An interesting chapter was added to the kate smith god bless america story in the twilight of her 50year career. In the days that followed, scheinfeld arranged for a sound engineer to come to the spectrum on a night when no event was taking place. Jul 04, 2011 god bless america is an american patriotic song written by irving berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938, as sung by kate smith becoming her signature song. Kate smith god bless america banned by yankees over. The new york yankees antiracism efforts have extended to pulling from their seventhinning stretch a famous recording of the legendary kate smith singing god bless america. God bless america is an american patriotic song written by irving berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938, as sung by kate smith becoming her signature song kathryn elizabeth kate smith. Kate smith, a product of her era, put the flyers in a no. The cd performs well electronically, but i wish that it had contained her original versions of other songs as well. Find kate smith god bless america lyrics and search for kate smith. God bless america this is an official marine corps website, and is provided as a public service by the marine corps division of public affairs. While the song may seem corny and overly patriotic to a minority of u. Either way, god bless america has as much meaning today as it did when it was introduced eight decades ago. Professional sports teams are banning kate smith s rendition of god bless america after racist lyrics surfaced from the singers past.
A man sings god bless america and the rest of the cd is john phillip sousa marches by a secondrate band. The rich and complicated history of god bless america. May 04, 2010 unfortunately, i expected this cd to contain kate smith s original version of god bless america. God bless america was composed by irving berlin, while it is forever associated with kate smith. Berlin wrote the song on his way back to america after attending the london premiere september 30, 1938 of his film alexanders ragtime band. In philadelphia, smith s rendition of god bless america was so popular among fans of the flyers hockey team that a statue of her was erected outside the stadium in 1987. Kathryn elizabeth smith was born may 1, 1907 in the nations capital. She was dubbed the songbird of the south and would be forever etched in the hearts and minds of millions of americans as a true american symbol of world war ii, especially after giving voice to irving berlins classic song god bless america.
She was one of americas most beloved entertainers, with a radio, tv and recording career that spanned five decades, and which reached its mostremembered zenith in the 1940s. She had a radio, television, and recording career spanning five decades, which reached its pinnacle in the 1940s. As president ronald reagan said in presenting the medal of freedom to her in 1982. Discover god bless america instrumental mp3 as made famous by kate smith. Listen to your favorite songs from sings god bless america digitally remastered by kate smith now. The songbird of the south, vocalist kate smith was one of the most popular stars of the preworld war ii era. Smith became known as the songbird of the south after. Known as the first lady of radio, kate smith had an amazing 5 decade singing career. Sings god bless america remastered by kate smith on. Kate smith singing god bless america by irving berlin. The philadelphia flyers on sunday removed a statue of late singer kate smith that stood outside their arena for more than three decades, the move coming two days after the team covered the monument in response to complaints about two tunes the god bless america singer performed in the 1930s. Sings god bless america remastered kate smith vocal 2010. The philadelphia flyers cut ties with kate smith one day after it was revealed the new york yankees removed her rendition of god bless america due to potential racism in past work.
My inbox has been overflowing with comments from people who, while acknowledging they cringe at the america of nearly 90 years ago, say you were a product of your era in regard to two problematic songs you recorded in. Apr 25, 2019 kate smith sings god bless america before a playoff game in philadelphia on may, 1975, between the new york islanders and the philadelphia flyers. Apr 18, 2019 the strains of kate smith s version of god bless america no longer echo throughout yankee stadium during the seventhinning stretch because of hints of racism in the late singers past. While rummaging through some lps at a record store on south street, he stumbled across kate smith s rendition of irving berlins god bless america from the late 1930s. Kate smith sings god bless america, movie short from 1943. Flyers drop kate smiths god bless america, cover her. Kate became a singing goodluck charm for the philadelphia flyers hockey team with her renditions of god bless america helping to inspire them to two successive stanley cups 1974 and 1975. Kathryn elizabeth smith may 1, 1907 june 17, 1986 was a washington, d. Yankees and flyers eject kate smiths god bless america. She performed locally in theatres and at nightclubs and was discovered by a new york city show producer in 1926.
Aug 26, 2009 kate smith introduces god bless america yourememberthat com taking you back in time. But in the aftermath of a discovery that the singer also recorded at. God bless america kate smith top kate smith lyrics youd be so nice to come home to joy to the world the last time i saw paris when you wish upon a star christmas eve in my home town the white cliffs of dover thats why darkies were born carolina moon when the moon comes over the mountain twenty million people. This american legend is best known for her rendition of irving berlins god bless america. Smith premiered the song late in the show and prefaced it with the following words. Smith had a radio, television, and recording career spanning five decades, which reached its pinnacle in the 1940s. Her inspiring rendition went on to sell millions of war bonds and even helped a hockey team in the 1970s. God bless america kate smith variety old time radio downloads. Yankees, flyers drop kate smith s god bless america amid questions of possible racism the philadelphia flyers show kate smith before a 2010 stanley cup finals game against the chicago. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Yankees, flyers drop kate smiths god bless america amid.
