Tomorrow is Veterans Day, a collective shout-out to all the folks who have fought (and died) for our country—voluntarily and involuntary—so we didn't have to.
There have been hundreds of songs written that deal with some aspect—for, against or neutral—of warfare, soldiers or the U.S. military. Any of these tunes could connect in some way to the Nov. 11 federal holiday.
There's the anti-war ’60s protest sing-along like Country Joe and the Fish's "Fixin' to Die Rag," then there are the more generic pro-America power anthems like Springsgteen's "Born in the U.S.A."
Also, there seems to be a perpetually-expanding collection of war-themed metal—from Slipknot's "Wait and Bleed" to Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade"—that some of the young deployed soldiers crank to get themselves pumped up during wartime.
I'd like to think that my list is slightly less obvious, including everything from early-’90s grunge, courtesy of Alice in Chains, to Bill Withers' socially-aware ’70s R&B. If anything, this versatile list is further proof that Veterans Day touches everyone in some way.
"Veterans Day" Tom Russell
"When a Soldier Makes it Home" Arlo Guthrie
"Rooster" Alice in Chains
"Sam Stone" John Prine
"One" Metallica
"I Can't Write Left Handed" Bill Withers
"Ballad of Ira Hayes" Johnny Cash
"Masters of War" Bob Dylan
"Unknown Solider" The Doors
"Johnny Come Lately" Steve Earle
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" The Band