The censored lyric of "This Land Is Your Land"

[MineralMan]

3. It has had many different verses.

Guthrie left some out, then put them back wrote new ones, etc. It lends itself to adding verses, like a lot of such songs do.

I'm not sure which verse you're talking about, though.

Ah, the "private property" one. That's one of the ones Guthrie cut and added from time to time. The reality always was that there was property that was owned by individuals and property that wasn't. In one view of how society should be, there would be no private ownership of land. That, however, has not really existed for a very, very long time, if it ever did.

For example, the original inhabitants of North America did not have individual ownership of land. However, some land was tribal land and other tribes were not welcome there. Same thing, really.

It is human nature to own things, I believe. If you find a rock and chip it into a useful shape, you're going to consider it to be your rock and object if someone tries to take it from you. You have added value to it through your efforts. People also alter the land to be more productive or a better location for a place to live. They have the same "ownership" feelings.

I think that is always how humans have been. Probably always how they will be, too.

We can go some places with ideas, but not everywhere.