Freedom Fourth #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and, once again, it's time for music!

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head hostess is Cathy from Curious as a Cathy,  and she is joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and the world famous (not) me. 

Our founder, Marie aka Xmas Dolly, has stepped back from blogging for now, and would appreciate your good thoughts as she works through some health issues. The latest word from Marie is that she hopes to return to occasional blogging sometime in the near future, and, more recently, she has sent her love to all of us. Please continue to think of her!

We'd love more music lovers to join our fun group.  All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video (there must be a music video or your post will be subject to removal or labeling "No Music").  So easy!

Each month, except December, we have a guest host. For July, we give a welcome to Songbird from Songbird's Crazy World.   Chirp - I mean, welcome!

Her theme for today:  You Pick.

Today is Independence Day in the United States.  Let's celebrate with music mentioning freedom or the word "free", something we take for granted.  

We shouldn't ever take freedom for granted, though.  Freedom is fragile and must be nourished by each generation, and this is true for all countries that enjoy it.

Since this is American Independence Day, let's start off with a song that I learned in sleepaway camp back in the early 1960's that mentions July 4.  It isn't specifically about freedom, but comes from a 1942 movie biopic on the life of songwriter George M. Cohan.  Here is James Cagney singing "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy"

Next comes Elton John and his 1975 hit Philadelphia Freedom.  I've read that this was written as a tribute to both the City of Philadelphia and tennis star Billie Jean King. Her victory against Bobby Riggs in the September 20, 1973 "battle of the sexes" match watched on TV by over 50 million people helped to establish women as legitimate pro athletes.

From 2021, multitalented artist Jon Batiste and "Freedom". 

From 1968, the Rascals and People Got To Be Free.

Bread was known mainly as a soft rock band, but they could get a little heavy, too, like in 1971's Mother Freedom.

Let's get heavier (lyric wise) again with Bob Marley and the Wailers' Redemption Song.  This is a video you may want to watch, too.

"Freedom" from Pharrell Williams is both a powerful song and powerful video.

"I Want to Break Free" from Queen is mainly about relationships but, why not?

I will end with this song that is one of my all time favorites to accompany 4th of July fireworks. From 1896/97 (the song, not the recording), John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever.  It's not the best quality recording, but I chose this recording from 1929 because it features an intro by John Phillip Sousa himself, and is then played by his band.

And that's a wrap!

Join me again same time, same place, next week, for another episode of Music Moves Me.