"This song," Cade, my 17-year-old son declared, "should be the national anthem."
We were listening to the catchy country hit, Chicken Fried, by the Zac Brown Band, and I have to admit, my son had a point.
I thank God for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly, let it ring.
Salute the ones who died
And the ones that gave their lives
So we don't have to sacrifice
All the things we love
Like our chicken fried
Catchy? You bet. So my son and I debated the issue. The Star-Spangled Banner? Too hard to sing and, seriously, who can remember all the lyrics? God Bless America? That's a simple, sturdy song with a solid beat but then we'd have an issue with anti-religion crowd. Chicken Fried might just get my vote, if only for the fact that we can all agree that fried chicken is a national treasure.
There is a lot of merit in appreciating the many things we enjoy here in the U.S.A. Some of Zac Brown's favorites are cold beer, sweet tea, the love in a woman's eyes, and the touch of precious child.
To that, I'd add a manicured lawn, a fast boat with a long ski rope, Kentucky bourbon and ESPN. And then I'd also toss in some of the purely American craftsmanship we have at FCG: hand-turned bed posts, a mahogany dining table with a beautiful inlay, the delicately tapered legs on a Shaker desk.
This Fourth of July, I think we'll all enjoy a lot of the things on Zac's list and maybe even some of mine. Let's celebrate this great country and the freedoms we cherish.
