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“” A Used and Abused Janna Bassett Kate Smithz

Picture from Grein, Paul. “In 1988, Top Artists Celebrated Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday With an Picture from Paolino, Charles. “CharlesPaolino's Blog: Things That Come to Mind.” Emmy-Winning Special.” Billboard, August 27, 2019. CharlesPaolino's Blog: Things That Come to Mind (blog), April 19, 2019. https://charlespaolino.com/2019/04/19/the-songbird-of-the-south/. An audio recording of the A video of Irving Berlin premiere of “God Bless singing “God Bless America” as sung by Kate America” on the Ed z Smith on her radio show, Sullivan Show, 30 years Speaks— after it was written— November 10, 1938 May 5, 1958 War or Peace?

1918 25 October 10 November 19 September 1945 1967-1973 1998 2003 ”God Bless America” 1938 250,000 people of all walks of life ”God Bless America” was The neo-Nazi group President George W. was written to be the 1938 used by veterans, ”God Bless America” and political parties in Argentina Aryan Nation chose “God Bush used “God Bless finale of a WWI Berlin made changes construction workers and premiered as a song joined the “March of Constitution Bless America” to be the America” to boost support military show titled Yip to the melody so it felt others as a “sonic weapon” of peace; Kate Smith and of Freedom”; “God Bless soundtrack of their for the Iraq war Yip Yaphank written by more like a ballad than at pro- rallies Mid Oct. 1938 2 November declared, “ . . . As I America” was their rally song February 1991 propaganda film that Berlin; “God Bless a march; more lyric 1940 1949 and in confrontations with 23 March 2003 Worried by tensions he stand before the to oppose the tyranny of Peron. An anti-Desert Storm promoted intolerance. 9 September 2001 America” was cut from changes were made 1938 ”God Bless America” was known In New York, Anti- anti-war protestors. The Iraq war began; “God Bless America” observed in Europe, micro-phone and protestor in a church was Legislators from both sides of the show. and a verse was The form of the song and sung by almost everyone in Communist protestors shifted from a song to remember first- Berlin pulled out “God sing it with all my drowned out by the the aisle gathered together on written to emphasize was changed to make America and was associated with sang “God Bless America” responders killed in 9/11 to a song to support Bless America” and heart, I’ll be thinking congregation singing “God the steps of the capitol building anti-interventionism. it more like an anthem supporting WWII; it was used by outside a “Cultural and the soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. Major changed some lyrics to of our veterans and Bless America”; President and spontaneously sang “God and less like a Tin Pan the military to boost morale and Scientific Conference for League Baseball had first-responders and make it more a song of I’ll be praying with George H.W. Bush was in Bless America” after a press Alley song; the phrase was put into the war movie This is World Peace” sponsored military personnel sing “God Bless America” peace. every breath I draw attendance conference as a moment of “to the right” was the Army which featured Berlin’s by the USSR. . during the 7th inning stretch instead of the Kate that we shall never peace and solidarity changed to “through music. The German American Smith version or the instrumental version that have another war.” the night” since at that Bund and boycotted Picture from Picture from was previously used. As cited in Parade. “6 Things “God Bless America” due to their https://www.alamy.com/god- https://www.kut.org/post/geo time the “right” was You Didn't Know About the bless-america-support-our- rge-w-bush-has-heart-surgery- associated with Song 'God Bless America'.” anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant boys-in-vietnam-a-pro-war- stent-inserted Picture from Leithauser, Brad. fascism. Parade. Parade, July 3, 2018. stances. button-with- “‘Irving Berlin: New York https://parade.com/60998/pa image155423211.html Genius’ Review: They Say It’s rade/6-things-you-didnt- Wonderful.” The Wall Street know-about-the-song-god- Journal. December 20, 2019. bless-america/. Personal & Political Gain Abstract Suppression and Coercion Berlin did not want his song used for Patriotism & Democracy Gratitude personal or political gain. That is why he gave permission to both political In 1940, felt that Americans Berlin intended “God Bless America” for When “God Bless America” had its premiere in 1938, the composer, Irving Berlin, intended it to be a song parties to use the song at their 1940 Due to his experiences as a child, Berlin were being duped by “God Bless America” and patriotic purposes. To that end, for many conventions. He also established the wrote “” in response. of peace and gratitude. Berlin took measures to ensure that the song was performed and used in a manner intended “God Bless America” as an years only Kate Smith had the right to sing God Bless America Fund with a People that supported the Vietnam war tried to appropriate to what he had envisioned. However, since its premiere, the history of “God Bless America” expression of gratitude for his country. and record the song. Dance bands were Catholic, a Jew, and a Protestant as make anti-war protestors feel unpatriotic by Many Americans quickly embraced the singing “God Bless America” at them during banned from playing the song because has been complex. The song has been used for peaceful means and expressing gratitude for freedom