It was indeed July 2 and not July 4 when the declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and so today I am able to say "Happy Birthday" to my new home.

Irving Berlin once said that, "a patriotic song is an emotion and you must not embarrass an audience with it, or they will hate your guts." This philosophy made him one of America's most outstanding writers of patriotic songs from World War I through World War II.

It is perhaps fitting that this greatest of all patriotic songs was written by the son of Jewish immigrants, who came here to escape the pograms in Russia.

Today's younger generations may not be familiar with the origin and history of the song Irving Berlin considered his most important composition. It was written during the First World War, for an army camp show where Berlin was stationed: Camp Yaphank on Long Island. The show's producers rejected it as too jingoistic, so Berlin placed it in a trunk of rejected manuscripts.

There it lay for twenty years, until Ted Collins, manager of popular singer Kate Smith, approached Irving Berlin for a new patriotic song for Kate to introduce to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I. Berlin had recently returned from a trip to England, during which he was saddened to see signs of another war in the making. He was more thankful than ever to come back to his peaceful adopted homeland (his family had come to America from Russia when Irving was a small boy), so he was motivated to answer Collins' request, on Kate's behalf.

After several days of futile attempts to write a new patriotic song, Berlin remembered the one he had written in 1918. Yes - God Bless America.

And Berlin (and indeed Kate Smith) never earned a penny from the song - instead, they donated every Dime to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America. That arrangement exists to this day.

For a while, it stood a good chance of becoming the nation's new National Anthem as well, and the song - sung in person by Kate Smith - was used as a good luck charm by the Philadelphia Flyers' hockey team. The team erected a statue to her in 1987 - a year after she died.

And there you have it. I like this Martina McBride version, but there are many out there. I have also included Kate Smith singing the song at the Flyers' Stanley Cup game as described here.

Irving Berlin died on September 22, 1989, at the age of 101.



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(Copyright © 2008 By Simon L Conway All Rights Reserved.)


Please give me a call if you have questions about the Central Florida real estate market. You can reach me on 407 876 8200. Also visit my web site at www.simonconway.net or www.move2orlando.net


 
Post is included in group: Politics And Real Estate
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Post is included in group: Family Ties
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Post is included in group: Inspired By Song!

9 Comments on God Bless America!

JUL
02
2008
1 Featured Post

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing this interesting story.  And my favorite is they donate the money to charity and it went to the Girl Scouts.  Nice, very nice!

9:33am • #1
404,039 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Berlin and Smith both believed that no one should profit from this great endeavour which is why the royalities go to the scouts
9:46am • #2
645,228 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Simon,

Very appropriate for this holiday. I can tell you love your new country as I do. That first video made me want to stand up and salute .

Congratulations this post is now featured in the Silent Majority Group of Active Rain.

 

4:16pm • #3
6 Featured Posts

Thanks for sharing.....Martina McBride is one of my favoites, and so are so many compositions of Irving Berlin! 

4:55pm • #4
404,039 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Pam - I saw Martina at the Plant City STrawberry Festival a few years ago. She is quite amazing. Mike - I know what you mean!
9:32pm • #5
399,140 Points Outside Blog

Simon that was awesome Martina McBride was fabulous it brought tears to my eyes

9:44pm • #6
816,885 Points 16 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Simon ~ I never knew that Irving Berlin wrote that song. I am still partial to Kate Smith's version. But Martina is awesome as well.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

9:54pm • #7
404,039 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Hugh - me too Nick - glad to have been of service my friend.
10:25pm • #8
JUL
03
2008
Simon, Martina McBride is awesome singing that. I saw her in concert a few years back in Seattle. There is no song she can't sing in my opinion. Such a powerhouse voice from such a petite woman, fabulous. Have a great 4th and get in touch. NJ
NJ Bosley
2:47am • #9


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Simon Conway

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