This is the national anthem we actually know the words to. Americans sing it at school and summer camp; Bruce Springsteen sang it at President Obama’s inauguration. Yet Woody Guthrie’s song was once branded anti-American, even Communist.
Pete Seeger tells Kurt Andersen how Guthrie wrote it as a sarcastic response to “God Bless America,” and soul singer Sharon Jones explains what the song means to her as a descendant of slaves. Leftist, environmentalist, nationalist, or patriotic – “This Land” allows everyone to sing it their way. We find out why some controversial lines about private property disappeared, and hear the song in Swedish, Hebrew, and Ojibwa.
â?? More “Land:” Kurt visits Pete Seeger at home and Sharon Jones describes the special meaning the lyrics hold for her – all on our American Icons feature page.
(Originally aired October 1, 2010)
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!