God Bless America by Irving Berlin

hard times in American history, The Star-Spangled Banner was also used to lift the spirits of Americans all over the world. In events, such as the Gulf War where Whitney Houston united a whole stadium whilst singing the national anthem, and even after 9/11 when hundreds of Parisians gathered in Notre Dame to sing The Star-Spangled Banner to show their solidarity.

Folk singer Woody Guthrie experienced the great depression first hand. His family went from middle class to dire poverty in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He wrote this song after traveling the world and witnessing the awful effects of the Great Depression. Originally called “God Bless America” this song was a response to Irving Berlin’s song also called “God Bless America”, he believed that this song was unrealistic and smug. The tone of this song one could say is very sarcastic, because if god really did bless America things like the great depression would not be happening. For example, at the end of his song when he, “saw my people, As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if [God blessed America for me.]”

In every line of “I Hear America Singing”, the word “singing” appears to help emphasize and describe the melody of the working American citizens, yet there is no song in particular. Perhaps they are singing the National Anthem? America’s people doing American jobs all united by an unidentified melody that shrouds them all. It would seem a bit peculiar for

Has America ever been great, of the 239 years this influential country has been a country has it ever been truly great and free? As Langston Hughes exclaimed, "America never was America to me”. Learned Hand and Langston Hughes had differences on their thought on the topic of Liberty and whether America is great. Hughes and Hands opinion of Liberty has changed the way the common man reacts to racism and the way we perceive America's greatness.

In the essay “Of thee they sing with feeling”, Garrison Keillor details his opinion on the United States’ National Anthem and the unity it brings Americans when they join together in song. After reading his essay, a greater appreciation for the indescribable feeling it gives those who sing it was more thoroughly developed. Although our society is constantly changing, the National Anthem is a timeless patriotic piece that will be cherished by many generations to come.

He then based the song around this rememberable sight. So without this war we would never have gotten our national anthem the way it is. We probably would've gotten one a while later but not this early in our country's life and definitely not as good as the one we have

The poem “Let America Be America Again,” by Langston Hughes, brings up two sides to the discussion about what America means to people. It discusses the fact that to some people, America is an amazing land, where people are free from oppression and have rights. The poem, however, does not neglect the fact that there are people who have never experienced those freedoms and rights, nor does it neglect the fact that the people who have not experienced those rights also live in America. The issue about people living in America but never experiencing rights that are thought to be American was very prominent at the time that Hughes wrote the poem. Now the discussion is not “what it means to live in America” but “what it means to love America.” The issue contemplates whether someone can love America and still notice its flaws; or, if in order to love America one must neglect its ugly truths and only focus on the great accomplishments. One of the main causes for this discussion derive from the fact that right-winged people claim that Obama does not love America. However, they fail to see that in order to love something you must also notice its flaws and fix them.

“America” expresses the speaker 's feelings towards America. The poem 's theme in a broad sense is describing the conflicting feelings of the speaker towards America. Though America is constantly fighting the speaker, he expresses that “I love this cultured hell that tests my youth” (McKay, 928)! This mixture of love, bitterness and hate towards America that is expressed in this line continues to be expressed throughout the poem. According to James Keller the speaker “expresses an admiration that is requited with contempt” (Keller). Though the speaker admits that he

The song that I choose is called “My Country” by Nahko and medicine for the people. This song makes me laugh and makes me think if I listen carefully to the lyrics. It is a very similar to the song “My country tis of thee”, although in this version, instead of it being about the great thing in America, it is about the not so great things in America. It is not being rude or disrespectful at all, but funny as if he were joking around.

“What is equality?” one might ask. We all have different views on specific topics and can describe what something truly means to one’s self like in the 3 text, “I have a dream,” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (published; 8/28/1963, genre; narrative and argumentative), “If we must die,” by Claude Mckay (published; 1919, genre; narrative and lyric), & “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (published; October 1961, genre; satirical & dystopian science-fiction short story). In all 3 texts the authors are giving their touch on equality. Equality can convey being treated the same when a colored and a white man/woman are next to each other as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr says. You can also see equality as Mckay who thinks it’s being on the same level of strength and worth as a white man being in the shoes of a colored man. Or equality can be being exactly the same in every way as anyone around you in every exact way in Vonnegut’s eyes. All these 3 authors have a particular view on how to answer “What is equality?” and we can compare their ideas.

Certain emotions cannot go unfelt. For me, gratitude and pride rush through my veins at the sound of Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” or the image of Ole Glory against a painted sky. Paul Tsongas once said, “America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.” The list goes on. Undoubtedly, listing what America isn’t would be much easier.

In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem The Star Spangled Banner after witnessing the attack on Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy in the War of 1812. The poem was sang to the tune of a well-known British song and eventually, Key’s once amateur patriotic poem became the United States national anthem in which the lyrics strongly symbolize our country’s perseverance and freedom. The Star Spangled Banner can be heard at a variety gatherings such as official military functions and sporting events where celebrity singers often display impressive vocal talent to emphasize the final and most infamous line of the song “O 'er the land of the free and

They may think it is another song and do not think about the patriotic proportion to it. In the “Star Spangled Banner” it talks how the Americans were still brave and strong while fighting and making it through that rocky time. Canada’s national anthem, “O Canada”, lyrics express how they were grateful for their freedom and how they hope for it to stay free. The lyrics, “O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free!”, show this meaning in the song (Metrolyrics.com,

e. e. Cummings’ next to of course god america i deals with the irrationality of blind patriotism and the manipulation of people for certain goals. The poem is largely one long sentence, an individual giving a speech in regards to patriotism halfheartedly. The author asserts how patriotism is being used as an excuse to justify and carry out potentially heinous deeds without any repercussions. In the beginning of the poem Cummings portrays patriotism as it is usually seen by using typical songs and phrases. Later on however, his tone changes and he becomes satirical and dark. He mocks individuals who “[do] not stop to think [but] die instead.” The speaker shows how the negative aspects of war are being disregarded due to patriotism being used to manipulate people into accepting detrimental ideas and actions. In regards to patriotism, Cummings asks the question “then shall the voice of liberty be mute?” This inquiry ridicules the narrow-minded idea that who so ever contests the traditional idea of patriotism is un-American. Unlike America by Ginsberg which addresses its problems

Langston Hughes’s “Let America Be America Again” is a poem that could be endlessly applied to where America stands today. This poem illustrates the morals, ideas, and visions set forth by those who found this country and how America has begun straying from those principles. The poem expresses that America is made up of all walks of people and that no man should be crushed by those above him, but rather be given the same opportunity as those above him. Hughes desire to make America great again can be shared in some way or another by most Americans making this poem everlasting. “Let America Be America Again” has the personalization, the language, the connection shared by every American, and the rhyme to allow readers of every race, gender, or religious belief to be brought together as not only people but as Americans.