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Independence Day (Martina McBride song)

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"Independence Day"
Single by Martina McBride
from the album The Way That I Am
B-side"True Blue Fool"[2]
Writtenaround 1992
ReleasedMay 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)[1]
Recorded1993
StudioThe Money Pit (Nashville, TN)[3]
GenreCountry
Length3:25
LabelRCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Gretchen Peters
Producer(s)
Martina McBride singles chronology
"Life #9"
(1994) 		"Independence Day"
(1994) 		"Heart Trouble"
(1994)

"Independence Day" is a song by the American country music recording artist Martina McBride. The song was written by songwriter Gretchen Peters, who had first written the song around 1992.[4] It was originally offered first to musician Reba McEntire, who turned it down;[5] Peters has come out since and stated that she had never heard of the song being offered to McEntire.[6] She spent over a year and a half writing the track.[7] It would be recorded by McBride for her second studio album The Way That I Am (1993). It was released on May 2, 1994, as the third single from the album. Peters would record the song herself and included it on her debut studio album The Secret of Life (1996).

Despite the title, the song is not about the U.S. holiday of the same name (although it is used as a double entendre) but instead about a woman in an abusive relationship burning down her house with her abusive husband; the song is told through the perspective of the daughter. It is loosely based off the story of Francine Hughes, a domestic violence victim who murdered her husband by setting his bed on fire.[8] It has been highly misunderstood as a 4th of July anthem,[7] and was also used as the introduction song for conservative Sean Hannity's radio show, which Peters herself objected against as the song was about domestic violence and not as a patriotic song. It had also been used by politician Sarah Palin.

The song has retrospectively been regarded as McBride's "signature song",[9] being ranked 50th on CMT's 2003 list of 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music and number two on the 100 Greatest Videos in Country Music. Despite that though, the song reached a measly number 12 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[10] Its initial moderate success was due to many programmers refusing to play it because of its message, which McBride questioned why songs about domestic violence weren't played.[11][8] Retrospectively, it is considered one of the greatest country songs of all time.[12] It would win the CMA Award for Song of the Year at the 1995 CMA Awards, making Gretchen Peters the second female songwriter to win the award and the 14th to win the award solely writting the track.[2] As of July 2015, the song has sold over 550,000 copies in the United States and has gone on to be certified Platinum.[13]

Content[edit]

In the song, a daughter (Heidi Butler Prine) recalls a tragic incident she experienced as a child. Her mother (Darcie Jones) was involved in a domestic abuse incident with her alcoholic father (Aaron Wrench). On Independence Day, the daughter walks to the town fair 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. The music video was produced by American director team Deaton-Flanigen Productions, consisting of William Deaton III and George Flanigen IV, and premiered on CMT on May 20, 1994.

The lyrics have a double 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.

Critical reception[edit]

In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 45 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.[14]

In media[edit]

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 his Premiere Radio Networks radio 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.[15]

Personnel[edit]

Credits from album liner notes.[16]

Charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Independence Day"
Chart (1994) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[17] 15
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[18] 12

Year-end charts[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Independence Day"
Chart (1994) Position
US Country (Radio & Records)[19]
90

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Ceremony Award Result
1994 Academy of Country Music Awards Video of the Year[21] 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[22] Won
1994 Country Music Association Awards Video of the Year[23] Won

It received the RIAA Gold Certificate on December 12, 2018.[24]

Notable covers[edit]

In 2002, singer Taylor Horn covered the song for her debut album taylor-made at the age of nine.

In 2003, Pat Benatar performed the song in a duet with Martina McBride on the CMT television series CMT Crossroads.

On American Idol, Carrie Underwood, Lil Rounds, and Tristan McIntosh have each performed the song on the show. Carrie Underwood also released the song as a B-side track with her single of "Inside Your Heaven".

In 2011, Little Big Town performed Independence Day as a tribute to Martina McBride, who was being honoured as part of ACM's Girls Night Out - Superstar Women of Country show.

In 2019, Martina McBride performed the song as the opener to the 53rd 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 and Sara Evans.

In October 2019, Kelly Clarkson performed Independence Day during the Kellyoke segment of her daytime talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show.[25]

In 2021, the band American Aquarium recorded the song on their album Slappers, Bangers and Certified Twangers Vol. 2.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Now help Martina celebrate Independence Day early!! Fire up your reports May 2nd!!" (PDF). Billboard Country Monitor. Vol. 2, no. 17. April 15, 1994. p. 7. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  3. ^ "Classic Tracks: Martina McBride's "Independence Day"". Mixonline. February 3, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  4. ^ Shaffer, Claire (July 3, 2019). "Martina McBride's 'Independence Day': How a Song About Domestic Violence Got Mistaken for a Patriotic Anthem". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Archived 2008-03-02 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Paulson, Dave (September 5, 2015). "'Independence Day' changed listeners' lives". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Houghton, Cillea (July 8, 2019). "Martina McBride Doesn't Know Why 'Independence Day' Became a Patriotic Anthem". Taste of Country. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Martina McBride's Song 'Independence Day' Isn't About the 4th of July". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. August 20, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  9. ^ Morris, Edward (July 29, 2019). "Martina McBride's "Independence Day" Is Burned into Our Memory". CMT. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  10. ^ Archived 2021-11-17 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Curto, Justin (July 3, 2019). "Martina McBride Has 'Mixed Feelings' About Patriotic Connotations Tied to 'Independence Day'". People. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  12. ^ "100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 2014.
  13. ^ Matt Bjorke (July 13, 2015). "The Top 30 Digital Country Singles: July 13, 2015". Roughstock.
  14. ^ "The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. May 24, 2014.
  15. ^ "Independence Day by Martina McBride - Songfacts".
  16. ^ The Way That I Am (CD). Martina McBride. RCA Records. 1993. 66288.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2576." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 29, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  18. ^ "Martina McBride Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "The Top 94 of 1994 | Country" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1074. December 16, 1994. p. 48. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  20. ^ "American single certifications – Martina McBride – Independence Day". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  21. ^ "1994 Academy of Country Music Awards". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 2013-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Who's won the most CMA Awards? Get the answer here. Gretchen Peters". Country Music Association Awards. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  23. ^ "Who's won the most CMA Awards? Get the answer here. Martina McBride". Country Music Association Awards. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  24. ^ "Gold & Platinum". www.riaa.com. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  25. ^ "Kellyoke | Independence Day (Martina McBride)". YouTube.


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