Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" - Original Lyrics Scrubbed For Content

[TheBlackAdder]

The song lyrics for Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land' supposedly had the
following originally written stanza scrubbed from the audio recorded versions:


In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?


http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/This_Land.htm



The Cracked.com article below (item #20 of #23) states that this is the case.

http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_549_23-mind-blowing-true-stories-behind-famous-songs_p23/


?v=1



Here are some YouTube versions:

I am unable to locate the full recorded version that contains the original lyrics.

In some of recordings I've found, the 'No Trespassing' stanza is cut out as well.
I have yet to find an original version that contains the stanza about starvation.



Can anyone locate the original full length version of the song as it was intended?

[Bluenorthwest]

1. The song had a few lyric versions

Woody sang various verses over the years, but you have the story just about right. Not sure if there is a recorded version of Woody singing the property and hunger verses, I do know he sang them and wrote them.

This Land Is Your Land
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

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.

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.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/This_Land.html

[Benton D Struckcheon]

2. Heh.

Kinda changes things a bit. Good to know.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Pete Seege singing the original with Springsteen. About 2:00 minutes into it you'll hear the verse.

In January 2009 for Obama...

ETA youtube:

http://archive.truthout.org/011909R

http://blip.tv/play/jyHnmCwC.html

[Bluenorthwest]

5. That is not Woody Guthrie, that's Pete Seeger

Woody died in 1967.

[NYC_SKP]

6. Doh. (nt)

[Mopar151]

4. There is a Bruce Springsteen version which is close

[bluedigger]

7. Bruce and Neil do decent versions.

I don't know if you will find a "definitive" version...

[Progressive dog]

8. the 2009 inauguration (Seeger,Springsteen) has both stanzas

Not exactly the same, but might be original. Seeger and Guthrie played together. I wasn't able to locate a recording of Woody Guthrie doing the relief office stanza.

[jtuck004]

9. K&R. And thank you. n/t