‘God Bless America’: The Words and Music of a Prayer

In the first of two articles celebrating this patriotic song, this installment of “The Art of Liberty” brings out the beauty of Irving Berlin’s anthem.

Premiere of “This is the Army” that presented a moving rendition of "God Blass America" by Kate Smith. Warner Bros.

The United States of America is a nation of peace-loving warriors, who fight for our own freedom and that of our allies around the world. That’s why our songs tend to focus on battles and the military.

America also has a deep spiritual foundation. Refugees fleeing religious persecution arrived seeking the freedom to worship God as they pleased. With that goal, America’s ancestors declared themselves “one nation under God.”