"This Land Is Your Land" sits at the heart of American culture. It is sung in primary schools and has been sung at presidential inaugurations. It is a simple, beautiful and deeply patriotic song, and yet it expresses values often despised by generations of Americans. Written in the 1940s, it has retained a freshness and relevance and the unerring ability to generate controversy. Over two hours, we will talk about the song, the life of its its author Woody Guthrie and the ways in which the song has been used ever since to draw attention to the original sins of the American Dream.
Course aim
"This Land Is Your Land" is an American classic, sung by millions of children every day. We will look at the song itself, the controversies that have surrounded it and consider how they mirror issues that have divided generations of Americans.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
- This course will be on Zoom so please listen to the song before the session. There are versions on YouTube, including by Woody Guthrie himself (click here - https://youtu.be/wxiMrvDbq3s). A list of important versions and events will also be provided at the session itself.
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- talk about how an American classic song came to be written
- relate the words of the song to important events and issues in the history of the USA
- see how the song and its author have influenced some of the most famous musical artists in America
What else do I need to know?
If you have any personal memories of hearing the song, please feel free to share them at the session.
View full course information sheet
