Very interesting info. I never noticed Joan Baez's version was different in the lyrics from the Bands version...

Shelley, I love it! Don't recall if I have a copy of your revisions... I think all my Scout stuff got donated when I moved. Wish I'd known

I agree..."it's the folk process". It seems to me that ol' Woody was always modifying and adding verses to his songs. I have to admit I prefer “New York Island” in the verse but its whatever works I guess. That’s what I like about folk music, the lyrics and or the music doesn’t have to be stuck in any particular pattern…Its modifyable….
-Eric

That's why Pete Seeger has been saying "The worst thing you can do to a song is to make it official" - he's been saying that for decades... adg

Pete is the "Confucius" of Folk music. "Woody sez" was more Will Rogersian in nature. Arlo reminds us about our spiritual condition and of our self-awareness to self-actualization continuum, even when he's (you're) being toungue-in-cheek. Some days you eat the clam, some days the clam eats you......I said that........

Thanks for the info hon! Come visit me here in VA so you can see the snow. You don't need all that warm FLA sunshine lol... <g>

All versions are orig-(all great) even woody guthrie.org has different versions. Theres no way anyone can doubt the handwritten version with the crossed out lines- The important thing for me re: this version is what I see as what Woody was clearly saying which was as written "Was this land made for you and me" Is this not the key to the real meaning of the song? I love them all but this is the one I sing -Can it possibly be more appropriate especially in these times?

After looking at the upper right-hand corner of this letter from Mr. G to the Library of Congress, I knew it could only be "New York Island":

http://memory.loc.gov/afc/afcwwg/010/0001v.jpg

Saw the lyrics here - http://www.arlo.net/resources/lyrics/this-land.shtml. I just hope this one contains the original lyrics that you are looking for. There could be a lot of versions, but nothing beats the original.

lil wayne lyrics

Woody originally wrote "This Land...." under the title of "God Blessed America" on Feb. 23, 1940, in a little "fleabag" hotel called Hanover House in New York City on the corner of 6th Ave and 43rd St, near Times Square.

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to Staten Island - (He then crossed out Staten and put in New York)
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf Sream waters
God Blessed America for me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
And saw above me the endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley, I said
God Blessed America for me.

I roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond desert
And all around me, a voice was sounding:
God Blessed America for me.

Was a big 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.

When the sun came shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting:
God Blessed America for me.

One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the relief office I saw my people-
As they stood there hungry,
I stood there wondering if
God Blessed America for me.


""He noted at the bottom of the page:"All you can write is what you see," and signed it-he was beginning to sign all his pages now-"Woogy G." and marked the date and location. Then he completely forgot about the song, and didn't do anything with it for another five years."" - From 'WOODY GUTHRIE - A Life" by Joe Klein (1980); pgs. 140-141.

It is also noted that he "borrowed" the tune from the Carter Family's "Little Darlin', Pal of Mine," which had come from an old Baptist hymn, "Oh My Lovin' Brother."

Klein also points out that Woody wrote the song as a response to Kate Smith's "God Bless America" which was playing all over the radio at the time, and which Woody detested.

Welcome to the Folk Process!!!

Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" sung by Kate, I think.

I stand corrected, oh Keeper Of The Brain Cell

Not that I’m aware of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Np!