and the board members. All royalties song and used the phrase “God bless protests. During the , they were not patriotic enough. Berlin would go to the Boy and Girl Scouts of democracy; even so, it has also been used for interventionism, war, patriotism, coercion and political gain. America” often. Berlin used the song to both sides used “God Bless America”; one to also established the God Bless America America. However, altruism is difficult fight against desegregation and the other to Irving Berlin originally wrote “God Bless America” in 1918 during and meant it to be a rousing express gratitude at special events Fund so the royalties would always go to to maintain. In 1972 President Nixon emphasize that all Americans are equal. where he was being honored. In patriotic causes. Public schools and war song. However, he decided not to use the song at that time. It wasn’t until World War II was used celebrities singing “God Bless Christian conservatives adopted “God Bless gratitude for the success of their America” to humiliate people with a liberal Sunday schools adopted “God Bless America” to sway voters to his side. threatening that Berlin pulled out “God Bless America” and changed the lyrics and tune. “I’d like to write a mission, “God Bless America” was agenda that included abortion rights. Shortly America” to start the day and to teach The song was played by the Marine great peace song,” Berlin declared, “a great marching song that would make people march toward peace.” played on the U.S.S. Hornet for the after 9/11, “God Bless America” became part of patriotism. People lobbied to replace the Band at his inauguration and in 1973 public life in many areas. Donna Cayot, an Apollo 11 astronauts after they arrived national anthem with “God Bless Kate Smith needed a song for her Armistice Day program and Berlin handed her “God Bless America.” Nixon began the tradition of saying atheist, sued her school district for making her in San Diego; President Nixon was visibly America.” Because it was a strong symbol “God bless America” at the end of son sing “God Bless America” at an school Smith performed it for the first time on November 10, 1938 during her radio program Kate Smith Speaks. moved. A German phone operator broke assembly held a week after 9/11. She felt the of democracy, over 250,000 Argentinians formal and informal political speeches “God Bless America” was an immediate hit. Its popularity soared and it quickly became ingrained in protocol to say “God Bless America” to message to her son was that you are not a good sang “God Bless America” on September in an effort to redeem his image as Secretary of State James Baker when the American if you don’t believe in God. Her case 19, 1945 at a peaceful “March of American culture. In the following years, “God Bless America” had two other seasons of heightened Watergate was discovered. Ronald was dismissed; the judge determined the song Berlin wall came down. Americans living Constitution and Freedom” to end the Regan used “God Bless America” was being used in a secular way. Greg Epstein, a popularity. The first was during the late 1950s through the 1960s. The song became a “sonic weapon” for in France sang “God Bless America” at a tyranny of Peron. During the Vietnam copiously during his election Humanist chaplain at Harvard, was in a room people in support of the Vietnam war, for striking workers in the Labor Movement and by both sides in the 9/11 memorial service because the where everyone was singing “God Bless war, “God Bless America” became campaign for purposes of nostalgia sermon was given in French and they America” and felt he could not join in due to his associated with supporting the fight for Civil Rights Movement. The second period of extreme popularity was on the day of 9/11 in 2001 and and as a signal that he would reject felt they needed a stronger expression beliefs. Starting in 2001, freedom and democracy in Vietnam. liberal agendas. Bill Clinton used the required that all teams play “God Bless during the ten years that followed the attack. Drawing on interviews, memoirs, newspaper clippings, books of concern and gratitude for their home After 9/11, “God Bless America” was sung phrase “God bless America” often America” during the 7th inning stretch. The New written about Irving Berlin and his work, and quotes from Irving Berlin, Kate Smith, and others from that country. However, there is another side. often to express solidarity and the during his campaign to appeal to York Yankees went even further by insisting that President Obama’s former minister gave people stand for “God Bless America” and put strength of a united America. Later the time period, I argue that Berlin intended to write a simple, patriotic song that would encourage peace but people who were religious. Despite a sermon that said due to the chains across the aisles so no one could leave song became a tribute to the first Berlin’s best efforts, “God Bless instead the song accrued a complex afterlife that has been anything but peaceful. mistreatment of African Americans in their seats during the song. Counter to Berlin’s responders that had died and a song to America” became a tool to help intent, “God Bless America” has become a America, the phrase should be changed support the soldiers fighting in For more information about “God Bless America” see Kaskowitz, God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song, Oxford University Press, 2013. politicians with their personal weapon of suppression and coercion. to “God Damn America.” Afghanistan and Iraq. agendas.