Sometimes called the “alternative national anthem,” “This Land Is Your Land” is one of the most famous American folk songs of all time. It was written and performed originally by American folk singer Woody Guthrie.
Song Facts:
- The classic has been covered by the likes of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Bruce Springsteen. Folk singer Pete Seeger has performed the song more than any other musician in America.
- Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born in 1912 in the state of Oklahoma. As a child, he showed himself to be a gifted street performer — playing guitar and harmonica, dancing and creating songs on the spot. Words and music became a huge passion for him.
- The song was originally written in February 1940 after Woody traveled from Oklahoma to New York City. At the time, Guthrie was on leave from the Merchant Marines. That was just one of his occupations during the war and the Great Depression.
- Guthrie wrote and recorded “This Land Is Your Land” in April 1944 in New York City for Folkways Records, but it wasn’t released for almost a decade when it was released by Folkways in 1951.
- The song’s popularity was revived in the early 1960s, with folk singers performing the song as an anthem. It was covered by Bob Dylan, Trini Lopez, The Seekers, The Kingston Trio, Jay and the Americans, The New Christy Minstrels and Peter, Paul and Mary.
- There has been some controversy surrounding the original lyrics, which were deemed to be fairly radical for the time. There have also been controversies about the copyrights of the song.
- “This Land Is Your Land” was chosen in 2002 by the Library of Congress to be added to the song list of the National Recording Registry.
Lyrics:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From the 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 went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me
I roamed and rambled 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 comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me
This land is your land and this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me