Well, she seemed all right by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy left the proof on her cheek
And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day

Well, word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But mama was proud and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losin' end
Some folks whispered, some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today
Is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day

Well, she lit up the sky that fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames
And took down some names
And send me to the county home
Now I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today
Is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day

Roll the stone away
It's Independence Day


Lyrics submitted by Manderzterz

Independence Day Lyrics as written by Gretchen Peters

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Independence Day song meanings
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    General Comment

    This song is about a family; an alcoholic, abusive father/husband, a proud woman who tries to stand by her husband, and a child who is abused. The townspeople look the other way and the abuse continues. The wife tries to stand by her husband, but when the father continues to be abusive, the wife burns down the house. The song never states it explicitely, but the abusive husband/father is killed. The wife/mother goes to jail and while the daughter is sent to the county home. Its Independence Day for the mother and daughter as they are now free from abuse.

    chungjikon May 05, 2003   Link

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