• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Crushing Krisis

The Newest Oldest Blog In New Zealand

  • DC Guides
    • DC Events
    • DC New 52
    • DC Rebirth
    • Batman Guide
    • The Sandman Universe
  • Marvel Guides
    • Marvel Events
    • Spider-Man Guide (1963-2018)
    • X-Men Reading Order
  • Indie & Licensed Comics
    • Spawn
    • Star Wars Guide
      • Expanded Universe Comics (2015 – present)
      • Legends Comics (1977 – 2014)
    • Valiant Guides
  • Drag
    • Canada’s Drag Race
    • Drag Race Down Under
    • Drag Race France
    • Drag Race Philippines
    • Dragula
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
  • Archive
  • Contact!
You are here: Home / Personal / topics / high school / 2007 Song of the Day #6 – Independence Day (Ani DiFranco)

2007 Song of the Day #6 – Independence Day (Ani DiFranco)

July 4, 2007 by krisis

In some prior July, possibly as many as nine years ago, I resolved to record Ani DiFranco’s “Independence Day” and post it on my website on the Fourth of July. Not on any other day, mind you – then it wouldn’t count.

Think about that – I’ve been procrastinating on this since I was a teenager … maybe since I’ve been in high school!

I’m happy to finally present you with my cover of Ani DiFranco’s “Independence Day,” from Little Plastic Castle.

If you want chords, performance notes, and lyrics, keep reading.

I originally figured out these chords by ear in 1998, though they were eventually confirmed by Ani’s official sheet music.

Tune to E B B F# B E – raise your A string one whole step to B. Lower your D string until it is also the same B. Lower your G string one half step to F# – you can match it to the 7th fret of either B.

Ani plays this song without a capo. However, baritones will find her melody to be too high without using falsetto (it reaches an A), and singing it an octave lower bottoms out on frequent bass G#s and As.

For me, neither of those options are ideal for singing lead. On this recording I capo up to III and sing an octave lower – rendering the range of the song from a baritone B to a middle C. If you are a male singer, you may want to try the song ranging from open up to capo VII to find the most comfortable spot in your range.

If Ani’s vocal is only slightly too high for you, try playing the song a whole step lower in DAAEAD.

Actual Chords in EBBF#BE:
Verse: 005500, 7×7700, 9×9900, 999000, 777000
Break: 000000, 333000, 555000

Approximate chords in standard tuning:
Verse: E5 as 022×00 or 079900, Bs4 as x24400, C#m7 as x46600, Bs4, As2 as x02200
Break: E5, G6 as 355000, As2 as 577600

I used a Boss TR-2 Tremolo pedal on this recording to try to match the sound of the original, though I didn’t use settings as strong as Ani (who was probably getting tremolo out of a vintage amp, rather than a pedal).

I set my pedal’s Rate slightly above middle (@ 1’o’clock), and its Wave and Depth even less above middle.

I took some justice with (i.e. forgot) some of the connecting words and, apparently, the difference between the first and last verses. (To be fair, I would never drink warm beer, so I was just making the song my own.)

The lyrics below are the official version from the sheet music book, adapted from Danah.org, which features a full archive of Ani lyrics as curated by an awesome PhD student with an interesting blog.

we drove the car
to the top of the parking ramp
4th of july
sat out on the hood
with a couple of warm beers
and watched the fireworks
explode in the sky
there was an exodus of birds from the trees
cuz they didnt know
we were only pretending
and the people all looked up and looked pleased
and the birds flew around
like the whole world was ending

and i don’t think war is noble
and i don’t like to think that love is like war
but i got a big hot cherry bomb
and i wanna slip it through the mail slot
of your front door

you can’t leave me here
i’ve got your back now
you’d better have mine
cuz you say the coast is clear
but you say that all the time

so many sheep i quit counting
sleepless and embarrassed
about the way that i feel
trying to make mole hills out of mountains
building base camp at the bottom
of a really big deal
did i ever tell you how i stopped eating
when you stopped calling me
and i was cramped up
and shitting rivers for weeks
and pretending that i was finally free

and you can’t leave me here
now that you’re back
you’d better stay this time
cuz you say the coast is clear
but you say that all the time

we drove the car
to the top of the parking ramp,
on the 4th of july
and i planted my dusty boots on the bumper
sat out on the hood
and looked up at the sky

Related posts:

  1. 35-for-35: 2001 – “Subdivision” by Ani DiFranco
  2. Song of the Day: “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us” – Sparks
  3. Song of the Day: “Happy Birthday, Johnny” – St. Vincent
  4. From the Beginning: David Bowie – The Early Years (1964-1966)

Filed Under: high school, SongOfTheDay, Year 07 Tagged With: Ani DiFranco

Previous Post: « Dit Dot Ditty, Dit Dot Ditty Ditty
Next Post: i am sounding out the silence »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MitMoi says

    July 14, 2007 at 5:20 pm

    I love your version! I’m glad you finally got around to recording it.

    2 things:

    1. I tagged you in a Meme on my blog. Please don’t hate me! It’s easy, 8 habits/facts about you your readers may not know.

    2. This is a friend of mine from the UK. I thought you might appreciate it.

    I don’t know if this horrid URL will get you there or not! I will also send you the MP3.

    http://www.okcupid.com/journal?pid
    =3263393578434669605&tuid=
    10117376025175597341

    I broke it into 3 parts – it needs to be one line. :(

  2. Pamela says

    July 14, 2007 at 11:56 pm

    Yay! I love it.

