Live 20 Aug 1981 version
[Spoken intro:] Thanks. I used to... I started to play this song, I guess when we were towards the end of the last American tour and we were over in Europe. This is a song that was written by Woody Guthrie. And people, when I was, I remember when I was over... I think I was, I was in France, somebody asked me how I could sing this song when I knew that it wasn't true. And... the title of this song is "This Land Is Your Land". And... that's like a challenge, I guess. That's like uh... that's a dream that no matter how much it gets stepped on or run over, that don't ever, don't ever die. This is for you guys.
Well once I rode that ribbon highway
I saw above me the endless sky
I saw below me the golden valley
Well this land was made for you and me
I roamed and I rambled, and I followed my footsteps
Through the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
It cried this land was made for you and me
Well the sun came shining as I went strolling
Through the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
And the bells were ringing and the fog was lifting
And I seen this land was made for you and me
Well this land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream waters
Oh this land was made for you and me
The above lyrics are for the live 20 Aug 1981 performance of THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA, during The River Tour. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performed a series of six concerts in August 1981 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. At first four concerts were announced (20, 21, 23, and 24 Aug 1981) and two more were later added (27 and 28 Aug 1981). The first of the six shows was a benefit concert in support of the Vietnam Veterans Of America, an organization founded by former U.S. Marine lieutenant and disabled Vietnam veteran Bobby Muller.
List of available versions of THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND on this website:
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND [1988 studio version]
