| − | '''This Land is Your Land''' is a folk song written by [[Woody Guthrie]] in 1940, and initially recorded in 1944. It has been recorded by performer/liberal activist [[Bruce Springsteen]], liberal folk singer [[Bob Dylan]], and [[British]] socialist performer [[Billy Bragg]]. Despite the [[communist]] sympathies of Guthrie and this song, it is generally regarded as one of America's favorite folk songs and was at one point being considered as a suggestion to be the national anthem.<ref>[http://banteringbibliocrat.blogspot.com/2008/07/woody-guthries-this-land-is-your-land.html]</ref> Communist [[Pete Seeger]] has stated that Guthrie was also a communist; however, Guthrie's membership in the Communist Party is debated (though he has always been associated with United States communist groups), and his daughter called him a "commonist, not a communist."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jul/07/woody-guthrie-centenary-protest-songs Woody Guthrie still inspires, 100 years on from his birth] Ed Vulliamy, guardian.co.uk, July 7, 2012, retrieved September 13, 2012</ref> | + | '''This Land is Your Land''' is a folk song written with [[socialist]] intent by [[Woody Guthrie]] in 1940, and initially recorded in 1944. It has been recorded by performer/liberal activist [[Bruce Springsteen]], liberal folk singer [[Bob Dylan]], and [[British]] socialist performer [[Billy Bragg]]. Despite the [[communist]] sympathies of Guthrie and this song, it is generally regarded as one of America's favorite folk songs and was at one point being considered as a suggestion to be the national anthem.<ref>[http://banteringbibliocrat.blogspot.com/2008/07/woody-guthries-this-land-is-your-land.html]</ref> Communist [[Pete Seeger]] has stated that Guthrie was also a communist; however, Guthrie's membership in the Communist Party is debated (though he has always been associated with United States communist groups), and his daughter called him a "commonist, not a communist."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jul/07/woody-guthrie-centenary-protest-songs Woody Guthrie still inspires, 100 years on from his birth] Ed Vulliamy, guardian.co.uk, July 7, 2012, retrieved September 13, 2012</ref> |
| | One of the last verses of the song mentions the right of [[easement]], which (to some) implies that there should be no such thing as private [[property]]. | | One of the last verses of the song mentions the right of [[easement]], which (to some) implies that there should be no such thing as private [[property]]. |