When you were in kindergarten and you sang “This Land is Your Land”, did your teacher tell you that you were singing a protest song? Did she even know? It’s a good bet that Jennifer Lopez knew when she sang part of the song at Biden’s inauguration. But how many Americans got her message?
Woody Guthrie’s most famous song was written on Feb. 23, 1940 in a seedy hotel in New York City. Guthrie had spent many years traveling the country as a hobo. During his travels, he heard the popular Kate Smith version of “God Bless America” many times and became increasingly aggravated by its schmaltzy patriotism. He decided to write a sarcastic rejoinder to it. Originally, he was going to call it “God Blessed America”. Note the past tense. He did not record the song until 1944 when he was on shore leave from the Merchant Marine. By then he had become a bit more patriotic himself, so he left out the most inflammatory verse (the one about the relief office). The song retained its lauding of inclusion and equality and its criticism of economic injustice and greed. The song was largely forgotten until the 1950’s when it was included in a popular school music textbook. That’s why you sang it in school. But the textbook did not provide analysis of the lyrics, so you and probably your teacher did not know that you were singing a socialist song that made fun of “God Bless America”. There is still a lot of misunderstanding about the song (similar to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”). Guthrie has rolled over in his grave many times because of this. For instance, in 1984 Reagan had it played at his victory party after defeating Mondale (who used it during his campaign). However, he must have been smiling when J-Lo sang it. Here are the original lyrics:
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From the California to the Staten New York Island,
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
And saw above me that endless skyway,
And saw below me the golden valley, I said:
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
I roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts,
And all around me, a voice was sounding:
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
Was a high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said: Private Property,
But on the back side it didn’t say nothing —
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
When the sun come shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling;
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting:
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the Relief Office I saw my people —
As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if
God blessed America for me.
[This land was made for you and me.]
https://www.npr.org/2000/07/03/1076186/this-land-is-your-land
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/585577/this-land-your-land-americas-best-known-protest-song
https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-song-this-land-is-your-land/
0 Comments