July 3, 2013
In tribute to our nation's birthday celebration, what follows is one of the most popular songs in American culture, America the Beautiful. It was written by lyricist Katharine Lee Bates, musical score by church organist and Choir Master Samuel Ward and was first published in 1910. It quickly caught on as a 4th of July speciality and it is, quite beautiful, both the song as well as our great nation. The song was inspired by a journey that Miss Bates took across the country as an English professor en route to teach a summer session at Colorado College (So a woman professor in World War 1 travelling alone out West to teach a summer course....sounds like someone I would have like to have met...unusual, daring, inspired!)
I want to run the piece I sent out a year ago in honor of this all-American holiday of Independence Day, where daily, we continue to be thankful for the freedoms and privileges that are found in one place in the world, the U.S.A.
We are a nation of a proud people, knowing that we have unalienable rights and responsibilities which are applicable to all American citizens, wherever they may have originated, and almost all of us originated somewhere besides here. Most do believe that it is still the greatest country on earth and our pride still permeates all of the many cultures that are between the shores of the nation.
Please join with me in enjoying again, the stanzas of America, The Beautiful.
In tribute to our nation's birthday celebration, what follows is one of the most popular songs in American culture, America the Beautiful. It was written by lyricist Katharine Lee Bates, musical score by church organist and Choir Master Samuel Ward and was first published in 1910. It quickly caught on as a 4th of July speciality and it is, quite beautiful, both the song as well as our great nation. The song was inspired by a journey that Miss Bates took across the country as an English professor en route to teach a summer session at Colorado College (So a woman professor in World War 1 travelling alone out West to teach a summer course....sounds like someone I would have like to have met...unusual, daring, inspired!)
Here, along with the original lyrics written in 1893 is a tribute to our nation's birth, to give honor to those men and women who have served our country and maintained its freedom, by the grace of God that we enjoy every day.
As Miss Bates was inspired to write in a tour across America, I too was inspired to add some of my photographs from my travels to the lyrics. I have quite a few lovely reminders of the beautiful America that we live in!
- America! America!
- God shed His grace on thee,
- And crown thy good with brotherhood
- From sea to shining sea!
- O beautiful for pilgrim feet
- A thoroughfare for freedom beat
- Across the wilderness
- America! America!
- God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
- Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
- O beautiful for heroes prov'd
- In liberating strife,
- Who more than self their country lov'd,
- And mercy more than life.
- America! America!
- May God thy gold refine
- Undimmed by human tears.
- America! America!
- God shed His grace on thee,
- And crown thy good with brotherhood
- From sea to shining sea.
