on the stairs i smoke a cigarette alone

keep art alive; photograph by little jeans

fourth of july (demo) ~ x
fourth of july (album version) ~ x

"what ever happened,
i apologize.
so, dry your tears and baby walk outside,
it's the fourth of july."

my absolute favorite fourth of july song. this song is los angeles to me, it is summer and living on my own for the first time. the memory of climbing on the top of the roof, at that old apartment on truslow avenue, and watching the kids next door shoot off fireworks in the street.

i have written stories with this song playing in my ears. i have written a lyric from this into a poem i wrote. i think i have even imagined john and exene into characters i've created.

i'm not a fan of this day, for a variety of reasons, but i do love this song - and some of my fourth of july memories.