A little over one hundred years ago, in 1918, a war over in Europe was winding down, that at the time was known as "The Big One". A young 20-year-old Jewish mam, who had immigrated to America as a 5-year-old from Russia was a musician who had written a couple of hits, he was stationed in the army in New York. He wrote down a song, felt that with the war winding down that the time wasn't right for this song, and he threw it in a drawer. 20 years latter this musician had become a star, Broadway and Hollywood musicals were filled with his tunes. Europe was on the verge of another war, with an egomaniac named Adolf Hitler spewing hatred in Germany. It seemed to that musician that it was time to take that song that had been sitting in a drawer for 20 years and to release as a "Peace" song. On Armistice Day 1938 Kate Smith first performed this song.
While the storm clouds gather from across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that is free.
Let us be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a silent prayer.
God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the 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
Irving Berlin
The song was soon attacked by anti-semantic groups like the Ku Klux Clan because of Irving's Jewish heritage but 100 years after its initial writing, "God bless America" has become an American hymn.
God Bless America!!!
