A dozen reasons not to hate the rain

A rainy Labor Day Weekend (at least here in Greater Boston) is enough to make you hate the rain.

Don't hate the rain; listen to these 12 Great Rain Songs instead.

Know your "mid-period" Beach Boys: A 5-song primer

For most casual music fans of the 20something variety, the history of the Beach Boys is a 3-chapter saga that breaks down something like this:

1.  The candy-striped, surf & car-obsessed Beach Boys.

Doing right by Francis Scott Key

In 1814, 35-year-old amateur poet Francis Scott Key composed a poem titled "Defence of Fort McHenry" (the eventual lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner") after witnessing the bombardment of said fort by the British Royal Navy.

In 2013, 20-something-year-old amateur bloggers Four Guys composed a blog post titled "Doing right by Francis Scott Key" in advance of grilling things and drinking things and watching fireworks.

Happy Fourth of July, folks!  Before you get on with your grilling and drinking and firework-watching, enjoy a few of our favorite renditions of our national anthem...