And the song that motivated Guthrie to write This Land is Your Land:
While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
God Bless America.
Land that I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies ,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home.
God Bless America,
Land that I love
Stand beside her,
And guide her,
Through the night
With the light from above,
From the mountains,
To the prairies,
To the ocean,
White with foam,
God bless America,
My home sweet home.
God bless America,
My home sweet home.
God Bless America by Irving Berlin
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I've been meaning to post the manuscript version--Woody Guthrie's handwritten lyrics, first time around. The last line in each of the verses is "God Bless America"--obviously in reference to the Irving Berlin, as sung sententiously by Kate Smith and others (there's still a shadow of this at the beginning of stadium ball games today...). Makes you see what Woody Guthrie was reacting to--that kind of nationalistic self-satisfaction--which Dylan (as we saw so clearly last night in the Scorcese film) was ALSO reacting to--but for a new generation, and in his own way...!
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