz Singer captures the immigrant spirit and the American Dream. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

However, many find it difficult too sing the Star-Spangled Banner, so here are the three most popular possible replacements for our national anthem, according to Google AI:

There is no official consensus on what song should replace a national anthem, as it depends on whether the user is asking about the USA or another country. In the United States, popular suggestions for a replacement often include "America the Beautiful" or Woody Guthrie’s "This Land Is Your Land". 

AL.com +2

Remind, the Home of Nostalgia, provides 10 Patriotic Tracks to Celebrate America's 250th Birthday.  Click on that and view all of them, beginning with Neil Diamond's America (1981) to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the U.S.A. (1984) to Ray Charles' America the Beautiful (1976) and maybe the very best version of our national anthem by Whitney Houston at the 1991 Super Bowl.

I asked Google AI, please provide a ranked list of Rotten Tomato's best American patriotic films:

Argo (2012): 96% 

Saving Private Ryan (1998): 94% 

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942): 91% 

Lincoln (2012): 89% 

Malcolm X (1992): 89% 

The Last of the Mohicans (1992): 88% 

Apollo 13 (1995): 96% (Audience Score) [1, 2, 3, 4]

IMDb has a top 35 film list, topped by Saving Private Ryan at #1 and Argo as #2.  The Movie Gourmet has Casablanca at #1 and John Adams #2.  Another must watch patriotic movies.  And one more.  Prominent in these lists is the 1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, with Jean Arthur, Claude Rains and Edward Arnold.  Click on that to watch the whole movie.  Film was controversial when released, but a box office hit, making Stewart a major star.  Rotten Tomatoes scores of 97/94.

The FIFA World Cup games yesterday placed Spain, Switzerland and Portugal into the Sweet 16.  The Portugal victory over Croatia was "unfortunate" for the latter, and great for Ronaldo, as he scored the winning goal in the 94th minute.  Maybe that unfortunate should have been termed robbed.  A decision that came in the 103rd minute.  Well, this makes for a splendid next match, Portugal vs Spain on Monday, July 6, at 3PM ET, followed by the USA vs Belgium at 8PM.

Oh, one more matter.  Tonight, Taylor Swift will marry Travis Kelce in the Madison Square Garden.

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