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06 Mar 99 - 07:25 AM (#61543) Subject: America the Beautiful From: bill\sables I am looking for the words of this song which was sung at the L.A. olympics I've done a search in the database but can't find it. All you U.S. mudcatters probably learned it at school, |
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06 Mar 99 - 09:10 AM (#61555) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: bill mcgowan first verse oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain America America , God shed His light on thee and crown they good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea |
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06 Mar 99 - 09:24 AM (#61556) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Ferrara 2. Oh beautiful for pilgrim feet / Whose stern, impassioned stress / A thoroughfare for freedom beat / Across the wilderness America, America,/ God mend thine every flaw / Confirm thy soul in self control, / Thy liberty in law. 3. Oh beautiful for patriots' dream / That sees beyond the years / Thine alabaster cities gleam, / Undimmed by human tears America, America, --- ??? whoops, forget this part. Will see if it comes back. |
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06 Mar 99 - 09:46 AM (#61560) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: AllisonA(Animaterra) America the Beautiful: "America America...etc" is always the same refrain. This was written by Katherine Lee Bates after she had been to Pikes Peak in Colorado. I forget who wrote the music... Samuel somebody, I think. Anyway, for those of us who loath the Star Speckled Bugger, our national anthem, I've heard that there's a group called something like "the Society to promote America the Beautiful"- wouldn't it be a nice anthem? Celebrating our natural resources, rather than the unsingable "bombs bursting in air" |
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06 Mar 99 - 10:08 AM (#61566) Subject: ADD: America the Beautiful^^ From: Ferrara HI. I went to the unprecedented trouble of walking into the living room and looking it up. Honest, Animaterra, it's a different refrain in every verse, or rather in each of the first three verses. Here it is, as shown on Page 1 of "Rise Up Singing." [Aside - there are lots of problems with RUS, but I know most of the words to most of the verses of about eight thousand songs, and I've had access to the DT since its beginning, and I still sometimes go to RUS for lyrics. You just have to watch out for typos and mis-heard words.] 1. O beautiful for spacious skies^^ OO |
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06 Mar 99 - 02:27 PM (#61592) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Wow! We always sing just the same refrain as verse one! However, we only sing what you've listed as one and four, so I guess that's why. Thanks for the research! I was too lazy to go look it up! Allison |
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13 Sep 01 - 07:40 PM (#549408) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Jim Dixon By the way, Ray Charles got the meaning wrong when he sang "God done shed his grace on thee." "Shed" is the subjunctive and it means, "May God shed his grace on thee." |
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13 Sep 01 - 07:57 PM (#549435) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Amos Jim: No disagreement in this context. But it's also the past perfect. "The white cat shed all over Maizy's dark fur coat during last night's dinner party." |
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13 Sep 01 - 10:14 PM (#549550) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Armen Tanzerian I read the line as almost imperative (if one can instruct God), but the important fact is America the Beautiful should clearly be our national anthem. But mentions of "brotherhood", "self-control", "liberty in law" probably make it too liberal-civil-rightsy for the current power elite to ever give it a chance. But isn't it a great tune? Especially the verse we all know -- I love the imagery. |
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13 Sep 01 - 10:33 PM (#549570) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Little Hawk I've seen a whole lot of America, and it is beautiful all right. Western Pennsylvania, the Apallachians, New England, the Rockies, the Pacific Northwest. Yeah, man! Lots of material for inspiration there. - LH |
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14 Sep 01 - 02:08 AM (#549729) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: DougR I really wish this was our national anthem. DougR |
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14 Sep 01 - 03:37 AM (#549759) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Joe Offer I've always loved this song and thought it would be a wonderful national anthem, but someone in another thread objected to it being sung this week because it is too religious in its perspective. The song brings Christians, Jews, and Moslems together, but does it exclude others? If we are to be inclusive of all, must we remove mention of God from all public gatherings? What do people think of this? How far do we have to go to be inclusive? I live in California, a state which nervously refers to December 25 as "The Holiday" for fear of offending somebody - and that really bothers me because I think it's wrong to cleanse all aspects of our culture and language from the religions that are part of its history. On the other hand, it would make me a bit nervous to choose a national anthem that seems so much like a religious hymn (although the current anthem is too militaristic for me). What do you think? I'm a bit afraid to bring this topic up this week because emotions are running high, but I think it's a valid question. "America the Beautiful" does seem to be a religious hymn. We sing it in church, and we don't sing "The Star-Spangled Banner." Is it appropriate to sing "America the Beautiful" at public gatherings? -Joe Offer- |
