| Independence Day | |
| Cover: | Martina McBride - Independence Day cover.png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Martina McBride |
| Album: | The Way That I Am |
| B-Side: | "True Blue Fool"[1] |
| Written: | around 1992 |
| Released: | [2] |
| Recorded: | 1993 |
| Studio: | The Money Pit (Nashville, TN)[3] |
| Genre: | Country |
| Length: | 3:25 |
| Label: | RCA Nashville |
| Prev Title: | Life #9 |
| Prev Year: | 1994 |
| Next Title: | Heart Trouble |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
"Independence Day" is a song by written by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters and recorded by American singer Martina McBride her 1993 studio album The 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's signature song.[4] It won the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year at the 1995 Country Music Association Awards.[1] As of July 2015, the song has sold over 550,000 copies in the United States and has gone on to be certified Platinum.[5]
"Independence Day" was written by Gretchen Peters around 1992.[6] It was originally offered to Reba McEntire, who turned it down; Peters has since stated that she never heard of the song being offered to McEntire.[7] Peters spent over a year and a half writing the track.[8] Peters recorded the song on her 1996 studio album The 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 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.
In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 45 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.[9]
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.[10]
Credits from album liner notes.[11]
| US Country (Radio & Records)[12] |
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Video of the Year[13] | ||
| 1995 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Vocal Performance - Female | ||
| 1995 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Song | ||
| 1995 | Country Music Association Awards | Song of the Year[14] | ||
| 1994 | Country Music Association Awards | Video of the Year[15] |
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.[17]
In 2021, the band American Aquarium recorded the song on their album Slappers, Bangers and Certified Twangers Vol. 2.