Woody Guthrie was a folk singer-songwriter, who lived during the first half of the 20th century. He wrote about the social injustices of his time. His most famous song, and probably the most popular American folk song ever, is This Land Is Your Land. In 1938, the patriotic song God Bless America, written by Irvin Berlin in 1918, was popularly revived by the singer Kate Smith. Sick of hearing the song, which he viewed as too unrealistic, played constantly on the radio, Woody Guthrie wrote This Land Is Your Land in 1940. The obvious egalitarian message of the song is summed up by the last line of each verse: This land was made for you and me.
You can hear the song in the video below. The lyrics are further below. And even further below, you can find a newer version by a young Bruce Springsteen.
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.
As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.
I've roamed and rambled (1) and I 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.
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling (2),
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling (3),
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing (4)."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.
In the shadow of the steeple (5) I saw my people,
By the relief office (6) I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?
Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.
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