Dictators– "I Stand Tall" (1978)

I'm so proud to say

I was born and raised

Here . . . where the streets are paved!

Here . . . in the U. S. A.!

(Don't sleep on the significance of paved streets, folks.  Most countries are woefully lacking in paved streets.  But we Americans have beaucoup paved streets, which is just one of the many reasons that we pone all the other countries!)

Today is July 4 – a/k/a Independence Day.  

Actually, Independence Day was officially July 3 this year, because July 4 is a Saturday and God forbid that Americans don't get paid for not showing up for work every so often.

Why do we celebrate July 4 as Independence Day?  After all, the Second Continental Congress voted to declare America's independence on July 2.  

But July 4 is when Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence.  In other words, we celebrate the approval of the document announcing that independence had been declared rather than the act of declaring independence itself.

This never happened

By the way, most historians think the Declaration of Independence was actually signed on August 2 – not July 4.

But we're overlooking the forest for the trees.  The point is that the U.S. of A. is the best country ever.   

The Dictators said it best:

You can circle the globe 

If you think you'll find a better place

We got lots of movie stars

If you're a movie star fan

Lots of pizza, ice-cold Coke

Johnny Carson telling jokes

The late Johnny Carson, telling jokes

As for the "ice-cold Coke," I would prefer either ice-cold beer or ice-cold Dr. Pepper, but neither of those rhyme with "Johnny Carson telling jokes."  So I can live with "ice-cold Coke."

The Dictators released "I Stand Tall" on their 1978 album, Bloodbrothers.  Drivin' 'n' Cryin' covered it in 2009, and that's the version I first heard.  

Here's the original version of "I Stand Tall," featuring the inimitable Handsome Dick Manitoba doing the lead vocal:

Click below to buy the song from Amazon.  (Hey . . . it's only 69 cents!)