Last Thursday, we wondered if ever there had been a country so awesome at turning itself into an all-purpose adjective as the United States. Probably not, if only because the second we heard about it we'd come up with a resource humanitarian reason to swoop in and put the kibosh on it with a quickness. We love talking about ourselves in third person- hell, we just love talking about ourselves period, which is why there's so many songs about us.

Sure, a lot those songs suck large. It wouldn't be America if there weren't a huge number of terrible songs with “American” in the title. But it isn't all a parade of American Pies and American Soldiers FAILing themselves up and down the radio dial. Sometimes people write songs that reference America that don't blow! And with yesterday being the 4th of July and all, what better time than right now to pay tribute to them? Last week we complained, but now, we celebrate. Here are the 5 Best Songs with “America” in the title.

5) David Bowie – “Young Americans”

The only bad thing about this song is the sad reminder that the saxaphone has probably been rendered permanently uncool. We need more sax in popular music. Get on that, everyone in music!

Meanwhile, David Bowie's breakthrough American hit references Nixon, Vietnam, McCarthyism, basically everything totally awesome about America at the height of its power, thus proving that imitation is the second most sincere expression of flattery. The first? Totally talking shit.

4) Estelle – “American Boy”

This song is so good even Kanye's increasingly slurry rapping can't ruin it. It also proves that the sexy accent thing goes both ways. Americans can now travel to England safe in the knowledge that playing up their southern drawls will earn them a green card marriage faster than an unmarried Scot in Oklahoma.

3) Lupe Fiasco – “American Terrorist”

“American Terrorist” is a feel good sing-along about everything that makes America great. Like the Native American genocide, Jim Crow, economic disaster and the war on terror, and so on.

2) Eminem – “White America”

When he isn't dangerously drunk fighting in bars, Eminem is shockingly one of the greatest rappers America has yet produced and “White America” is probably his magnum opus. One of the all-time great songs about the hypocrisy and avarice of America's ruling majority, it dumps on the Bush administration, the morality police, suburban THINKABOUTTHECHILDREN moms, even his own fans.

Why not show your patriotic spirit the Eminem way: by insulting yourself and everyone you know.

And the single best song with “America” in the title?

1) Supertramp – “Breakfast in America”

There are two types of people in America. People who think Supertramp's Breakfast in America is both an incredible album and amazing pop song, and people who need to go back to Russia. On America's 235th birthday, it's important to figure out which side you fall into, and relocate accordingly.

Hope you all had a happy Independence Day, and that you had some kippers for breakfast on us.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.