America (My Country 'Tis of Thee)
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Here is my arrangement of this old favorite, which appears in Book 2 of my series, DNA* Dulcimer Ditties. You can also listen to the track from the CD that is included with that book.
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And if you're in the mood for a bit of reading on the background of this song, I suggest a visit to the Library of Congress Song Collection website:
https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000012/
Here's a short excerpt from that article:
"The words that eventually became a tradition, particularly among U.S. school children, were written by Samuel Francis Smith while he was studying at Andover Theological Seminary in 1831. Smith was approached by the famed organist and composer Lowell Mason who had with him some German school music books. Mason wanted Smith to either translate the German, or write new text for the tunes. Smith was particularly struck by one tune (most likely unaware that it was the same melody as 'God Save the King') and wrote his lyrics to it. The song was debuted by Mason on July 4, 1831, at a children's service at the Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts.
"Smith initially wrote another verse, which he cut because it seemed too strident and not in keeping with what he wanted to be a peaceful homage to the nation. Beethoven and Haydn have incorporated the music of this song into their own work and, on August 28, 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King quoted Smith's lyrics when he stated from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 'I have a dream' and called on the nation to 'let freedom ring.'"
https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000012/
Here's a short excerpt from that article:
"The words that eventually became a tradition, particularly among U.S. school children, were written by Samuel Francis Smith while he was studying at Andover Theological Seminary in 1831. Smith was approached by the famed organist and composer Lowell Mason who had with him some German school music books. Mason wanted Smith to either translate the German, or write new text for the tunes. Smith was particularly struck by one tune (most likely unaware that it was the same melody as 'God Save the King') and wrote his lyrics to it. The song was debuted by Mason on July 4, 1831, at a children's service at the Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts.
"Smith initially wrote another verse, which he cut because it seemed too strident and not in keeping with what he wanted to be a peaceful homage to the nation. Beethoven and Haydn have incorporated the music of this song into their own work and, on August 28, 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King quoted Smith's lyrics when he stated from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 'I have a dream' and called on the nation to 'let freedom ring.'"
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