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14 Sep 01 - 03:49 AM (#549764) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Steve Parkes I only know this song by reputation--naturally, you don't hear it often on this side of the Pond. I was struck by the line "God mend thine ev'ry flaw": it's unusual tofind a song of this kind that admits to flaws. If only He would mend all our countries' flaws! But I guess we have to do that ourselves. Steve |
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14 Sep 01 - 07:11 PM (#550406) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: DougR I see nothing wrong in singing it at public events. I, myself, never thought about it as a religious song. Others do, though, I guess including you, Joe. It is such a beautiful song, I think, and even though it is in our hymnal (Episcopal) I don't recall our ever singing it in church until today at the special prayer service. DougR |
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14 Sep 01 - 07:19 PM (#550418) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Jim Dixon Joe, I too would prefer "America the Beautiful" as our national anthem, for the same reasons you give, but I think it would be hard to persuade the public to accept it as such. But I see nothing wrong with singing it at every opportunity. Really, religion in public life is a problem only when (1) attendance is compulsory (as in public schools), (2) when government money is used to subsidize or encourage it, or (3) when government grants special privileges to one religion over another, or religious activities in general over non-religious ones. I don't know what kind of gathering you had in mind when you asked if you should bring it up, but it seems to me that "America the Beautiful" would be unobjectionable in most contexts. |
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14 Sep 01 - 07:21 PM (#550419) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Jim Dixon Joe, I should warn you that I tend to have a legalistic mind about such problems and I can't always predict what will offend people. |
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18 Sep 01 - 05:21 AM (#553037) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,Genie Jim D.and Armen, The meaning of the "God shed his grace ..." line is clarified by the context of the whole line. If it were past tense, it would be "God shed his grace on thee and crowned thy good ... ." As the full line is written, it is obviously a plea to God, i.e., with an understood "May," as though the author is saying, "America, America, [may] God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood... ." As much as I adore Ray Charles's version, from a musical and emotional standpoint, he does obscurethe meaning of that line when he says, "and won't you crown thy good with brotherhood ... " BTW, I think the second verse--especially the last two lines--is one of the best parts of the song. It is this aspect of humility that makes it a fitting national anthem--not the kind of chauvinism that is reflected in so many "patriotic" songs.
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18 Sep 01 - 09:24 AM (#553129) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: John Hardly Another strong vote here for having this as our national anthem. (heck, it isn't even a borrowed tune!) |
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18 Sep 01 - 09:38 AM (#553141) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,stonejohn Okay, so how do we get this to be our National Anthem? |
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18 Sep 01 - 09:50 PM (#553618) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,clifford morris 200 years of tradition are hard to buck. The militaristic nature of the Star Spangled Banner fails to offend pacifists, such as me, given the historical context. The song is very difficult, even for well trained voices to sing. That may be the strongest criticism. America the Beautiful, and God Bless America are beautiful, easy to sing songs. This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land also deserves serious consideration. As with all American issues, we decide the result. Tell your elected representatives what you want, AND VOTE! |
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18 Sep 01 - 10:19 PM (#553628) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,Genie In defense of The Star Spangled Banner, •The first verse--which is the only one most people sing-- is not "militaristic. It is set in wartime, when we were under attack, and it has to do with being inspired by the survival of our nation's emblem. •It is really not that hard to sing as long as it is in your key. The problem is when groups, with different vocal ranges, try to sing it in unison. But we don't sing it often as groups any more. •It is secular, which may be important for a country with people of various belief systems, including Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, pagans, secular humanists, agnostics, as well as Muslims, Christians, and Jews. While I love "America the Beautiful" -- all four verses--, The "God shed His grace ... " line would probably prevent it from being adopted as our nationa anthem today. Also, the first verse, which is the only one people usually sing, is mostly about the beauty of our landscape (as Katherine Bates saw it from Pike's Peak) and not about the things that really make America special. I think "land of the free and the home of the brave" is more salient than "amber waves of grain." Personally, I'd prefer "This Is My Song, O God of All The Nations," to either one of them, because it honors our country without being chauvinistic. But that will never become our anthem, I'm afraid. Genie |
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18 Sep 01 - 10:31 PM (#553635) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Justa Picker He might have gotten a few words wrong, but NUTHIN' beats Ray Charles singing it! |
