Irving Berlin, a name synonymous with American songwriting, penned numerous iconic tunes, but perhaps none resonate as deeply as “God Bless America.” The story of this patriotic anthem is one of delayed release and timely revival, deeply rooted in the historical context of both World War I and the pre-World War II era. Berlin himself recounted the song’s fascinating journey in a 1954 letter to Abel Green, the editor of Variety, revealing its initial conception and subsequent transformation.
In his letter, Berlin detailed that “God Bless America” was originally composed in 1918 while he was stationed at Camp Upton, intending it to be the grand finale for the musical revue Yip, Yip, Yaphank. This show, which premiered in August 1918, revolved around army life and was designed to boost morale during wartime. The finale scene was envisioned as a poignant moment where soldiers, dressed in overseas uniforms and helmets, were alerted to their imminent deployment. They were to march through the theater, out into the street, and backstage to board a transport vehicle. As the lights dimmed, this transport, symbolically on wheels, would slowly move off stage, creating a deeply emotional and touching scene for the audience.
However, Berlin felt that incorporating “God Bless America” into this already emotionally charged scene would be “painting the lily.” He believed that having soldiers sing such a powerfully patriotic song in that specific, melancholic situation would be tonally inappropriate. Instead, he opted for a different song for the finale of Yip, Yip, Yaphank. As Berlin recalled, the song chosen for that curtain call was “In the Y.M.C.A.,” a tune that likely provided a more upbeat and less overtly patriotic closing note for the scene depicting soldiers departing for war.
Despite deciding against using it in Yip, Yip, Yaphank, Berlin never forgot about “God Bless America.” He held onto it, believing it was a song for the “right occasion” and kept it “in the back of my mind” for future use. That occasion finally arose nearly two decades later, in 1938. Berlin had traveled to London for the premiere of the film Alexander’s Ragtime Band. His visit coincided with a particularly tense period in European history, Chamberlain’s visit to Hitler and the looming threat of the Munich Pact, which symbolized the escalating international crisis and the growing shadow of war.
Returning from London to the United States in 1938, Berlin was deeply moved by the contrast between the anxieties he witnessed in Europe and the relative peace and security of America. He felt compelled to write a song that captured his feelings at that moment. His first attempt was a song titled “Thanks America,” but he quickly discarded it, judging it to be “very bad” and too much like a “bad editorial set to music.” It was then that he remembered “God Bless America,” the song he had written back in 1918. Recognizing its potential and relevance to the prevailing sentiment of national pride and a desire for peace amidst global turmoil, Berlin revisited the old manuscript and “rewrote” it, adapting it to resonate with the new era and its challenges. This rewriting process, as Berlin emphasized, was a crucial part of the song’s story, transforming it from a shelved finale piece into the powerful patriotic anthem that would soon captivate the nation.
The revised “God Bless America” was introduced to the public by Kate Smith in 1938 and quickly gained immense popularity, becoming an unofficial national anthem and a symbol of American unity and resilience. Its journey from a discarded finale in a World War I musical to a defining song of the pre-World War II era underscores the serendipitous nature of its history and its enduring power to evoke patriotic feelings across generations.
