Let's sing this one together
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
Lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates
Music by Samuel A. Ward
| Posted at 12:45 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (5)
Ghost Dance - Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTY2pmKguDg
This Land Is Your Land (W. Guthrie) - Woody Guthrie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s
Imagine (J. Lennon) - Neil Young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbeLjf5B0Pk
Hope still dwells here.
Posted by Mojo | July 4, 2010 9:16 AM
West Side Story-- "America"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QS7wWzwak4
ANITA
Puerto Rico
My heart's devotion
Let it sink back in the ocean
Always the hurricanes blowing
Always the population growing
And the money owing
And the sunlight streaming
And the natives steaming
I like the island Manhattan
Smoke on your pipe
And put that in!
OTHERS
I like to be in America!
O.K. by me in America!
Ev'rything free in America
For a small fee in America!
ROSALIA
I like the city of San Juan.
ANITA
I know a boat you can get on.
ROSALIA
Hundreds of flowers
in full bloom.
ANITA
Hundreds of people
in each room!
ALL
Automobile in America,
Chromium steel in America,
Wire-spoke wheel in America,
Very big deal in America!
ROSALIA
I'll drive a Buick
through San Juan.
ANITA
If there's a road you
can drive on.
ROSALIA
I'll give my
cousins a free
ride.
ANITA
How you get all of
them inside?
ALL
Immigrant goes to America,
Many hellos in America;
Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico's in America!
ROSALIA
I'll bring a T.V. to San Juan.
ANITA
If there a current to turn on!
ROSALIA
I'll give them new
washing machine.
ANITA
What have they got
there to keep clean?
ALL
I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall
floors in America!
ROSALIA
When I will go back
to San Juan.
ANITA
When you will shut up
and get gone?
ROSALIA
Everyone there will
give big cheer!
ANITA
Everyone there will
have moved here!
Posted by Skeezicks | July 4, 2010 10:40 AM
Because of the picture, everyone *should* go to the Ellis Island memorial, very interesting.
Posted by Stan | July 4, 2010 11:25 AM
We Are The Founders
By: Glenn W. Smith Sunday July 4, 2010 9:30 am
http://firedoglake.com/2010/07/04/we-are-the-founders/
America’s greatest promise lies in the bold idea that each citizen in every generation is Founder of the country. Though the promise remains unachieved, the idea is worth celebrating this Fourth of July.
Posted by clinamen | July 4, 2010 12:34 PM
Each time I hear this song since 9/11, the words of the next-to-last stanza come to mind. Ironic to realize that our "alabaster cities undimmed by human tears" no longer exist.
Posted by Don | July 4, 2010 2:42 PM