This article is about the American patriotic song "My Country, 'Tis of Thee". For the film of the same name, see
My Country 'Tis of Thee .
Audio: MIDI version of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"
My Country, 'Tis of Thee (also: America ) is a patriotic song of the United States of America written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831. In addition to other songs such as Hail, Columbia in particular , it served - albeit not officially - the function of a national anthem of the USA until in 1931, The Star-Spangled Banner, a song was given the status of an official national anthem for the first time.
text
- My country, 'tis of thee,
- Sweet land of liberty,
- Of thee I sing;
- Land where my fathers died,
- Land of the pilgrims' pride,
- From every mountainside
- Let freedom ring!
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- My country, it is from you
- The sweet land of freedom
- I sing about you.
- Land where my fathers died
- Land of pride of the pilgrim fathers,
- Leave off any mountain slope
- Ring out the call of freedom!
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- My native country, thee,
- Land of the noble free,
- Thy name I love;
- I love thy rocks and rills,
- Thy woods and templed hills;
- My heart with rapture thrills,
- Like that above.
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- You land of my birth
- Land of the noble free,
- I love your name.
- I love your mountains and streams
- Your woods and rolling hills
- My heart shudders with delight
- Like the one up there.
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- Let music swell the breeze,
- And ring from all the trees
- Sweet freedom's song;
- Let mortal tongues awake;
- Let all that breathe partake;
- Let rocks their silence break,
- The sound prolong.
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- Let music kindle the wind
- And the song of every tree
- Ring of sweet freedom;
- Let the tongue of mortals awaken
- Let everyone who breathe participate
- Let rocks break their silence
- Let their song go on
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- Our father's God to Thee,
- Author of liberty,
- To Thee we sing.
- Long may our land be bright,
- With freedom's holy light,
- Protect us by Thy might,
- Great God our King.
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- God of our fathers, you,
- Originator of freedom
- You let us sing.
- Long may our country shine
- From the holy light of freedom
- Protect us with your might
- Great God our King.
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melody
The melody is that of God Save the Queen . My Country, 'Tis of Thee uses a classic archetype of the melody of numerous patriotic songs of its time. In addition to God Save the Queen , the Russian tsar's hymn Molitwa Russkich , which was used before 1833 , the Swiss national anthem Heil Dir Helvetia , which was valid until 1961 , the former Prussian folk anthem Lied Heil Dir im Siegerkranz , the Icelandic Eldgamla Ísafold , the Bavarian royal hymn Heil unserm König, Heil! and the Saxon hymn God bless Sachsenland sung to this melody. This melody is still in use today as Liechtenstein's national anthem .
See also
Web links