  3. brady says

    September 30, 2009 at 11:00 pm

    if you took nine years to record and post then,
    my comment might as well be two years later but,
    this is inspiring.
    so, thanks.

Trackbacks

  1. Crushing Krisis » Happy Birthday To This says:
    August 30, 2007 at 4:39 pm

    […] I almost burned down the house baking cookies in the microwave. I finally told the story of my life-altering nap at Bonnaroo. I recorded a perfect version of one of my favorite songs. I took my first trip to a casino. Septa carried out an act of terrorism against my favorite garment. And, I finally celebrated the 4th of July the way I’ve always meant to. […]

Primary Sidebar


Support Crushing Krisis on Patreon
Support CK
on Patreon


Follow me on Twitter Contact me Watch me on Youtube Subscribe to the CK RSS Feed

About CK

About Crushing Krisis
About My Music
About Your Author
Blog Archive
Comics Blogs Only
Contact Krisis
Terms & Conditions

Crushing Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Events Guide

Spider-Man Guide

DC Comics

  • Guide to Emma Frost, The White QueenPatron’s Choice: Guide to Emma Frost, White Frost
    It's my brand new Guide to Emma Frost - The White Queen. Learn how Emma is defined by tragedy and her vow that it's all "For The Children." […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse World War Hulk Expansion BoxMarvel United: Multiverse wages World War Hulk as their final expansion! (Plus: a BIG all-in pledge reward)
    Marvel United Multiverse World War Hulk is the final expansion box in the Marvel United: Multiverse Kickstarter, and it's packed with muscle - plus, an ever BIGGER surprise for the All-In pledge. […]
  • Drag Race Belgique Season 1 Episode 00 - Promo SquareDrag Race Belgique Season 1 – Pre-Season “Meet The Queens” Power Ranking
    It's time to meet the queens of a whole new Drag Race franchise - Drag Race Belgique, hosted by alien actress Rita Baga! […]
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, Episode 6 – “Old Friends Gold” Girl Groups Challenge, Review & Power Ranking
    The drag queens of RuPauls' Drag Race Season 15 take on a golden oldies Girl Group challenge with unlikely musical genres in Old Friends Gold. […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Kickstarter - Maximum Carnage Expansion BoxMarvel United: Multiverse adds Maximum Carnage to the campaign! (Plus, the High Evolutionary!)
    Marvel United Multiverse Maximum Carnage unleashed an unexpected group of villains onto the campaign in the from of a (very) New Sinister Six! Plus, High Evolutionary, and my predictions for the final expansion box(es). […]
  • New Mutants (2019) #7Updated: Guide to New Mutants, Generation X, Academy X, & other Young X-Men
    My Guide to New Mutants now covers every new class of X-Men, from the "3rd Class" of New Mutants through Generation X, Academy X, Generation Hope, & The Age of Krakoa - plus the return of the 1st Class of All-New X-Men! […]
  • Cable Math & Maps: Collected Issue Counting and Future Omnibus Mapping
    it's time for mathing and mapping Cable! How much of Cable has been collected from his 1990 debut onward, including his pre-history? And, how could it all fit into Omnibus? […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Kickstarter - Annihilation BoxMarvel United: Multiverse adds Annihilation (plus, 20 potential Marvel Event expansions and their predicted contents)
    I perfectly predicted this new Marvel United Multiverse expansion box and all its contents, so what do my psychic powers say about the remainder of the campaign? […]
  • Guide to Spider-Man comics from 2018 to present day – now available to the public!
    Peter Parker has had a massive 5 years in comics, from Nick Spencer's Amazing Spider-Man run to Zeb Wells spinning Dark Web and the Summer of Symbiotes. Find every issue from 2018 to present day in this new guide! […]
  • X-Men Vote 2023 - Polls Are Open NowElect your favorite mutant with Marvel’s annual X-Men Vote! #xmenvote
    It's time for the third annual X-Men Vote to determine one new permanent member of the flagship X-Men team. Let's meet the six candidates and discuss the pros and cons of each one. […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Secret Invasion Box KickstarterMarvel United: Multiverse adds a Secret Invasion expansion (plus, 20 events that could be expansion boxes!)
    CMON announced a surprising Marvel United Multiverse Secret Invasion expansion, which raises a question: What other events are still to come? I've got 20 suggestions for them. […]
  • New for Patrons: Guide to Wasp, Janet van Dyne
    This Guide to Wasp follows Janet van Dyne through her 60-year Marvel Comics history, from founding Avenger to finally getting own own series! […]
  • my weighted blanket is hungry
    Me getting 8hrs of fitful sleep doesn't seem to be enough to satiate the hunger of my new 10kg beast of a weighted blanket. […]
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, Episode 5 – House of Fashion, Review & Power Ranking
    It's Drag Race Fashion Week in this unconventional materials design challenge with a twist: the queens are split into three groups and have to present cohesive runway collections. […]

Layout copyright © 2017 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

Links from Crushing Krisis to retailer websites may be in the form of affiliate links. If you purchase through an affiliate link I will receive a minor credit as your referrer. My credit does not affect your purchase price. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to: Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (in the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), eBay Partner Network, and iTunes Affiliate Program.