Country music is easily one of the most patriotic genres. Scores of songs have been written, performed and recorded in dedication to America, her troops and all of the things that make the nation great. Among the dozens of stirring, patriotic anthems, country artists have also turned out a few tunes about the stars and stripes of the American flag.
Below, The Boot has rounded up some of the best songs about the American flag that country music has to offer. Scroll through the list to listen to five patriotic artists pay their respects to the red, white and blue:
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5
“American Flag on the Moon”
“American Flag on the Moon” has been called one of Paisley’s most underrated tunes. From his 2014 No. 1 album Moonshine in the Trunk, the song reminds listeners to keep dreaming, because, “After all, there’s an American flag on the Moon.”
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4
“This Ain’t No Rag, It’s a Flag”
Daniels’ response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 came in the form of this 2001 challenge to anybody who dares to mess with the American flag: “This ain’t no rag, it’s a flag / And it stands for the USA!” Daniels’ band chants “USA!” in the background as a child recites the Pledge of Allegiance in this ultra-patriotic tune.
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3
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”
An outspoken supporter of the U.S. troops, Keith penned “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” as a response to his patriotic father’s death, as well as to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. It’s one of Keith’s many patriotic songs, and by far his most stirring tribute to Old Glory.
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2
“Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly”
Tippin captures the heart of blue-collar America in this tribute to the icons of the nation. “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” was released in response to the 9/11 attacks and charted at No. 2 — but only because Alan Jackson‘s “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” had the No. 1 slot locked down at the same time.
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1
“Ragged Old Flag”
Nothing could be more American than Cash’s poem “Ragged Old Flag.” The Man in Black wrote the spoken-word piece, which became the title track for his 47th album in 1974, as a response to the Watergate scandal and waning patriotism in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Cash’s poem was also used during an opening video for the Super Bowl in 2017, at a time when controversy swirled around civil rights and respect for the flag.