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Playlist: A July 4th Radio Picnic

Compiled By: PRX Editors

Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1/">Timothy K. Hamilton</a>

Image by: Timothy K. Hamilton

Curated Playlist

All the ingredients you need.

Historical pieces on the Declaration of Independence and what really happened on 7/4/76, plus personal stories of trying to out-firework your neighbors and road tripping across the U.S.

These are picks chosen by PRX editorial staff. You can see all Independence Day radio on PRX by using our search.

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Hour (49:00-1:00:00)

Stephen Foster: America's Bard

From WQXR | 00:58:57

It’s hard to imagine American music without the work of Stephen Collins Foster. Foster was born on July 4, 1826 – fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was signed. In 19th century America, popular songs were churned out by the dozens, but no other composer of the day wrote as many great songs with as much sticking power as Foster. We all grew up singing Oh, Susannah, Beautiful Dreamer, Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair, Old Folks at Home … the list goes on and on.

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Humankind: An Informed Republic

From David Freudberg | 00:59:00

America's founders knew their democracy required informed citizens, but is quality journalism now threatened by the decline of print newspapers? With Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Pulitzer-winning historians.

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BackStory - Independence Daze: A History of July 4th.

From BackStory with the American History Guys | 00:54:00

How did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? What exactly happened on 7/4/76, and why do we celebrate it with explosions, hot dogs, and mattress sales?

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Independence Day 2011 - The Founding of America 11-26

From All Classical Public Media | Part of the The Score with Edmund Stone series | 00:59:00

This week on The Score with Edmund Stone, The Founding of America.

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HV- Road Trip

From Hearing Voices | Part of the HearingVoices- Specials series | 00:54:00

An hour of travelers' tales for your long weekend, from spending a day with an ex-KGB spy, to hitchhiking across the U.S., and more. From Hearing Voices.

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Eddie's Attic July 4th Radio Show 001

From Bob Ephlin | Part of the Eddie's Attic Presents series | 00:59:00

This is a special show in the series, featuring live recordings of July 4th-themed songs from songwriters Kevn Kinney, Alice Peacock, Dave Alvin, Gretchen Peters, Brian Vander Ark, Sugarland, Darrell Scott, Antje Duvekot, Kevin Montgomery, Matthew Ryan, Shawn Mullins, and Meg Hutchinson.

O Beautiful! American Music

From William Zukof | 00:58:50

New American music for voices by Meredith Monk, William Bolcom, Tania Leon, Matthew Harris, Eric Salzman, Robert Dennis, Billy Joel, Elliot Z. Levine and Gayla Morgan. Interviews with the composers and arrangers are woven into the show. From the Western Wind.

Born on the Fourth of July: a popular-song celebration of Independence Day

From WFIU | Part of the Afterglow: Jazz and American Popular Song series | 00:58:57

Celebrate the birth and legacy of America with music from a recently-reissued album of duets from national icons Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong, and more! Perfect for the Fourth of July and the week leading up to it. From WFIU.

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Freedom Jazz!

From WFIU | Part of the Night Lights Classic Jazz series | 00:59:01

A uniquely jazzy tribute to the spirit of liberty and America, featuring music by Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Ray Charles and more.

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Compact Discoveries 156: Independence Day

From Fred Flaxman | Part of the Compact Discoveries series | 00:57:30

July 4th selections from Fred Flaxman.

Compact Discoveries 105: The Dream of America

From Fred Flaxman | Part of the Compact Discoveries series | 00:58:00

Peter Boyer's "Ellis Island: The Dream of America" is featured, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by the composer. From Fred Flaxman.

The Ursuline Manuscript: Music from 18th-century New Orleans

From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music series | 00:59:01

An hour-long program of early music, celebrating the 4th of July with music from 18th-century New Orleans. Part of the Harmonia Series from WFIU.

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America: Our Country, Our Music

From Charlie Warren | 00:57:23

Familiar and forgotten songs, many not normally associated with Indepependence Day, that highlight the people, issues, and ideas that create America, supported by insightful commentary. From Charlie Warren.

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Music from Colonial America

From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music series | 00:59:02

An hour-long program of early music from colonial America. Perfect for July 4th! A cool contrast to loud parade marches and fanfares.

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Half-Hour (24:00-30:00)

Capitol Steps: Politics Takes a Holiday 4th of July edition 2011

From Capitol Steps | 00:28:52

Help celebrate your country by helping us make fun of it!

The USA Plan

From Hearing Voices | Part of the The Plan series | 00:29:04

An all-American festival of fireworks-fueled patriotic fury. From Hearing Voices.

Shortcuts To Freedom

From Peter Bochan | 00:29:00

July 4th Classic

"What is American?"

From Youth Media Project | 00:27:40

In this edition of Audio Revolution! hosts Gabriel Rima and Savannah Chapman-Martinez take you into the depths of identity: What does it mean to be American? Who gets to be American and who doesn’t? What are the freedoms and privileges American’s have? And, do all American’s have those freedoms? And what does it mean to be both American and another ethnicity and/or culture? These are some of the questions that get explored in this intense and immense Audio Revolution!

1776

From Cambridge Forum | 00:28:55

Historian David McCullough portrays the tumult and uncertainty of 1776 and shows how the courage and perseverance of a few dedicated men were responsible for the success of the American revolutionary experiment. From Cambridge Forum.

Religion of the Founding Fathers

From With Good Reason | 00:29:49

Europeans who traveled to the thirteen colonies brought numerous forms of Christianity with them, and the freedom of the wild frontier allowed many new sects and congregations to flourish. How did so many forms of belief co-exist, how did religious freedom come to be codified in the Constitution, and how has the faith of our presidents affected the way our country developed? From VFC Radio and Sarah McConnell.

Marching for Change: Street Bands in the U.S.

From Making Contact | 00:29:00

Look at how political marching bands are stirring up public spaces, from the streets, to supermarkets, to your Facebook feed.

Segments (9:00-23:59)

Six Decades Of 20th Century America

From Charlie Warren | 00:12:37

An emotional fast-moving sound retrospective of American life packed into 12 minutes. From Charlie Warren.

Cutaways (5:00-8:59)

The Declaration of Independence

From Michael Scherer | 00:09:05

The text of The Declaration of Independence, read and produced by Michael Scherer.

Drop-Ins (2:00-4:59)

4th of July Fireworks

From Hans Anderson | 00:03:27

A humorous, unique piece about setting off fireworks on the 4th. From Hans Anderson.

This I Believe - Harold Koh

From This I Believe | Part of the This I Believe series | 00:03:41

Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh learned his belief in freedom from his father, an immigrant from Korea.

A Taste of America: Fireworks

From Jake Warga | 00:04:56

A behind the scenes look at the American Fireworks team, and what it means to be an American, during the Macau International Fireworks Contest. From Jake Warga.

Civil War Re-enactors

From Jake Warga | 00:04:50

A non-narrated portrait of a small group of Civil War buffs re-dedicating a Union veteran's grave in Oregon and reflecting on when our nation, as we understand it, was created. "We have the best country in the world, bar none."

Celebrating the Fourth with the Enemy

From Dick Meister | 00:03:13

A first-person narrative about spending the Fourth of July in that Canadian territory settled by pro-British "Loyalists" who fled the U.S. after the Revolutionary War. From Dick Meister.

Jefferson & Science

From William S. Hammack | 00:02:46

An engineer sees science in the Declaration of Independence. From William S. Hammack.

Virginia: Colony to Commonwealth (Series)

Produced by Steve Clark

Historical insights about life in 17th and 18th century Colonial America, in light of events in Virginia that carried it from colony to commonwealth. From Steve Clark.