Independence Day
Martina McBride Lyrics

Well, she seemed all right by dawn's early light
At the start of the day, the woman appeared to be okay

Though she looked a little worried and weak
However, there were signs she was struggling

She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
The woman attempted to ignore her husband's alcoholism

But daddy left the proof on her cheek
Unfortunately, her husband left visible evidence of physical abuse on her face

And I was only eight years old that summer
At that time, the artist was just a child

And I always seemed to be in the way
Despite being young, they felt like a burden or a nuisance

So I took myself down to the fair in town
The singer took themself to a local event

On Independence Day
Specifically on July 4th, the holiday celebrating America's freedom

Well, word gets around in a small, small town
The rumor mill runs quickly in small communities

They said he was a dangerous man
People spoke negatively about the husband and his behavior

But mama was proud and she stood her ground
Despite the gossip, the woman stood up for herself and stayed with her husband

She knew she was on the losin' end
The woman realized she was in a difficult situation

Some folks whispered, some folks talked
Different people expressed their opinions in various ways

But everybody looked the other way
Ultimately, most people ignored the family's problems

And when time ran out there was no one about
When things reached a breaking point, no one was there to help

On Independence Day
This tragic event happened on July 4th

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Symbolic of wishing for peace and liberty

Let the whole world know that today
The desire for everyone to be aware of the importance of this moment

Is a day of reckoning
A day where justice will be served

Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Showing a desire for balance and the ability for the underdogs to succeed

Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay
A call for those who've committed wrongful acts to be held accountable

It's Independence Day
A juxtaposition of the holiday's joyful and tragic associations

Well, she lit up the sky that fourth of July
On that specific 4th of July, something significant happened

By the time that the firemen come
The authorities arrived too late

They just put out the flames
The firefighters could only stop the fire from spreading

And took down some names
They collected information about what happened

And send me to the county home
The singer was taken to a group home following the tragedy

Now I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong
The artist isn't making any moral judgments in this story

But maybe it's the only way
However, the lyrics suggest that this tragedy was an inevitable outcome

Talk about your revolution
Referring to the changes that happened as a result of this event

It's Independence Day
The song's chorus representing the story's central message

Roll the stone away
Referring to religious imagery of resurrection and rebirth

It's Independence Day
Reiterating the chorus's message with a more hopeful tone