History Music / WoodyGuthrie

-->-- '''Woody Guthrie''' on song writing

Woody Guthrie sang both traditionals as well as writing his own material. His songs are very left wing in nature and sympathize with the common man suffering under poverty, unemployment, racism, war, dictatorship and not being able to voice his opinions.

His SignatureSong, "This Land Is Your Land" is still a standard, though in the original context it was actually a ProtestSong instead of a PatrioticFervor song. He originally wrote it as a Take That to Music/IrvingBerlin's "God Bless America,"[[note]]The revised version of "God Bless America" was released just two years before "This Land is Your Land" was[[/note]] responding to the song's nationalist undertones by singing about the importance of America's diversity and sense of inclusiveness. Hell, some early versions of the song are overtly political in nature—and a few of them even mention Guthrie's support of the Communist Party.

Woody Guthrie may also have written the earliest example of a ConceptAlbum, ''Music/DustBowlBallads'' (1940), which is a narrative album about the dust storms that caused havoc on the people during TheGreatDepression.

In 1952, Guthrie was diagnosed with Huntington's disease. The illness forced him to retire from performing and composing, and he spent the final years of his life isolated from everyone except his close family.

On his birthday, July 14, his hometown Okemah, UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}} still organizes an annual folk festival that carries his name. In 2002 a 1944 recording of "This Land Is Your Land" was inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry.

In 1998, a massive collection of lyrics he never set to music was recorded at last as a collaboration between Music/{{Wilco}} and Music/BillyBragg; the project, dubbed ''Mermaid Avenue'', would span two albums as well as a comprehensive box set. His son, Arlo Guthrie, became a musician himself and is most famous for his album ''Music/AlicesRestaurant''.

* CoveredUp: "All You Fascists Bound To Lose" has been given new life several times, notably as a hopeful prayer by Rhiannon Giddens, and as a Punk anthem by Music/BillyBragg.

On his birthday, July 14, his hometown Okemah, Oklahoma still organizes an annual folk festival that carries his name. In 2002 a 1944 recording of "This Land Is Your Land" was inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry.

* FilkSong: Guthrie wrote a song based on Tom Joad's motivational speech in ''Literature/TheGrapesOfWrath''.

Woody Guthrie sang both traditionals as well as writing his own material. His songs are very left wing in nature and sympathize with the common man suffering under poverty, unemployment, racism (though Guthrie also wrote and sang some ''[[https://www.laweekly.com/little-known-fact-woody-guthrie-was-a-big-ol-racist/ extremely]]'' racist songs as well), war, dictatorship and not being able to voice his opinions.

* LocationSong: "This Land Is Your Land" was originally a political song that invoked lovations in the USA. However, its more often performed now as children's music and has been adapted for other countries.
* MoralMyopia: After the [[WorldWarII/WarInEuropeAndAfrica Molotov-Ribbentrop pact]], he sang songs about how great it was that the Soviet Union was invading Poland, saying that they were doing the Poles a favor. He also castigated Franklin D. Roosevelt for trying to help Finland defend themselves from [[UsefulNotes/FinnsWithFearsomeForests Soviet aggression]], calling him a "warmonger". Then, when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union he said "Well, looks like we won't be singin' no more peace songs." He proceeded to throw his full support behind the war effort.

In 1998, a massive collection of lyrics he never set to music was recorded at last as a collaboration between Music/{{Wilco}} and Music/BillyBragg. His son, Arlo Guthrie, became a musician himself and is most famous for his album ''Music/AlicesRestaurant''.

Woody Guthrie sang both traditionals as well as writing his own material. His songs are very left wing in nature and sympathize with the common man suffering under poverty, unemployment, racism (though Guthrie also wrote and sang some ''extremely'' racist songs as well), war, dictatorship and not being able to voice his opinions.

Woody Guthrie sang both traditionals as well as writing his own material. His songs are very left wing in nature and sympathize with the common man suffering under poverty, unemployment, racism, war, dictatorship and not being able to voice his opinions.