Fourth of July Musings

It’s time for the Fourth of July, America’s Independence Day. I cherish the memories of holidays decked out in red, white and blue, with fireworks bursting in the sky above the Niagara River, Ashland’s Community Stadium, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cleveland’s Public Square, or even a weed-infested parking lot in Georgia. Our holiday is generally accompanied by family traditions of homemade ice cream, homemade root beer, and Sahlen’s Smokehouse natural casing hot dogs on the grill. To the uninitiated, Sahlen’s are the only hot dogs for July 4. A note to my Western New York friends – you can imagine my unbridled joy when I found Sahlen’s foot long hot dogs in the Canton Acme!! 

In my childhood, the award-winning American Legion Post 264 band played along the river bank prior to the fireworks. In our first Salvation Army assignment in New Jersey, the Dover Gutter Band lived up (or down) to its name, and the fireworks terrorized our six-month-old. In Cleveland, we ventured downtown to Public Square, taking the Rapid into the city for the Cleveland Symphony, with fireworks reverberating off the skyscrapers. New home – no problem. Let’s go to the fireworks!

Upon our arrival in Ashland in June 2006, I was thrilled to discover a symphony orchestra and its pre-4^thconcert, a new holiday tradition for our family. While most symphony orchestras pride themselves on a varied repertoire to delight the musical palates of their concert-goers, that strategy flies out the window for the 4^thof July celebration. From band shells, gazebos, lawns, and public squares, in Ashland or Cleveland, Tonawanda or Philadelphia, the familiar strains of patriotic favorites ring across the nation.

As we gather, we applaud as local veterans stand to the song denoting their branch of service. I still picture my dad standing proudly when “This is the army, Mr. Jones” began to play. I’ve jumped every time the first cannon blast shatters the night sky, and popped my paper bag with enthusiasm as the orchestra plays the 1812 Overture. I’ve also struggled to light my sparkler as “God Bless America” fills the air, burning my fingertips a time or two in the process. In Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” I’ve listened with great appreciation as the trombones pump their way down the scale, holding my breath as the piccolos trill above the music. While I haven’t gotten a sneak peak of the program for Sunday night, it’s also likely to include the broad stripes and bright stars of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the Ashland Area Chorus with the orchestra in “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” It’s just not the 4^thof July without these crowd favorites. 

As America’s celebration of its 2018 Independence Day approaches, I wonder: what common thread runs through a nation? Obviously not Sahlen’s hot dogs, seldom available outside the Western New York area. Might it be language, history, symbols, monuments, shared values? The second decade of the twenty-first century has highlighted the struggle to find common ground where we used to think we stood together. But perhaps our music . . .

Don Raye’s words come to mind, learned with Mrs. Ditmer in first grade. “What difference if I hail from the North or South or from the East or West? My heart is filled with love for all of these . . .This is my country, land of my birth . . . this is my country, land of my choice . . . for this is my country, to have and to hold.” 

More familiar are the words of Irving Berlin, written in 1918 but not introduced publicly until 1938. His prayer was sung poignantly by Kate Smith amidst the gathering storm clouds. “Stand beside her [America] and guide her through the night with the light from above.”

Ray Charles sang another prayer, first performed in the shadow of Dr. King’s assassination, and later at the Yankee Stadium 2001 World Series following the World Trade Towers attack, as Katherine Bates’ words seeped into our soul: “America, America, God mend thine every flaw. America, America, God shed his grace on thee.” 

Hot dogs and sparklers, music and prayer seem like good choices for July 4, 2018. Happy Fourth!