On this post you will find:
- a link to a podcast history of the song
- a link to the This Land Is Your Land Project
- more performances of the song
Podcast
The story of Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land'
Learn more about Woody Guthrie, and the history of this song. You can play the podcast, and read the text. A podcast is like a radio program for the Internet.
This Land Is Your Land Project
The Public Broadcasting Service in the US has created a wonderful project, perfect for students and teachers who love to record performances of music. (I'm talking about you! And me!) This project is collecting performances from people all around the world. They are going to create a "video-mosaic" combining different performances. You can see an example of a video-mosaic bellow, where Woody Guthrie "performs" with U2, Arlo Guthie (Woody Guthrie's son), Bruce Springstein, Little Richard, and more. Our classes could be part of this documentary! Click on the link above to
- Learn more about the project
- See and hear others perform the song
- Share your performance of the song
Video: This Land Is Your Land Video-Mosaic
Video: Live Concert at the Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C., USA
Video: God Bless America
Some say that Woody Guthrie wrote This Land Is Your Land because he was tired of hearing God Bless America. I would say that God Bless America is a patriotic song: it celebrates the nation, as something superior to other nations. I would not call This Land Is Your Land patriotic, because it celebrates the people.
Respond
Are you interested in performing This Land Is Your Land?
How can we collaborate on the performance?
Hello Eric,
ReplyDeleteThis song is so beautiful. I need to let you know that this is the second song that we are going to perform in Bejaia. I am sure that this time you will another Algerian version from my students. Again, thanks a million for sharing it with us. So fantastic since it celebrates the people.
Please, I want you to look forward to it.
Hakim,
DeleteI'm VERY MUCH looking forward to it. I love the Algerian versions of old American folk songs. You and your students breath so much new life into these melodies.
I'm currently on a break this week, but will begin new classes next week, and we will start with this.
In addition to our performances in each class, I wonder if we could make a collaborative video/recording. For example: student musicians record individual parts (guitars, bass, drums, strings, horns, clapping, anything), and singers record individual parts, to be combined in one song.
Or for the video: students share their own original photography, artwork, text and poems, dances, acting, etc. related to the themes of the song, which we collect and combine into one music video.
The "official" lyrics to this song can be found on the website for This Land Is Your Land Project (link above). The lyrics on the "This Land Is Your Land" music post were adjusted to the specific recordings on the post. I think I will just make a new post with the "official" lyrics so we all have some "common ground" to begin our recording projects.
Let me know what you think. I would also love to hear ideas from the students.
Students, I hope you know that these conversations between Hakim and I are not "private" or "for teachers only." We would love your comments, suggestions, questions, or ideas.
Yes! I can't wait to get started!
-Eric, NYC, USA