Analysis Of Lady Gaga's Song 'This Land Is Your Land'
Lady Gaga’s performance at the super bowl halftime show opened with her singing Irving Berlin's song, “God Bless America”. There have been some speculations about why she chose to open with this song, and then follow it with part of Woody Guthrie's “This Land Is Your Land”. These two song are actually associated with each other outside of the 2017 super bowl halftime show.
Gutheir wrote his song as a critical response to Berlin's song in the 1940s. He was inspired to write the lyrics to this song both after he had heard Berlin’s song on the radio and while he was with the migrant refugees who were in search of a better life in California. Guthrie's song was recorded in 1944 and did not use the original lyrics, instead, using the lyrics we
know today. The original lyrics were not realised until the 1950s by Folkways due to their intensity against america during the 1930s and 1940s.
Lady Gaga’s choice in using these two song can be interpreted as her speaking out about the recent political state of America. On one side of the spectrum you have a song that is asking God to bless america, a land that you love. On the other side is a song that was written as an almost sarcastic response. And yet, Lady Gaga brings both of these song together, joining them together in peace.
In an interview before the performance Lady Gaga says, “Well, I don’t know if I will succeed in unifying America. You’ll have to ask America when it’s over.” I believe that this statement can support me when I say that I believe that Lady Gaga’s usage of these two particular songs was not by accident. I believe that she was representing through music how two opposing sides can still work together and create something beautiful.
Gutheir wrote his song as a critical response to Berlin's song in the 1940s. He was inspired to write the lyrics to this song both after he had heard Berlin’s song on the radio and while he was with the migrant refugees who were in search of a better life in California. Guthrie's song was recorded in 1944 and did not use the original lyrics, instead, using the lyrics we
know today. The original lyrics were not realised until the 1950s by Folkways due to their intensity against america during the 1930s and 1940s.
Lady Gaga’s choice in using these two song can be interpreted as her speaking out about the recent political state of America. On one side of the spectrum you have a song that is asking God to bless america, a land that you love. On the other side is a song that was written as an almost sarcastic response. And yet, Lady Gaga brings both of these song together, joining them together in peace.
In an interview before the performance Lady Gaga says, “Well, I don’t know if I will succeed in unifying America. You’ll have to ask America when it’s over.” I believe that this statement can support me when I say that I believe that Lady Gaga’s usage of these two particular songs was not by accident. I believe that she was representing through music how two opposing sides can still work together and create something beautiful.