Kathryn elizabeth smith may 1, 1907 june 17, 1986, known professionally as kate smith and the first lady of radio, was an american singer, a contralto, well known for her rendition of irving berlins god bless america. Cnna year after her 1986 death, the nhls philadelphia flyers erected a statue to honor renowned singer kate smith, whose rendition of god bless america was. When kate smith introduced god bless america to her network radio audience. Considering their profound and indivisible nature, it is not surprising. Apr 20, 2019 professional sports teams are banning kate smith s rendition of god bless america after racist lyrics surfaced from the singers past. Kate smith god bless america 1938 irving berlin youtube. Kate smith s niece is standing up for her beloved aunt and her rendition of god bless america. Kate smith marche for chromatic or diatonic accordion in pdf, irving berlin god bless america chant. God bless america is an american patriotic song written by irving berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938, as sung by kate smith. On her radio show, kate smith sings the irving berlin song god bless america for the first time, introducing it to the country. Sings god bless america digitally remastered by kate. Information presented on this site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Kate smith sings god bless america before a playoff game in philadelphia on may, 1975, between the new york islanders and the philadelphia flyers. Kate smiths god bless america banned over racist past.
Yankees cut kate smiths god bless america over racist. The singer kate smith s recording of god bless america has been a cherished part of sports tradition in the u. The people on the yankees who did this are cowards, said a furious suzy andron, 72, of. The kate smith purge continued today, as hockeys philadelphia flyers also said they would no longer play the singers version of god bless america at their games. Kate smith s rendition of god bless america is no longer being played during the seventhinning stretch at new york yankees home games after the club learned of her history of singing. God bless america kate smith variety old time radio. Listen online and get new recommendations, only at. I wanted to hear kate smith sing, god bless america. They started playing the song in 1969 in place of the starspangled banner before select games and tended to win when it was played. Officials noted that when the national anthem was played at the opening of philadelphia flyers hockey games, the fans were not properly respectful, while they listened more quietly to kate s record of god bless america.
Yankees drop kate smiths god bless america from 7thinning. God bless america instrumental mp3 karaoke kate smith. And now its going to be my very great privilege to. Kate smith introduces god bless america november 10, 1938. Smith s relationship with the flyers started in 1969 when a team executive ordered her version of god bless america to be played instead of the.
Introduced by kate smith on her cbs radio show, the kate smith hour, on november 10, 1938. Download the best mp3 karaoke songs on karaoke version. Kate smith s voice is incredible and i hadnt heard her rendition of god bless america in many years, though there never was anyone that could sing it like she did. Karaoke god bless america kate smith cdg, mp4, kfn. The voice of kate smith is known and loved by millions of americans, young and old. Oct 07, 2017 kate smith sings god bless america, movie short 1943 god bless america is an american patriotic song written by irving berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. On her radio show, kate smith sings god bless america for the first time.
Kathryn elizabeth kate smith may 1, 1907 june 17, 1986 was an american singer, an alto, best known for her rendition of irving berlins god bless america. At the january 1, 1976, rose bowl, to honor the start of the united states bicentennial, kate smith and the ucla band performed god bless america for a national television audience. Kate smith singing god bless america before a philadelphia flyers hockey game in 1975. Kate smith s family said they are heartbroken that the yankees and flyers distanced themselves from the god bless america singer after learning she sang two racially insensitive songs in. Kate smith s version of god bless america has been played at yankee stadium for 18 years, but they stopped in 2019 after finding several songs smith recorded with racist lyrics. Kate smiths niece demands cowardly yankees let fans. Others are trying to organize the singing of your trademark song, god bless america, after the first period of home games. Whats the story behind those kate smith songs with racist. Yankees drop kate smiths god bless america over her. The covered kate smith statue sits outside wells fargo center in philadelphia, pa on april 19, 2019. Berlin composed the song for a 1918 musical he wrote, but decided not to use it. If you want to hear god bless americadone by a real woman all american that had such musical chops that she could belt this song over the mountains. Black singers reflect on kate smith, racism and god bless. Apr 22, 2019 the singer kate smith s recording of god bless america has been a cherished part of sports tradition in the u.
Instead, it must have been a later version of that song, because it definitely was not the original version she sang many years ago. Jan 03, 2008 god bless america, first radio performance, armistice day november 10, 1938, kate smith duration. Kate smiths god bless america dropped by two major. Apr 27, 2011 god bless america is an american patriotic song written by irving berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938, as sung by kate smith becoming her signature song kathryn elizabeth kate smith. She not only had a bestselling record of it, but she sang it at countless war bond rallies throughout a good part of world war ii. Oct 12, 2016 while rummaging through some lps at a record store on south street, he stumbled across kate smiths rendition of irving berlins god bless america from the late 1930s.
In 1987, the team erected a statue of smith outside their arena in her memory. Kate smiths family heartbroken after yankees, flyers. The philadelphia flyers have covered a statue of kate smith and will no longer play her 1939 rendition of god bless america after learning of racially offensive song lyrics from her past. Smith singing god bless america has long been a goodluck charm of sorts for the flyers dating back to when the team won the stanley cup in 1974. Sings god bless america digitally remastered by kate smith. While the storm clouds gather far across the sea let us swear allegiance to a land thats free let us all be grateful for a land so fair as we raise our voices in. Yankees cut kate smiths god bless america over racist lyrics.