This Land is Your Land
by Cristina and Julie
Lyrics
This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood 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 me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.
I've roamed and rambled and I 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.
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other 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.
key term one
key term two
key term three
Artist
Some background knowledge on Woody Guthrie, singer of "This Land Is Your Land" many of his songs are about his experience In the Dust Bowl during the great depression. His song connects as to why he became a "protest" artist because he believed by singing the song he would explain that this is everybody's world and no matter what it will hit you and knock you down , no matter what color or size you are. He sings the song to help take pride in yourselves and in your work. also Guthrie was married three times and fathered eight children, he died from complications of Huntington's disease , a progressive genetic neurological disorder . which is a body disorder in the nervous system which causes the person to be paralyzed, muscle weakness and confusion and also pain.
Issue
1. What is the overall issue(s) that is presented in your song of choice? -the overall issue that is presented in This land is Your land is that today most American's do not know it was and still is a protest song. and how the wealthiest few still owned most of the land, controlled most of the wealth of the nation and treated everyone else unfairly.
2. what decade is it from? 1940
3. Do you agree or disagree with the message that the song is sending? why or why not? what makes it important or unimportant? I agree with the message the song is sending because it shows ways that Woody Guthrie thought how people were getting treated was wrong and how he believed everyone was meant to be equal espacially in this nation because if was made for those who were different and that came from all over.
4. do you feel the song made significant impact on the issue/era? why or why not? Yes this song made a significant impact to the era because it signified that everyone was welcome to america and that this country was for anyone, and you weren't to be judged on where they came from or if they different. It had such a uge impact becaause when the song came out it was in the time civil rights and we were trying to rse above from the drepession and segragattion.