"the lost verses" of an American Classic

[acroyear]

Would be to the Sarah Palin's of the nation very UN-American...

Effect Measure : This Land is Your Land: the forbidden verses are sung on The Mall:

Some people noticed a remarkable thing that happened on the Washington Mall on Sunday at the Obama pre-Inaugural concert, a part of which I posted on Tuesday. The second last appearance was by Pete Seeger, his grandson Tao and Bruce Springsteen singing Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land. What made it remarkable is the inclusion of three verses from the original version that are rarely heard under any circumstances and never heard in the corridors of power, much less in front of a world wide audience and in the presence and in honor of someone about to ascend to the Presidency of the United States. The verses were included at Pete Seeger's request.

[...]

And what 750,000 people got to hear in person and hundreds of millions more heard on TV was the whole song, including the forbidden verses. If all you know of This Land is Your Land are versions made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan or the Kingston Trio or the song you sang in the third grade in school, you won't know any of them. They were considered too dangerous and subversive. One of the three was slightly altered for the Mall concert, in a very significant way.

Click link for the verses, and read the whole thing for some a good story 'bout Seeger.

Comments

[silverstah.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is LOVELY. :)

[skivee.livejournal.com]

Every time I sing "This Land Is Your Land" I make a point to sing the deleted verses.