Of our national songs, three I would say have been
institutionalized as songs that are part of our civil consciousness. There is "The Star Spangled Banner," our
national anthem, with its intricate melodic shifts and intricate lyrics, which
is no surprise since the song was derived from a poem. There is "America the Beautiful," which I think
has the most beautiful melody of the patriotic songs.
And then there is "God Bless America" which is the simplest of all the songs, both
in melody and lyrics. It is so simple
that one thinks, how could that be make it so big and so engrained in our identity? The song was written back in 1918 by Irving Berlin, who wrote so many of what became known as the
American Songbook of songs, and it was made popular by Kate Smith, “the first
lady of radio” who made it her signature song. The song—so fitting for one of my Faith
Filled Friday posts—is a prayer, displaying the simplicity of a request to our Creator.
God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her,
and guide her
Through the night
with a light from above.
From the mountains,
to the prairies,
To the oceans, white
with foam
God bless America,
My home sweet home
God bless America,
My home sweet home.
That’s
the whole song. But I have to say my
heart just wraps around the song. Is it
the invocation of God? Is it the
humility in the petition for guidance?
Is it the cross continental embrace from the west coast to Rocky
Mountains to the Midwest to the Atlantic Ocean?
Is it the simple expression of love for this abstract entity we call our
nation? It’s all of that, but I can tell
you my lips quiver every time I get to the part “My home sweet home.” God, humility, continent, love of country seem
to congeal into my home. There is
something archetypical about this song.
I’m
going to embed three versions which grabbed me as I started searching for the
perfect rendition. The first is a cappella
by Sgt Christine Permenter, part of a some Army band, and she sings it live at last
year’s Baseball World Series. I love the
way she sings it in a lower female register.
And
then I have to say I really love Celine Dion’s version. This was recorded post 9-11. She slows the tempo down a notch and the
arrangement is exquisite. Here’s a clip
with notable quotes from our history.
And
finally, one has to end with the signature version, the Kate Smith
version. Frank Sinatra said something to
the effect (don’t exactly quote me) that Kate Smith was the singer whose voice
he most envied.
Hmm,
all three versions I most admired were by female singers. Does this song suit a woman’s voice
best? Or is it my ear that is tuned to a
woman singing it? I don’t know.
Happy belated Fourth of July God Bless America Day to you and yours Manny.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless Peace