"He was born on the fourth day of July...

...so his parent's called him Independence Day. He met a girl named Justice who gave birth to a son called Nation and she walked away."

"Justice and Independence" - John Mellencamp

I'm not insane enough to take the kids, nor do I want to be there among a half-million others....but it would be nice.

Mellencamp To Play Pops Fourth Show
By Geoff EdgersGlobe Staff

Roots rocker John Mellencamp will headline the 2007 BostonPops Fireworks Spectacular concert July 4th on the Esplanade. Mellencamp, 55, is known for his hits “Jack and Diane, “Pink Houses,” and "Paper In Fire.” More recently, Mellencamp’s gained attention for his song “Our Country,” which has been featured on a series of Chevy Silverado television commercials as well as on his recent album, “Freedom’s Road.”

The concert on the Esplanade, attended by roughly 500,000 each year, will be broadcast locally from 8 to 10 p.m. on WBZ-TV with Jack Williams and Lisa Hughes hosting. At 10 p.m., the show will go national on CBS with Craig Ferguson, the host of the Late Late Show.