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11/23/2003 Entry: "This land"

That last entry put me in mind of Woody Guthrie's marvellous "This Land", so I just have to post the lyrics

This land is your land,This land is my land,From CaliforniaTo the New York Island,From the redwood forest, To the Gulf stream waters,This land was made for you and me.

As I was walking,That ribbon of highway,I saw above meThat endless skyway,I saw below meThat golden valley.This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambledAnd I've followed my footstepsTo the sparkling sands of her diamond desertsAnd all around me a voice was soundingThis land was made for you and me

The sun comes shiningAs I was strollingThe wheat fields wavingAnd the dust clouds rollingThe fog was lifting a voice come chantingThis land was made for you and me

As I was walkin'I saw a sign thereAnd that sign said no trespassin' But on the other side It didn't say nothin!Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the cityIn the shadow of the steepleNear the relief officeI see my peopleAnd some are grumblin'And some are wonderin'If this land's still made for you and me.

Nobody living can ever stop meAs I go walking That freedom highwayNobody living can make me turn backThis land was made for you and me

Posted by Richard @ 11/27/2003 12:26 PM CST

Woody Guthrie's guitar had written on it:

THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS

I wish there were songwriters around today who, like Guthrie, matched talent with a fervent belief in the politics of decency.

Posted by Wood @ 11/27/2003 12:01 PM CST

I love this song. It is patiotic in its way, but not uncritically. I seem to recall hearing that it was written as a response to Irving Berlin's "God bless America", but I can't remember where. Does anyone know if I've imagined that?

Posted by Richard @ 11/24/2003 04:56 PM CST

The "no tresspassing" verse has always been my favorite. Sometimes it's so tempting to just strike out across field and forest on a whim...but you know that, more likely than not, you'll get chased off by a red-faced shotgun-weilding landowner...boo.

Posted by Jonathan @ 11/24/2003 12:31 AM CST