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19 Sep 01 - 01:43 AM (#553723) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Lepus Rex I really, really despise this song. Sounds like a cheap religious greeting card to me. Sorry. :) Why would anyone want something that's easy to sing, anyway? Life is supposed to be difficult. ---Lepus Rex |
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19 Sep 01 - 01:49 AM (#553726) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST See "Lyric Add: America, The Beautiful" thread for new verse. |
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19 Sep 01 - 01:54 AM (#553733) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST See also, "New songs for 9-11-01" thread. (Clicky, anyone?) |
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22 Sep 01 - 12:45 AM (#556425) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,Genie Lepus, Are you thinking of the whole song or just the first verse? For what it's worth, the third verse, with one or two very minor word changes, applies very much to America's current crisis -- especially to NYC: "Oh, 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." That does not sound like Hallmark to me. (Just change "in liberating strife" to "in times of strain and strife," or "in terrorism's strife," and it really fits. Genie |
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11 Jul 04 - 05:50 AM (#1223203) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Shula Dear Folks, I heard, long ago -- and I can't remember where -- that there was once a move in Congress to have ATB designated the national anthem, but the idea was overridden by members who objected to having a national anthem written by a woman. Does anyone have the real story on this? Shula |
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11 Jul 04 - 09:50 AM (#1223250) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Dani Well, I should have known such an important topic would attract an erudite gathering! What a nice way to start my morning. If they left it up to y'all, the deed would be done: and so it should be. Let's do it! It seems to me that very many people (including me!) heard all the rest of these wonderful verses and refrains after 9/11 when everything patriotic was trotted out. It's some of the most lovely poetry I know. And I have to say that impromptu and town gatherings were truly stirring when people gathered and sang ALL these songs, not just 'the baseball song'. I think Jim's spoken wisely about religion and public life: those are the ways we get in trouble, and then there's this knee-jerk thing that gets the rest of us in trouble! On the 4th this year, CSPAN radio played a recording of the US Supreme Court arguments in a case about the Establishment Clause, and the chaplaincy in the Nebraska State Legislature. The whole time, my husband and I were listening and cheering: "See, they PAY him! No one else has been considered for the job! He mentions Jesus Christ!" There were a thousand reasons (we thought) the Legislature was on the wrong road. But then lo and behold, the practice was upheld. And thus we get a little shy of 'other people's' God, forgetting that it is our own as well. And if you're an atheist, there's got to be SOMEONE you hope will mend thine every flaw, isn't there ;) ? Dani |
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11 Jul 04 - 03:52 PM (#1223397) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,Louise Speaking of other people, William Raspberry wrote an interesting column about this song in the Washington Post last Monday (July 5, 2004). Here are a couple of quotes from his piece: "I'll know that today is the "Fourth of July" (no matter what the calendar insists) when I hear my friend's stereo pulsing out "America the Beautiful. The Ray Charles version, of course." ...."Charles transformed the holiday for me -- from the Norman Rockwell tableaux that never seemed to include anyone who looked like me -- to a holiday for all Americans" Sorry I can't make a link to the page, but you have to log in to www.washingtonpost.com to read the column, and after one week it may be archived to a diferent location on the site. I found it today (after logging in) by clicking on the "opinion" link near the top of the page, then "columnists" on the left of the page and scrolling down to William Raspberry's name |
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11 Jul 04 - 06:15 PM (#1223440) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: Joe_F I agree that "shed" is subjunctive, and the line is in form a prayer -- cf. "God bless you" & "God save the Queen". This construction is used every day without any hint of instructing God %^). My understanding is that what has foiled every attempt to replace "The Star-Spangled Banner" is that, for better of for worse, it has an enormous weight of tradition behind it -- and in such a ceremonial question, tradition is entitled to more weight than in some other matters. It is worth noting that Congress did not get around to making it official until the 1930s; up to that time it had no support but popular sentiment. That "America the Beautiful" mentions God is *not* an objection in the opinion of this atheist. For one thing, the present anthem does the same, if you make it as far as the fourth stanza. But in any case, an occasional nod in the directino of our fellow citizens' consolations is not going to do us any harm. If it actually came to a vote on the merits, I think I would go for "America the Beautiful". There are enough bombs bursting in real life without their getting into ceremonial songs; and it would be nice to have a tune that everybody could sing at once. |
