Woody Guthrie - This Guitar Kills Fascists

To celebrate this nation’s birthday, why not honor Woody Guthrie, who wrote one of America’s finest anthems?

I found this photo at the website known as If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger,There’d Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats. I have no idea who took this photo, but I love the fact that Woody is playing a guitar with a sticker on it that states “This Guitar Kills Fascists.” Old Woody was certainly ahead of his time, embracing the punk movement before it even existed.

Ten days from now, there’ll be a celebration for what would have been Woody’s 96th birthday. WMNF.org will be broadcasting a 3 hour radio special featuring excerpts of Woody’s recently uncovered, Grammy Award-winning Live Wire recordings, as well as Woody songs performed Billy Bragg, Wilco, The Klezmatics, Jimmy Lafave, Son Volt, Pete Seeger, Dan Bern, and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings.

You can read more about Woody’s legacy by going to the official WoodyGuthrie.org webpage.

In the meantime, I want to leave with the original lyrics to “This Land Is Your Land.” While this is a very popular song taught to school children, not everyone is familiar with the full lyrics as written by Woody. ENJOY!

This Land Is Your Land

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.

I’ve roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.”
But on the other side it didn’t say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.