"This Land Is Your Land" Like Woody Wrote It > > Sunday 18 January 2009 > > by: Tommy Stevenson, Tuscaloosa News (AL) > > http://blogs.tuscaloosanews.com/default.asp?item=2317698 > > Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen at the Lincoln > Memorial Concert. Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen, > performing at Sunday's concert at the Lincoln Memorial. > (Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images) > > Bee Branch - At the conclusion of today's concert for > president-elect Barack Obama 89-year-old Pete Seeger > joined Bruce Springsteen for a sing-along with perhaps > half a million people of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is > Your Land," which I dare say practically everyone in > the country knows from childhood. > > But sly old Pete, who actually hoboed with Woody during > the Depression and Dust Bowl, had the crowd sing the > song as it was actually written, as not only a > celebration of this great land, but as a demand for > workers' and people's rights. That is, he restored the > verses that have been censored from the song over the > years to make it less political: > > There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me; > Sign was painted, it said private property; But on the > back side it didn't say nothing; That side was made for > you and me. > > In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, By the > relief office I seen my people; As they stood there > hungry, I stood there asking Is this land made for you > and me? > > Nobody living can ever stop me, As I go walking that > freedom highway; Nobody living can ever make me turn > back This land was made for you and me. > > The "relief office," of course, refers to the ad hoc > soup bowls and such set up during the Depression before > the New Deal began to get the social security net we > have all depended upon since the 1930s in place. > > Seeger, like Guthrie, has been a controversial figure > at times during his life, questioned by the witch > hunting committees of Congress in the 1950s, black > listed, and even banded from television as late as the > late 1960s. > > But while he hasn't got much of a voice left anymore > and did not attempt to play his banjo today, it was > wonderful to see the gleam in his subversive eye as he > did his call and response with the throngs in front of > the Lincoln Memorial. > > Somewhere Woody - and Leadbelly, and Sonny and Cisco > and the rest of the great balladeers of that bygone era > - are smiling tonight. > > ----- > > Full Lyrics > > This Land Is Your Land > Words and Music by Woody Guthrie > > Chorus: > This land is your land, this land is my land > From 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 was walking a ribbon of highway > I saw above me an endless skyway > I saw below me a golden valley > This land was made for you and me > > Chorus > > I've roamed and rambled and I've 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 > > Chorus > > The sun comes shining as I was strolling > The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling > The fog was lifting a voice come chanting > This land was made for you and me > > Chorus > > As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there > And that sign said - no tress passin' > But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin! > Now that side was made for you and me! > > Chorus > > In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the > steeple > Near the relief office - I see my people > And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin' > If this land's still made for you and me. > > Chorus (2x) > >
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