Essays

“Again!” My four year old joyfully cries, “Sing it again!” He looks at me with eager eyes and a big smile on his face. We’ve been singing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” on constant repeat for the last three days, and there’s no sign of him or his copy-cat baby sister being done any time soon. I begin the song again; he sings as many words as he remembers along with me while they wave their flags excitedly along in time with the music.

Happy Fourth! Today I thought I’d share a brief history behind the American Anthem “This Land Is Your Land,” written by Woody Guthrie. You can read the full essay below or check it out on my instagram page. After the essay I have a few links to recordings and a picture book to sing along to the song. In the hardest moments of human history, people have come together, singing, to lift and share their hardships and sorrows.