THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
“This Land Is Your Land” is one of the United States most famous folk songs. Its lyrics
were written by Woody Guthrie in 1940 on an existing melody, in response to Irving
Berlin‘s “God Bless America“, which Guthrie considered unrealistic and complacent.
Tired of hearing Kate Smith sing it on the radio, he wrote a response originally called
“God Blessed America for Me”. Guthrie varied the lyrics over time, sometimes including
more overtly political verses than appear in recordings or publications.
Guthrie lifted the melody of “This Land Is Your Land” essentially note-for-note from
“When the World’s on Fire”, a Baptist hymn recorded by country legends the Carter
Family ten years earlier. However, some sources claim that a Carter Family original,
“Little Darlin’ Pal of Mine,” was the source of the melody for “This Land.” He wrote the
song in 1940 and recorded it in 1944. The song was not published until 1951, when it was
included in a mimeographed booklet of ten songs with typed lyrics and hand drawings.
The song was brought back to life in the 1960s, when several artists of the new folk
movement, including Bob Dylan, The Kingston Trio, The New Christy Minstrels and
Peter Paul and Mary, recorded versions, inspired by its political message.
Bruce Springsteen once again brought back the song in 2008 as set closer when
performing acoustic concerts in support of Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack
Obama, this time adding a “Yes We Can” chant before and after the song.
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
I’ve roamed and rambled and I’ve followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me
2 thoughts on “THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND”
Bruce Springsteen…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBLxyRV2oko
Woody Guthrie……….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1my1jn6QHzE