God Bless America

While there have been many who have sung God Bless America, & done it well, there is only 1 person to whom this song can truly be said to belong. & that person is Kate Smith. Here is where she introduced the song in the movie This Is the Army (& yes, that is a young Ronald Reagan.):

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God Bless America,Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home.

& given how her singing it was such an intrigal part of the Phildelphia Flyers heritage, it can't omit this video from 1976 even though the quality isn't the best):

In fact, they are still playing a video of her singing it at the start of their games. Here is Lauren Hart at the 24 May 2010 Montreal Canadiens Vs. Philadelphia Flyers Game #5 singing O Canada followed by her singing it in a duet w/ Kate Smith. (& even though it is a few days late Happy Canada Day to my friends up North.)