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11 Jul 04 - 10:50 PM (#1223552) Subject: RE: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,Turkey I think that the USA should doze both them songs under the rubbish heap. The Star Spangled Banner is a song about war. Well I think that too many dumb sumbitches have given their lives in war, for no other reason but that the rich, bastards' corporations could cash in on their sacrifice. Now the second song is about God shedding his grace on this "Christian" country. Well I think that too many times these same dumb bunnies have been hornswaggled out of their hard earned money so some of these "God-guys" can cozy up to another 11 year old boy or two. I vote for "Turkey in the Straw" as the new national anthem. |
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29 Jun 22 - 10:55 PM (#4145919) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: Joe Offer Joe - do cleanup |
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30 Jun 22 - 09:40 AM (#4145960) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: pattyClink A beautiful song, with enough archaic language to remind us that the paths were blazed and the bridges built long ago. My two cents is just regarding the Ray Charles version. When looking up words for "Georgia On My Mind", I was amazed to see that the original song, as sung by its author, Hoagy Carmichael, was not as good as the now-standard Ray Charles version. It was a little slicker and cheesier, and mainly by dropping a few words, Mr. Charles improved it. I can't see anyone getting miffed about his interpretation of America the Beautiful, if people 'get' the song beter when day is done. Save the wrath for the soloists who add a hundred notes and wails to the Star-Spangled Banner. We need a constitutional amendment forbidding solo performances of that; brass bands and crowd singing only, please. |
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30 Jun 22 - 06:44 PM (#4146008) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: Joe_F As has been pointed out by others in this thread, the range of "The Star-Spangled Banner" makes it impossible for a crowd to sing it -- unless, indeed, they sing it in harmony and have all learned the parts, which would be hard to achieve. As to its being a war song, at least it is a *defensive* war song (like "Die Wacht am Rhein"!). Nothing wrong with standing between our loved homes and the war's desolation. We did well to avoid the bombastic, imperialistic "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean". It would be hard to find a patriotic song that does not mention God. As has been noticed, the present anthem gets around to it, at some length, in the fourth stanza. |
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30 Jun 22 - 08:51 PM (#4146013) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: GUEST,.gargoyle My (George Eton's Old Grandmother Road A Pig Home Yesterday) teacher... Proclaimed, over, and over again, throughout the year- long course, Kate Smith's version sent chills down his spine. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_zF7a0wB-Lg https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TnQDW-NMaRs The intro speaks of today. Let us swear allegiance To a land that is free Let us all be greatful For a land so fair As we raise our voices In a solemn prayer. God Bless Am.... Irving Berlin published 1918 and 1938 She raised $600 million = $11 billion 2021, by radio drives for war bonds. Sincerely, Gargoyle Brits understand "the gathering of war clouds" |
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30 Jun 22 - 09:51 PM (#4146017) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: GerryM The Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, does not mention God. In English, it gies, As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart, With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion, Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost: To be a free people in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem. I was sure the Marseillaise wouldn't mention God, but there He is, in stanza 3: Good Lord! By chained hands Our brows would bend beneath the yoke! |
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01 Jul 22 - 07:17 AM (#4146055) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful From: pattyClink The Star-Spangled Banner does have a big range. That's another reason why it's better from a crowd, the voices that can go high do, and the rest drop out or ease up. We are better together. With a soloist, we all just have to listen to the train wreck. |
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07 Jul 22 - 01:20 PM (#4146640) Subject: RE: Discussion: America the Beautiful From: leeneia I think we should either stick with Star-spangled Banner or get a whole new national anthem, one without God in it. The line in "America the Beautiful" about the cities being undimmed by human tears always offends me. How could anybody ignore the misery and deaths in America's tenements? ===== Patty, that's a good observation. |
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07 Jul 22 - 06:22 PM (#4146665) Subject: RE: Discussion: America the Beautiful From: GerryM This was Albert Brooks' take on rewriting the (US) National Anthem: https://youtu.be/t5I7RD857AM |
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08 Jul 22 - 05:52 AM (#4146702) Subject: RE: Discussion: America the Beautiful From: gillymor Nice tune but I find the lyrics a bit clunky and sappy and references to gods should have no place in our national anthem. I would certainly never sing it. I'd much prefer Woody's This Land is Your Land as an anthem but I guess the SSB is too deeply embedded in our national conscience. |
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13 Jul 22 - 05:34 PM (#4147222) Subject: RE: Discussion: America the Beautiful From: Joe_F I didn't think of Hatikva. But of course, many of the founders of the State of Israel were atheists. Delicious irony. |
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13 Jul 22 - 09:32 PM (#4147241) Subject: RE: Discussion: America the Beautiful From: leeneia I don't think so, Joe. Being Jewish is more than faith in Yahweh. It's a culture, food, history, literature, and Yiddish. And family. |