This Land Is Your Land (the true story)

In February of 1940, Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) wrote what is now one of the most well-known and widespread English language folksongs. Here's how it happened.

Category:

Music

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• Adam Miller
• Folksinging.org
• Singing through history
• School assembly
• Folk song
• singer
• Folksong
• Folksinger
• autoharpist
• autoharper
• autoharp
• walnut valley festival
• Winfield
• Entertainer
• provenance
• Woody Guthrie
• Carter Family
• Will Geer

[BrianEnright]

Thanks for making this video about such a great American hero.

[HunterMann]

What a great find these videos are! Adam is truly a great storyteller/songster/knowledge­able musicologist.

[turtlelucy]

This is an outstanding version of this song and it's history. Since I first heard it sung by Pete Seeger back in the '50s, I've thought of it as my national anthem. A friend who sees things differently recently sent me an early video of Kate Smith singing 'God Bless America.' I replied that I would send my anthem. Their are 600 versions of this on UTube, and I'm glad I found this one first. Re: fredbuck's comment, I find it hard to believe that Woody used a typewriter - a pencil it is!

[kevinbunny2]

I loved it - the story and the singing. Thank you.

[lln003]

i'm not a country music fan, and i don't listen to folk music.

but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

[fredbuck]

Great video! I'm confused though because the original manuscript was typed, not written. Here is the one verse you said he was first (it was last on the manuscript): One bright sunny morning in the Shadow of the Steeple By the Relief Office I saw my People As they stood there hungry I stood there wondering If this land was made for you and me. Great work! Keep it up!