Patriotic Music: Your Guide to the Best Fourth of July Grooves

You need some music to put your well-planned Fourth of July party on the map. Have no fear - just use this list, and you'll be hosting the best Independence Day barbecue this year.

For a playlist that's a conversation starter and a mood setter, try playing this mix about 30 minutes into the action. Filled with old favorites and fresh, little-known artists, you'll have songs to please everyone. It is sure to get everyone moving, mingling and dancing!

10. "Born On The Bayou" by Creedence Clearwater Revival: This gritty, grinding guitar rock ballad is a fabulous party-starter. On a hot day, with grill smoke curling in the air, this song will make you and your party guests cut loose. Imagine singing along with all your friends! This classic song is available everywhere, on CD or digital format. It is best danced as a Shag or West Coast Swing.

9. "America" by Neil Diamond: A lighter selection is needed after such a down and dirty soul ballad. As a bonus, everyone remembers this song, and no one hears it often. It is a wonderful song for background music while the conversation picks up. Download it or buy it on his "12 Greatest Hits" CD. It is a relaxed, slower tempo East Coast (or Triple) Swing.

8. "Independence Day" by Martina McBride: Country music is as American as, well, country-style apple pie! This song is a classic story-telling anthem. Touching, powerful and artfully sung, even people who are not fans of country music will probably enjoy this slice of Americana. It is widely available for purchase on CD (on the album "The Way That I Am") or digital download. It is best danced as a 3-Step or a Shuffle.

7. "We're All New Yorkers Now" by Chris Barron: After a little bit of country, it's time to get a little bit rock and roll. This upbeat, acoustical, folk-sounding song was written after September 11, 2001, to express how the tragedy of that day brought our country together. It is light enough to play at a party, but thoughtful enough for a day on which we celebrate our freedom. It is available for purchase on CDBaby.com for $5. Additionally, proceeds go to the Twin Towers Fund. This song is best danced as a peppy East Coast (or Triple) Swing.

6. "(Who Discovered) America?" by Ozomatli: Again, we need a change of pace. And a latin flare is just the thing to add. Ozomatli, a band out of Los Angeles, has a great Mexicali flavor that has garnered their work a few Grammy Awards. This song is perfect; you're outdoors on a hot summer day with the crowd ready to hear something unique. This song can be downloaded from Emusic.com or purchased on Ozomatli.com. It is included on the album "Street Signs" and there is also a live version on the album "Live At the Fillmore". Cha Cha the day away with this song!

5. "All-American Girl" by Carrie Underwood: It is always advisable, when making a nice mix for a party, to include something that is in heavy rotation on the radio. That way, your guests who are not as adventuresome with music will always have something they can recognize. That being said, this song is hot, and there's a great reason -- it is a great storytelling song! What is more American than the football star and the young starry-eyed couple? Available everywhere, this song is best danced as a 3-Step, Shuffle, or Swing.

4. "America Will Survive" by Hank Williams, Jr.: As the last Country Western song on the list, this power anthem by Hank Junior will have everyone tapping their feet -- and maybe even yelling "Yee Haw!" Better known as "A Country Boy Will Survive" this song was remade with more patriotic lyrics and released on an album called "Ultimate Country Hits" in 2003. It is available for purchase or download through iTunes. It is a very strong Texas 2-Step.

3. "Back In the U.S.A." by Chuck Berry: Lighten the mood back up with this spirited classic rock 'n roll song by the unparalleled Mr. Berry. This is a quick, feel-good song that is sure to make everyone go nostalgic. In addition, it is a little bit shorter than the other songs on the list, at 2:29 in length, so it makes for good dancing. This song is available on "Chuck Berry: The Anthology" or digital download. Dance it as a Jitterbug or Jive!

2. "Jack and Diane" by John Cougar Mellencamp: We're almost to the top of the list, and this selection is equal to the task. Now, after playing a golden oldie, you need a song that everybody -- and we mean everybody -- can use as a singalong. Who doesn't know that famous first line, "Little ditty 'bout Jack and Diane, two American kids growin' up in the Heartland"? Available everywhere, but most easily found on iTunes. This song makes a nice, relaxed West Coast Swing or Shag.

1. "This Land Is Our Land" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: Hot. Sassy. Funky. Patriotic? YES! This song is completely worthy of the top spot on our patriotic party countdown. It's a song that we've all grown up singing, but this group has reinvented it! Listen to it. Love it. This song is available for download on iTunes or Emusic, and can be found on the album "Rewind! Vol. 4". It is a classic Shag or West Coast Swing. Enjoy!

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