Music Has Power...

America - My Country, ‘tis of Thee
As July 4, 2020 approaches, I've been thinking about the anthem, My Country, ‘tis of ‘Thee, which might be viewed as a love song to the ideals upon which the United States of America was founded.  It has an interesting history that is as relevant today as ever.  The words, written by Reverend Samuel Smith in 1831, were put to a beautiful traditional melody that has been shared by several other countries’ national anthems, including the United Kingdom's God Save the King/Queen!  It was the national anthem for the USA prior to the Star Spangled Banner, which became the national anthem in 1931.
 
Note the original UK God Save the King lyrics of 1745:
God save great George our king,
Long live our noble king,
God save the king.
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the king![
(Alright already - Enough about the king.  What about the rest of us?  Oh yeah - The Revolutionary War happened and, wah-lah!  The Declaration of Independence was drafted and the United States of America was born.)

Compare the above U.K. verse with the first verse of the original American lyrics of 1831:
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!
(Same tune but absent any "King" in the lyrics. Now it is an expression of love for a country founded on liberty & freedom without monarchy!)
​
Now note these Abolitionist verses, written by A.G. Duncan in 1843, calling out hypocrisy of having the institution of slavery in a country founded on the notion "that all men are created equal":
My country, 'tis of thee,
Stronghold of slavery,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Where men man's rights deride,
From every mountainside thy deeds shall ring.

It comes, the joyful day,
When tyranny's proud sway,
Stern as the grave,
Shall to the ground be hurl'd,
And freedom's flag, unfurl'd,
Shall wave throughout the world, O'er every slave.
 
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., shouted out, “Let Freedom Ring” and emblazoned it upon our hearts forever as a reminder that freedom is a basic right for everyone.  Fast forward and here we are in 2020, reckoning with the fact that the “Sweet land of liberty” still has not yet become a reality for all sectors of our society.  So much work remains for all of us - to remove barriers which prevent the true meaning of that line from being realized for every person residing in our country.  Music has the power to move us emotionally.  May it also drive us towards action as we continue to strive for a more just world for all.  This generation of thoughtful and caring youth inspire me and bring me hope...
​
Here’s a beautiful version of My Country, ‘Tis of Thee, performed by Billy Preston, which goes right to the core:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwV8Jqj2oKI