VOICE ONE:
Americans have always liked songs about their country. Since theterrorist attacks last month, they are singing these traditionalpatriotic songs more often than ever. I’m Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Sarah Long. Today we present songs that celebrate Americaon the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((“FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN”))
VOICE ONE:
Americans will always remember the terrorist attacks on SeptemberEleventh in which thousands of people were killed. Americans reactedwith shock, anger and sadness. They also reacted by singing. Songscelebrating their country are helping many Americans deal withsuffering and loss. People throughout the nation are singing thesesongs.
One of the songs most often heard since the terrorist attacks is”God Bless America.” Lawmakers have sung it at the NationalCathedral, in Congress and in state legislatures. Children aresinging it in schools. People are singing it in churches,synagogues, mosques and other religious centers. Twenty-thousandpeople sang “God Bless America” at a memorial service at the NewYork Yankees baseball stadium.
VOICE TWO:
The great songwriter Irving Berlin wrote “God Bless America.”Irving Berlin had come to the United States with his family fromRussia when he was a small boy. He became very successful writingsongs. He wrote “God Bless America” in Nineteen-Eighteen to beincluded in a traveling musical show.
However, Mister Berlin decided not to include the song in theshow. Twenty years later, he looked at the song again and made somechanges. The new song expressed his love and thanks to America forgiving a poor immigrant a chance to succeed.
Kate Smith sang “God Bless America” for the first time on anational radio broadcast in Nineteen-Thirty-Eight. The public lovedit. During World War Two, the song became especially important toAmericans. Many people say it has become the unofficial nationalsong.
Here, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings “God Bless America.”
((TAPE CUT TWO: GOD BLESS AMERICA))
VOICE ONE:
Another patriotic song is called “America.” It is also known as”My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” Samuel Smith wrote the words inEighteen-Thirty-Two. The music is the same as the British nationalsong, “God Save the Queen.”
A recent religious service in Britain remembered the peoplekilled in the attacks in the United States. British citizens honoredthe dead by singing the American words to the song.
Here, American singer Mahalia Jackson sings “My Country ‘Tis ofThee.”
((TAPE CUT THREE: “MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE”))
VOICE TWO:
Another song that many people in the United States are singing is”America the Beautiful.” Many famous American actors and performerssang this song during a national television program to raise moneyfor victims and heroes of the terrorist attacks.Katherine Lee Bateswrote the words to the song in Eighteen-Ninety-Three. Samuel Wardwrote the music. The United States Air Force Band and SingingSergeants present their version of “America the Beautiful.”
((TAPE CUT FOUR: “AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL”))
VOICE ONE:
In Nineteen-Forty, folk singer and composer Woody Guthrie wrotethe words to another song that celebrates America. “This Land isYour Land” has become one of the most popular folk songs in America.”This Land is Your Land” is not a religious song. Yet afterSeptember Eleventh, some Americans have sung this song in religiouscenters. Pete Seeger and the Weavers sing “This Land is Your Land.”
((TAPE CUT FIVE: “THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND”))
VOICE TWO:
Congress made “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national song inNineteen-Thirty-One. Americans sing it at the beginning of manypublic meetings and sports events.
Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the song inEighteen-Fourteen. At that time, the United States and Britain wereat war. Francis Scott Key watched as British forces attacked FortMcHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. Through the smoke and fire, he couldsee a huge American flag flying over the army base.
The next morning after the battle, he saw that the American flagstill flew. That meant America had defeated the British. FrancisScott Key wrote a poem re-creating the event. Soon after, music wasadded to his words.
VOICE ONE:
The words of “The Star-Spangled Banner” have gained new meaningsince the terrorist attacks. The World Trade Center in New York fellsoon after the attacks. Rescue workers found a flag in the remainsof the building. They placed it over pieces of wreckage. ThisAmerican flag marked the final resting place of thousands of people.Here is the Southwestern Christian College Chorus singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
((TAPE CUT SIX: THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER))
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced byCynthia Kirk. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I’m Sarah Long.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for anotherreport about life in the United States on the VOA Special Englishprogram THIS IS AMERICA.
((INSTEAD OF THEME: “”FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN”))