God Bless America

[Jenn]

Comment: A touch of nostalgia, may bring a goose bump to all of us "war kids"

In early 1940, Kate Smith, a fiercely patriotic American and the biggest
star on radio, was deeply worried about her country. She asked Irving
Berlin if he could give her a song that would reignite the spirit of American
patriotism and faith. He said he had a song that he had written in 1917,
but never used it. He said she could have it.

She sat at the piano & played it and realized how good it was. She called
Mr. Berlin and told him that she couldn't take this from him for nothing.
So, they agreed that any money that would be made off the song would
be donated to the Boy Scouts of America. Thanks to Kate Smith and Irving
Berlin, the Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties.

This clip is from the movie "You're in the Army Now". You will see a
familiar face in this one that we are all very proud of. Frank Sinatra said
that when Kate Smith, whom he considered the greatest singer of his
age, first sang this song on the radio, a million guys got 'dust' in their
eyes and had to wipe the tears the 'dust' caused. If you can watch and
listen without 'dust' getting in your eyes, you have no soul. Sit back and
enjoy a Real Star.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnQDW-NMaRs

[snopes]

The New York Times
July 11, 1940, Thursday
IRVING BERLIN SONG TO AID OUR YOUTH

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...DF405B8088F1D3

Irving Berlin has established a trust fund for all royalties from his song hit "God Bless America"; which are to be used among the youth of America for patriotic purposes, it was announced yesterday.

The Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America are the first organizations selected by the trustees ...

The 1940 date in the OP is clearly wrong, as the article notes that the song "was first introduced on a Kate Smith radio program in 1938."

[snopes]

For a time, Kate Smith had exclusive rights to perform ''God Bless America'' in public. She relinquished that right when it became apparent the song had achieved a significance beyond that of just another new pop tune.

Mr. Berlin and Miss Smith waived all royalties from performances of ''God Bless America.'' The royalties continue to be turned over to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America.

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/gene...bday/0501.html

[Assilem Brandywine]

I wonder if the writer of the glurge knew that Berlin was both Jewish and Russian. He's also the same guy who wrote "Easter Parade".

[DawnStorm]

My mother remembers some smart-ass in her school class who sang '...land that I hate'. Pretty tame by today's standards, but my mother said that that kid had some 'splainin' to do.

[ASL]

Originally Posted by Jenn

If you can watch and
listen without 'dust' getting in your eyes, you have no soul.

I have no soul.

[Cyrano]

Why on Earth did I open the link?

Now, I have that earworm stuck in my head for the day.

Damn.

[Simply Madeline]

Originally Posted by ASL

I have no soul.

Nor do I. I absolutely despise that song, though.

Another Kate Smith favorite: That's Why Darkies Were Born.

It's probable that it was meant as a satire, but to modern ears, it's among the most offensive popular songs of the Depression era.

[htonl]

Originally Posted by ASL

I have no soul.

Nor do I; though presumably only Americans have souls anyway.

[snoozn]

I wonder why the OP makes it sound like the money is only given to the Boy Scouts, rather than Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. A cynical person would think they're only happy about supporting a group that keeps out teh gays and teh atheists.

[quink]

I didn't have to open the link to start the earworm

When I was in high school, we did an Irving Berlin review in musical theatre. Obviously as a Canadian school this song didn't really fit in, so we choreographed it with every American stereotype we could find, capped off with an epic US/Canadian hockey fight at the end. Unfortunately, one of the performers was American and her parents complained when they found out... I can't remember what we ended up doing, but it was pretty tame and bland.

[Avril]

Originally Posted by ASL

I have no soul.

Nor have I--though Congress singing it spontaneously is at least moving, if not really to "dust."

Here.

Maybe it would bring back memories if I'd lived through WWII, and "dust."

[snopes]

Berlin instructed attorneys to draw up papers. He wanted to guarantee that every cent "God Bless America" ever earned went to a place that he thought would help to make the country's future brighter and stronger. In those months leading up to the U.S. entry into World War II, he selected the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts to receive the song's earnings -- specifically, he wanted the royalties to go to Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs in impoverished and disadvantaged areas.

His binding legal instructions are in effect to this day, 73 years after "God Bless America" was first sung by Kate Smith and 22 years after Berlin's death. So far, there has been more than $10 million distributed to Scouting programs, and it's still coming in.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/11/opinio...lin/index.html

[tsuga]

Originally Posted by snopes

His binding legal instructions are in effect to this day, 73 years after "God Bless America" was first sung by Kate Smith and 22 years after Berlin's death. So far, there has been more than $10 million distributed to Scouting programs, and it's still coming in.

Good, I can quit buying cookies and popcorn and xmas trees and ...

[boogers]

So I sold all those cookies in subzero January weather to weirdos who tried to lure me into their houses while I was shaking from wind and frostbite--all for nothing? While some guy I'd never even heard of back then was supporting the scouting programs?

Did you ever have the feeling you've been cheated? Hey, I have tears in my eyes now.

[smallpotatoes]

I wish people could get the name right. It's Girl Scouts of the USA, not Girl Scouts of America.
/end rant.

[boogers]

Also, I once heard a choir singing the song. The problem was that I was on a crosstown bus and choirs generally don't sing on busses and this was back in my college days so I'd engaged in extensive partying the night before. I shook off the hallucination, left the bus and walked home...no tears. I just figured I'd had an international experiance. I'd heard a song about America written by a Russian Jew after I'd smoked Columbian.

[TrishDaDish]

♫ Stand beside her and guide her through the night with a light from a bulb... ♫

[damian]

I think the song is a little presumptuous. Who says God even likes you?

[NobodyAtAll]

I can't hear this song (which we sing once a week at school) without hearing the Firesign Theater singing 'Bless the postman, bless the milkman white with foam!'
Tho' only a small cross section of any group would recall the Firesign Theater I guess. I think that was on 'All Hail Marx and Lennon' meaning Groucho and John.