Kate Smith was MAGA 52 years ago - God Bless America rendition

Youtube ^ | July 4, 2026 | Kate Smith

[Rennes Templar]

Video at link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pZ1brENIjw

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TOPICS: History; Miscellaneous; Music/Entertainment; Society
KEYWORDS:

[Rennes Templar]

Listen to that crowd!

[Dr. Franklin]

She was the Philadelphia Flyers good luck charm for years, and should have remained that
Kate Smith from the Flyers vs Bruins Stanley Cup Playoffs May 19th 1974

[DFG]

Kate Smith’s Heart-Stirring ‘God Bless America’ - This Is the Army (1943)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvUxPIoZf4g&list=RDSvUxPIoZf4g&start_radio=1

[AuntB]

Thanks for this. My Dad’s favorite artist.

[telescope115]

That lady had a set of lungs on her….and I mean that LITERALLY. Her rendition of God Bless America is is timeless and definitive.

[volare737]

Very sad,,,,

In 2019, the Philadelphia Flyers stopped using Kate Smith’s recording of “God Bless America” before games and removed her statue from outside their arena. The decision was made after renewed attention to some songs Smith had recorded in the 1930s that contained racist stereotypes and language.

[Dr. Franklin]

Thanks for this. My Dad’s favorite artist.

It's a great story: "Smith’s record with the Flyers is 100-29-5, as compiled by flyershistory.com."
Flyers at 50: The Story Behind the Tradition of Kate Smith's ‘God Bless America'

Kate Smith sang God Bless America live for game seven of the semi-finals against the New York Rangers at the Philadelphia Spectrum in 1974. The captain of the Rangers tried to jinx her by giving her a bouquet of flowers. She took them and threw them into the penalty box and the crowd roared. They Flyers won that game seven and then beat the Bruins in the finals. The Philadelphia Daily News the next day had a cartoon of Kate Smith skating with the Stanley Cup on the front page. The next year, the Flyers won the Stanley Cup again. The next day, the Philadelphia Daily News had a cartoon on the front of the paper with Kate Smith skating holding two Staley Cups. She was well loved in Philly.

[Dan in Wichita]

Yes, what a wonderful response from the crowd, as they welcomed a genuine American hero from WW2. Her booming voice helped rally a nation toward victory in the most catastrophic conflict in human history.

But... in our modern age of political correctness, they tore down her statue because it was rumored sometime in the 1930s she may have made an unfavorable comment about a black person.

[SunkenCiv]

• Dean Martin & Kate Smith - America Medley & Show Ending [video- with Barbara Eden, Mickey Rooney & Norm Crosby] [07/04/2026]
• Dave Barry: America - Also, a Mystery Log. [07/04/2026]
• Stan Freberg: Declaration Of Independence [07/04/2026]

[PGR88]

Most versions (including this) leave out the introductory stanza (and the best IMHO) and go right to the "God Bless America" chorus.

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

[Dr. Franklin]

OOPS! The 1974 Semi-Final Game 7 against the New York Rangers was just the recording of God Bless America
It was the following year, the 1975 Game 7 against the New York Islanders in which Islanders captain Ed Westfall tried to jinx Kate Smith by giving her flowers, and then all of the Islanders skated over to shake her hand and steal the spotlight from her. The Flyers won 4-1 anyhow on their way to their second Stanely Cup, and it's all on video:
NHL May 13, 1975 Kate Smith Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders
Kate Smith was well loved in Philly, and Flyers owner Ed Snyder was a pall bearer at her funeral.

[Sacajaweau]

They played it at noon every day locally on the radio.

[dfwgator]

And screw the Flyers and Yankees for cancelling her.

[old school]

It’s a great song and nobody but nobody, to date, has sung it better than Kate Smith!

Heck! That’s just my opinion but I value my opinion, far above others, in this instance!

[OttawaFreeper]

A future president appears at 4:09 of the video.

[Steven Scharf]

This was the finals as Phil Esposito wearing a Bruins uniform came over to greet her as she was leaving the ice.

[Dr. Franklin]

This was the finals as Phil Esposito wearing a Bruins uniform came over to greet her as she was leaving the ice.

The link in post #2 is the 1974 clinching Game 6 final at the Philadelphia Spectrum. After Kate Smith sang, the Flyers shut out the Bruins 1-0 as Rick MacLeish had the only goal for the Flyers and Bernie Parent shut out the Bruins offense.
Post #11 is the 1975 Semi-Final Game 7 at the Philadelphia Spectrum against the New York Islanders.

[Dr. Franklin]

Here's the cover of the Philadelphia Daily News May 20, 1974:

The following year, the Philadelphia Daily News had a cartoon on the front page of the paper depicting Kate Smith skating while holding two Stanley Cups.

[mass55th]

She had an afternoon show on TV for a while in the early 50’s when I was a kid. We always watched it.