| "Independence Day" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byMartina McBride | ||||
| from the albumThe Way That I Am | ||||
| B-side | "True Blue Fool"[2] | |||
| Written | around 1992 | |||
| Released | May 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Studio | The Money Pit (Nashville, TN)[3] | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | RCA Nashville | |||
| Songwriter | Gretchen Peters | |||
| Producers |
| |||
| Martina McBride singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Independence Day" is a song written by American singer-songwriterGretchen Peters and recorded by American singerMartina McBride on her 1993 studio albumThe Way That I Am. It was released on May 2, 1994 as the third single from the album.
The song has been regarded as McBride'ssignature song.[4] It won theCountry Music Association Award for Song of the Year at the1995 Country Music Association Awards.[2] As of July 2015, the song has sold over 550,000 copies in the United States and has gone on to be certifiedPlatinum.[5]
"Independence Day" was written byGretchen Peters around 1992.[6] It was originally offered toReba McEntire, who turned it down;[7] Peters has since stated that she never heard of the song being offered to McEntire.[8] Peters spent over a year and a half writing the track.[9] Peters recorded the song on her 1996 studio albumThe Secret of Life.
In the video, a daughter (Heidi Butler Prine) recalls a tragic incident she experienced as a child. Her mother (Darcie Jones) was involved in adomestic abuse incident with her alcoholic father (Aaron Wrench). OnIndependence Day, the daughter walks to the townfair and hears rumors going on about the father's abuse. Apparently the whole town knew about the abuse, but did nothing to help stop it. That day, the mother burns down their house, presumably with the husband and herself inside it, and the daughter is sent to a county home. Themusic video was produced by American director teamDeaton-Flanigen Productions, consisting of William Deaton III and George Flanigen IV, and premiered onCMT on May 20, 1994.
The lyrics have adouble meaning in that the woman in the story is finally gaining her "freedom" from her abusive husband. Thus, it is her "Independence Day." The title also refers to the fact that the events noted in the song happened on the United States'Independence Day, or July 4.
In 2024,Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 45 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.[10]
Beginning shortly after September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center,Sean Hannity began using part of the chorus as an opening bumper for hisPremiere Radio Networksradio talk show. Writer Gretchen Peters objected to Hannity's use, arguing the song was about domestic violence, not patriotic values. Since she could not stop his use, she collected royalties from him every time it was played and used those royalties to donate to her causes, until Hannity's program dropped the song in mid-2014.[11]
Credits from album liner notes.[12]
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[13] | 15 |
| USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] | 12 |
| Chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country (Radio & Records)[15] | 90 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[16] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Video of the Year[17] | Nominated |
| 1995 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Vocal Performance - Female | Nominated |
| 1995 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Song | Nominated |
| 1995 | Country Music Association Awards | Song of the Year[18] | Won |
| 1994 | Country Music Association Awards | Video of the Year[19] | Won |
It received theRIAA Gold Certificate on December 12, 2018.[20]
In 2002, singer Taylor Horn covered the song for her debut albumtaylor-made at the age of nine.
In 2003,Pat Benatar performed the song in a duet withMartina McBride on theCMT television seriesCMT Crossroads.
OnAmerican Idol,Carrie Underwood, Lil Rounds and Tristan McIntosh have each performed the song on the show.Carrie Underwood also released the song as aB-side track with her single of "Inside Your Heaven".
In 2011,Little Big Town performed Independence Day as a tribute toMartina McBride, who was being honoured as part of ACM'sGirls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country show.
In 2019,Martina McBride performed the song as the opener to the53rd CMA Awards alongside a host of other women in country music. Those featured were:Martina McBride,Dolly Parton,Carrie Underwood,Gretchen Wilson,Reba McEntire,Jennifer Nettles, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman,The Highwomen,Tanya Tucker,Crystal Gayle,Terri Clark andSara Evans.
In October 2019,Kelly Clarkson performed Independence Day during the Kellyoke segment of her daytime talk showThe Kelly Clarkson Show.[21]
In 2021, the bandAmerican Aquarium recorded the song on their albumSlappers, Bangers and Certified Twangers Vol. 2.
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