You probably sang it in third grade. Maybe you hummed it at a summer camp while swatting away mosquitoes. This land is your land with lyrics that feel as cozy as an old blanket, but if you think this is just a polite campfire song about amber waves of grain, you’re missing the point entirely. It's actually a protest. Woody Guthrie wasn't trying to write a Hallmark card. He was annoyed. Specifically, he was annoyed by Irving Berlin's "God Bless America," which he thought was way too sappy and ignored the reality of people struggling during the Depression.
Originally, Guthrie titled it "God Blessed America for Me," but he scratched that out. He wanted something that felt more like a shared deed to the country rather than a divine pat on the back. It’s a song about ownership. Not the kind where you put up a "No Trespassing" sign, but the kind where everyone gets a seat at the table.
The Verses They Usually Cut From the Songbooks
Most people know the California to the New York Island bit. That's the radio-friendly version. But this land is your land with lyrics that actually get into the weeds of social inequality is a whole different beast. There are two "lost" verses that schools usually skip because they’re a little too "edgy" for a PTA meeting.
One verse mentions a big high wall that tried to stop him. On one side, it said "Private Property," but on the back, it said nothing. Guthrie’s point was that the back side—the side for the people—was the one that mattered. Then there’s the "Hungry Verse." Guthrie describes people standing in the shadow of a steeple by the relief office. They’re hungry, and he asks if this land was really made for you and me. It’s a gut punch. It turns a patriotic anthem into a searing question.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild how we’ve sanitized it. We turned a radical folk song into a jingle. But when you look at the full text, you see Guthrie’s Oklahoma roots bleeding through. He saw the Dust Bowl. He saw families living out of jalopies. He wasn't looking at the scenery; he was looking at the people trying to survive in it.
This Land Is Your Land With Lyrics: The Full Standard Set
If you want to sing it right, you need the flow. Here is the meat of the song as it’s most commonly performed, keeping in mind that Guthrie himself changed it up depending on who was listening.
(Chorus)
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.
The Controversial "Private Property" Verse
This is the one that gets the historians talking. It’s where Guthrie gets political. He’s walking along and sees a sign.
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.
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It’s a simple image. A sign. A wall. But it represents the entire struggle of the working class. Guthrie was a traveler. He hopped freights. To him, the land shouldn't be carved up into little squares owned by bankers while people starved on the road. It’s pretty radical stuff for 1940. He recorded it in a tiny studio in New York City, likely not knowing it would become a secondary national anthem.
Why the Melody Sounds So Familiar
Ever heard "When the World's on Fire" by the Carter Family? If you listen to it, you’ll realize Guthrie basically "borrowed" the tune. That was the folk tradition. You didn't always write a new melody; you took an old one that people already loved and put new words on it. It made the song instantly catchy. It felt like something you’d known your whole life even the first time you heard it.
The Carter Family recorded their version in 1930. Guthrie took that Baptist hymn structure and turned it into a secular, populist manifesto. It’s brilliant, really. By using a familiar religious melody, he gave his political message a sense of divine authority without having to mention God every two seconds.
The 2026 Context: Why We Are Still Singing This
Look around. We’re still arguing about who belongs where. We’re still arguing about walls. We’re still arguing about who "owns" the American dream. That’s why this land is your land with lyrics that talk about relief offices and "No Trespassing" signs still feels like it was written this morning.
Pete Seeger, Guthrie’s friend and fellow folk legend, was the one who really kept the "protest" verses alive. He famously sang them at Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009 with Bruce Springsteen. It was a huge moment because it put the full song—the gritty, honest version—on the world stage. It wasn't just the "pretty" version. It was the version that acknowledged the struggle.
Modern Interpretations and Revisions
Some people today point out that the song ignores the fact that the land was inhabited long before the "New York Island" was a thing. Indigenous activists have sometimes rewritten the lyrics to reflect that history. It’s a valid critique. If the land belongs to "you and me," we have to define who "we" are.
Guthrie probably would have welcomed the conversation. He was a guy who believed music should be a living, breathing thing. He once said he hated songs that make you feel like you're no good or that you were "just born to lose." He wanted songs that built you up.
Actionable Takeaways for Musicians and Educators
If you are planning to perform this song or teach it, don't just stick to the three verses in the back of the music book. You're doing the song a disservice.
- Research the 1944 recordings. Guthrie's original 1940 version was lost for a while, but the 1944 Asch recordings are the gold standard.
- Contextualize the "No Trespassing" verse. Talk about the Great Depression. Explain that Guthrie was writing for people who had lost their homes.
- Vary the tempo. Most people sing it like a march. Try singing it like a tired traveler. It changes the whole vibe.
- Look into the "Hungry Verse." If you really want to move an audience, include the lines about the shadow of the steeple. It's the most human part of the song.
The song isn't a museum piece. It’s a tool. It’s meant to be used to remind us that the country isn't just a map; it's a collective project. When you sing this land is your land with lyrics that include the struggle, you aren't being unpatriotic. You're being honest. And honesty is usually what makes the best music.
Go find a recording by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. Or listen to the version by Sam Hunt. Each artist brings a different layer to it. But always come back to Woody’s words. They’re the foundation. They remind us that despite the fences and the "Private Property" signs, there’s a side of the sign that doesn't say nothing. And that's the side where we all meet.
To really get the most out of this song, try writing your own verse. What part of "your land" isn't being talked about? Guthrie would have told you to pick up a pencil and add it in. That's how folk music stays alive. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being present.