from Jeri – Good morning family and friends………I received this item from a post member and wanted to share it with you……..you may have heard it before, but it’s worth the time to hear it again, and again………….in fact, it’s a great song to sing yourself………….have a great day and enjoy Kate Smith………Jeri/friend/sis

What has happened to America? How did we loose the emotions and feelings of patriotism we felt upon hearing this song? God Bless America—The story:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0

I think you may have seen this email before. With the stress and delusion that many of you, and I alike, have been feeling about our country’s recent strife, continuing challenges without resolve, unbelievable acts by man against his fellow man ongoing in many countries throughout the world – I am grateful this evening to read again the history of our beloved “God Bless America”, to sit back viewing its first presentation – it has been comforting – I hope you will also enjoy.

Frank Sinatra considered Kate Smith the best singer of her time, and said that when he and a million other guys first heard her sing “God Bless America” on the radio, they all pretended to have dust in their eyes as they wiped away a tear or two.

Here are the facts… The link at the bottom will take you to a video showing the very first public singing of “GOD BLESS AMERICA”. But before you watch it, you should also know the story behind the first public showing of the song.

The time was 1940. America was still in a terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe and Americans were afraid we’d have to go to war. It was a time of hardship and worry for most Americans. This was the era just before TV, when radio shows were HUGE, and American families sat around their radios in the evenings, listening to their favorite entertainers, and no entertainer of that era was bigger than Kate Smith.

Kate was also large; plus size, as we now say, and the popular phrase still used today is in deference to her, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”. Kate Smith might not have made it big in the age of TV, but with her voice coming over the radio, she was the biggest star of her time.

Kate was also patriotic. It hurt her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day would bring . She had hope for America , and faith in her fellow Americans. She wanted to do something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous American song-writer, Irving Berlin (who also wrote “White Christmas”) and asked him to write a song that would make Americans feel good again about their country. When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just the song for her.

He went to his files and found a song that he had written, but never published, 22 years before – way back in 1917. He gave it to her and she worked on it with her studio orchestra. She and Irving Berlin were not sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they would not take any profits from God Bless America . Any profits would go to the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, the Boy Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties from this song.

This video starts out with Kate Smith coming into the radio studio with the orchestra and an audience. She introduces the new song for the very first time, and starts singing. After the first couple verses, with her voice in the background still singing, scenes are shown from the 1940 movie, “You’re In The Army Now.” At the 4:20 mark of the video you see a young actor in the movie, sitting in an office, reading a paper; it’s Ronald Reagan.

To this day, God Bless America stirs our patriotic feelings and pride in our country. Back in 1940, when Kate Smith went looking for a song to raise the spirits of her fellow Americans, I doubt whether she realized just how successful the results would be for her fellow Americans during those years of hardship and worry…..and for many generations of Americans to follow.

Many people don’t know there’s a lead in to the song since it usually starts with “God Bless America …..” So here’s the entire song as originally sung…..Let us pray he still does, and it’s still not too late.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/TnQDW-NMaRs?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJo7x9y3D4

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kiwimormon/2014/10/on-despising-mormon-polygamy/

The Revolution “I Fought For You”
An Emotional Tribute to Veterans… (please share)
Download your own copy here: http://ow.ly/CZu3O

Thank you for your courage to speak the words that need to be heard.

If more folks had half your courage and wisdom our country would be better off.

Our political parties had better learn how to work together sooner than later …. time is running out and we’re soon to all be losers!

Gary Chamberlain
Folksville USA
America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs
Cornville AZ (USA)