“This Land Is Your Land”: The Story Behind America’s Best-Known Protest Song(pfffttttt)

getpocket.com ^ | 6/30/2019 | Kenneth Partridge

[ifinnegan]

Guthrie wrote new words to a gospel song called “When the World’s on Fire”.

He used AP Carter’s arrangement and Maybelle Carter’s guitar playing.

Have a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxo-zayI6tE

Guthrie called it a Church House Lick.

[dfwgator]

Or as the great band “Cracker” sang in “Teen Angst”

What the world needs now
Is another....Folk Singer

Like I need a hole in my head!

[mylife]

Great video!

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

When I was growing up in Cali, it was taught in public schools, brainwashed in the 70’s. But I fondly remember this song. I don’t agree with the sentiment of Woody.

[dfwgator]

So basically “Signs” lyrically was a ripoff...

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin’ would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house
“Hey! What gives you the right?”
“To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in”
“If God was here he’d tell you to your face, man, you’re some kinda sinner”

[mylife]

Love Cracker!

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I agree with you.

[rktman]

Yup. Hated that one as well. Perfect song for envirowankers.

[Dr. Ursus]

Interesting This is an early version of Hey Joe by Billy Roberts.Also, checkout Niela Miller’s Baby don’t go downtown, which she said Roberts stole. https://youtu.be/OmrGOXJMQj0

[PghBaldy]

They believe they will be the elites then, with no food lines and second mansions and numerous perks? Or, they hate their parents and want to destroy this country?

[forgotten man]

That song is one of the first things that illegal alien children learn in California public schools.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

I sang that song back in my 5th grade music class in 1970. Just goes to show you how far back the Left's brainwashing attempts go.

I was in kindergarten the same year and I also remember that tune. That, and "Puff the Magic Dragon" were the first songs I remember learning. That was in California, btw.

[The_Media_never_lie]

But there's more to "This Land Is Your Land" than many people realize—two verses more, in fact. Guthrie's original 1940 draft of the song contains six verses, two of which carry progressive political messages that add nuance to the song's overt patriotism. These controversial verses are generally omitted from children's songbooks and the like, but they speak volumes about Guthrie's mindset when he put pen to paper 80 years ago.

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I always looked upon Guthrie, at least in my more aware years, as a hygienically challenged irresponsible type who did not treat women well. I would be open to reading a biography, if I could find an unbiased one, and maybe my opinion might be changed.

[KarlInOhio]

I started singing that when I saw the title.

[The_Media_never_lie]

I never was to sure about Captain Kangaroo

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Capt. Kangaroo turned out war effort cartoons for Uncle Sam in WW2. Saw some of his drafts in a Smithsonian display in the Museum of American History.

[tallyhoe]

I loved this song sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary!!!

[mylife]

Good for him.

[mylife]

Good for him.

[elcid1970]

IIRC, the inscription “This Machine Kills Fascists” was seen during the Spanish Civil War on aircraft provided by the Soviet Union to fly supplies to the “Republican” (read: communist) side.

The Spanish Reds were the darlings of the literary & artistic set in this country (Ernest Hemingway, Dorothy Parker, etc.) even as they were murdering their way through areas of Spain under their control. They were a natural fit for folkies like Guthrey because they “said all the right things”.

However, it was Gen. Francisco Franco who finally prevailed, leading to the ironic saying that “although he may have won all the battles, we had all the good songs”.

Plug for Franco: kept Spain out of WWII, kept it from going communist, bequeathed a restored monarchy & democratic government upon his death, and now the socialists in Madrid are digging up his remains for relocation elsewhere. The Spanish Civil War is far from over.

[forgotten man]

One of the men in Peter Paul and Mary was convicted of sexually molesting a child; and their hit recording of “If I Had a Hammer (and Sickle)” is a communist anthem.