"My Own America"?

[seco@orthodoxpress.org]

Hello,

Way back then, in junior high school, we learned a song which I have not been able to find on-line anywhere (so far). Here are some of the lyrics as I remember them:

I climbed a mountain high, before me spread America
From shining sea to shining sea.
From sun-kissed mountain tops, to shining plains below
....
more to the verse..

Refrain
My own America, beloved land of liberty
Here in my heart will always be
A song of love for thee
...

If this strikes a chord with anyone, I'd love to have the rest of the words.

[babyanijo@aol.com]

I, too, in my youth learned this song. Hoever, as uou, I can only spot a few lines:
"Where freedom is the password,
Where justice is for all,
Where men would rather die than see Old Glory fall!"

That's the bridge...Next (LOL)!!!

[babyanijo@aol.com]

It strikes a chord with me...all I can remember is the bridge:

Where freedom is the password,
Where justice is for all,
Where men would rather die than see Old Glory fall!

[sawhet owl]

Here are the words to My Own America. In return, I would like to know if anybody knows the composer and/or lyricist.I too remember it from my younger day, high school chorus.
I climbed a mountain high, before me spread America, from north and south to east and west.
There on that mountain high, while dreaming of America, a song was born within my breast.
My own America, beloved land of liberty, and in my heart there'll always be a song of love for you.
From sun kissed mountain tops, I see the sunlit plains below; I watch the mighty rivers flow through my America:
Where freedom is the watchword, where justice is for all, where men would rather die, than let Old Glory fall.
My Own America, may G-d preserve thy destiny and help to save democracy the whole world through.

I always thought I would like this as our national anthem where there is no homage to war. Ours and too many other national anthems seem to glorify war. I do not like it.
;

[Robin Hickman]

Hello !

Usually, in a case like this, I always give the same advice : "When In Doubt, GOOGLE It Out".

So that's what I did: I Googled it out.

In quotation marks, I used the first line of the lyrics as the search term. Like this : "I climbed a mountain high, before me spread America".

There were only TWO pages listed. THIS page that we're on right now and THIS page :

https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/26210?show=full

Apparently it was an Award-winning song during a World War II song-writing contest. Also, it looks like they have a copy of the original sheet music somewhere around there.

Here's what it says :

My Own America. Prize-Winning Song, National Song Contest, Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies.

There is another URL link on the page :

http://jhir.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/26210

Sorry. That's about it.

"Save Me, Obi-Wan Google! You're My Only Hope!!!"

Robin

[Robin Hickman]

Hmmmm.....

I Googled, "My Own America", and it looks like there is a copy of a 1940 song by that same name for sale. Hurry! The auction ends on april 13th !!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1940-Sheet-Music-MY-OWN-AMERICA-by-Frank-C.-Huston_W0QQitemZ370184683540QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2 0090407?IMSfp=TL090407159005r30318

Robin

[Robin Hickman]

Actually, YOU can Google "My Own America", too !!!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22My+Own+America%22&btnG=Google+Search

SEE ???

Robin

[fast1]

huh?? anyway i think amazon is safer than ebay IMO

[jkelly]

This song is also dear to me, as in El Centro Calif. in 5th grade I had a wonderful (and pretty) teacher, Mrs. Russel, who had a musical talent, would lead us in singing for hours--and "My Own America" was rhe centerpiece. It was wonderful. I have been searching hard for the lyrics. Thanks for the question! Thanks for the lyrics post! Now, next question: Anyone know where to get an mp3 , record, or any audio recording?

Best wishes to all you patriots.

John

[jkelly]

i just found that this was written in 1941 by allie wrubel, a member of the songwriter's hall of fame. lyrics are read on this recording with piano melody playing in background on this site: www.songwritershalloffame/allierubel/exhibits/C97.
what a find! this is beautiful! john