God Bless the USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (June 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| “God Bless the USA” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Lee Greenwood from the album You've Got a Good Love Comin' |
||
| Released | 1984 | |
| Genre | Patriotic, Country | |
| Writer(s) | Lee Greenwood | |
"God Bless the USA" is an American patriotic song written by country musician Lee Greenwood. The first Greenwood album it appears on is 1984's You've Got A Good Love Comin'. It reached number 7 on the country charts when originally released in 1984, and was played at the 1984 Republican National Convention with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan in attendance, but the song was first widely heard during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991, as a way of boosting morale.
A music video was released for this song in 1984, depicting Greenwood as a farmer who loses the family farm. The popularity of the song rose sharply since the September 11, 2001 attacks and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the song was re-released as a single, re-entering the country music charts at #16. The song could often be heard on the radio after those events, and versions of the song are widely distributed online.
Kristy Lee Cook performed this song on American Idol (Season 7).
Contents |
[edit] Cultural references
- Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan has used the song as his entrance music.
- There was a celebrity all-star tribute, with Kenny G and Michael Bolton among others.
- Used in a 1984 Reagan/Bush campaign advertisement
- Bob Rivers did a parody of the song called "Independence Day".
- The Capitol Steps did a parody of the song called "God Bless My SUV" and another one that mocked conspiracy theories called "God Bless The UFO."
- Jump5 did a rendition of the song with a slight change in lyrics.
- Bon Jovi altered the song in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks on the United States, hailing the men and women who died in those attacks.
- The song is the theme song of the group Camp Adventure that provides summer camp counsellors for the children of US military personnel.
- The song is played at Marine Corps boot camp during the Emblem Ceremony, where the recruits receive their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and are finally recognized as Marines.
- When performed by the Marine Corps Band, the second verse is sometimes replaced with the first verse of the Marines' Hymn, which fits the tempo nearly perfectly.
- The song is played when Navy recruits complete "Battle Stations" (the final evolution in Basic Training,) receive their Navy ball caps, and are recognized as sailors.
- The song is featured in the 1999 film 'Three Kings'. Sergeant Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg) is shown singing along during an illicit party celebrating the end of the Gulf War.
- American comedian David Cross mocks the song during a stand-up comedy routine. He challenges Greenwood to fight "stand up next to" soldiers, by joining the military, as Greenwood suggests he would "gladly" do in the song.
- During US naturalization ceremonies a video is presented to new citizens that features the song played over patriotic images][1].
- Herbert sings the song in the Family Guy episode Padre de Familia.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ James Ferguson[page # needed]
[edit] References
Ferguson, James [6] (31). "11", in Aradhana Sharma: The Anthropology of the State: A Reader (Paperback), Akhil Gupta, 1, Blackwell Readers in Anthropology (in English), Wiley, 424. ISBN 1405114681.
[edit] External links
 |
This 1980s single-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
