Introduction
Within the Pleiades of the most renowned American folk singers, Woody Guthrie takes a rather special place. Promoting the plight of those in need during the Great Depression and actively voicing his opinion regarding the threat of Nazism during the WWII, Guthrie became both the voice of reason and a lyrical spokesman for ordinary people (Fazio et al., 2022). Though Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” had a very specific meaning for its time period, its cover versions have introduced a new nuance into the lyrics with the help of changes in its tone, rhythm, and genre, therefore introducing an intersectional perspective.
Description
“This Land Is Your Land” introduces the audience to the idea of patriotism, allowing the audience to proclaim their love for the state and their allegiance to it. Remarkably, the history of the song creation reveals that “This Land Is Your Land” was supposed to be an ironic mirroring of “God Bless America,” yet it eventually turned into the anthem for the U.S. (Fazio et al., 2022). While introducing a certain amount of criticism about the U.S., it renders a profound sense of hope for its thriving.
Analysis
Lyrical Differences and Similarities
Lyrically, each of the three versions of the song represent a truly unique effort to convey a specific message with the help of Guthrie’s original song. When comparing the changes to the lyrics made in each version, one must mention that Jennifer Lopez’s rendition thereof incorporates the least amount of change. Specifically, she sings it straightforwardly, with the minimum alterations incorporated into the song, which allows paying homage to the author while emphasizing the ceremonial nature of the event (Lopez, 2021). In comparison, the version performed by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings includes greater flexibility in regard to lyrics, with most of the words remaining intact, while the singer injects minor changes such as interjections into the song (Kalb, 2017). Nonetheless, the general meaning is kept mostly unaltered, which sits in a tremendous comparison to how Jessa Calderon (Indigenous Lands, 2021) covers the song. In the latter’s interpretation, the lyrics is changed entirely to represent the plight of indigenous American people, who have been deprived of their land and exposed to physical and cultural genocide (Indigenous Lands, 2021). Therefore, Calderon’s version represents the greater deviation from Guthrie’s song, both in terms of its lyrics and the author’s original intent. Namely, while Guthrie’s song seeks to unite members of different classes and ethnicities in the U.S., Calderon’s interpretation has stirred a certain divide between them (Indigenous Lands, 2021). Therefore, changes to the lyrics are quite different across the three versions, both in terms of the extent of change and its meaning.
Differences in Instruments Used
Likewise, the difference in the instruments used in each rendition of “This Land is Your land” is tremendous. Specifically, Lopez’s interpretation of the song represents an acapella version, which imbues the song with a solemn and ceremonial air. As the song continue, wing instruments are introduced, which enhances the experience of a grandeur event and emphasizes the significance thereof. The outlined choice of instruments stands in a sharp and rather obvious contrast to the manner in which Calderon performed it. Though also using the acapella technique, Calderon utilizes a simplified approach to instrumentation for the sake of enhancing the meaning of the changed lyrics and creating an experience of genuineness. Finally, Sharon Jones offers a jazz rendition of “This Land Is Your Land,” which slightly reduces the powerful emotional impact that the song initially had (Kalb, 2017). However., arguably, the specified transformation of the instrumentation allows Jones to emphasize the concept of multiculturalism that the song seeks to convey.
Differences in Vocal Delivery
Likewise, the vocal delivery is quite different in each case. Lopez’s (2021) approach to using her vocals in the song is justified by the occasion, namely, the inauguration of the U.S. President. Specifically, the outlined event dictates the need to make the song sound triumphant and large, which demands that Lopez’s (2021) vocal delivery showcase her entire gamut of skills. To her credit, Lopez (2021) manages to accomplish this task, providing a truly powerful vocal delivery. In comparison, Jones, who also delivers the song in an undeniably powerful fashion, uses her vocals to explore the cultural richness of the lyrics. As a result, the vocal delivery that Jones provides contains much more flexibility and is overall much livelier (Kalb, 2017). As for Calderon’s version, the drastic change in the lyrics demands that she should avoid introducing a particularly outstanding vocal technique, which is why her delivery is quite plain and straightforward, making it somewhat similar to that one of Guthrie.
Differences in Performance Contexts
The last issue to address when discussing the difference sin the performances under analysis concerns the context in which each cover version was performed. As emphasized above, the context has played a tremendous role in how each of the versions was altered. Specifically, Lopez (2021) sang “This Land is Your Land” at Biden’s inauguration, which added a political coloring to the song. At the same time, the specified context imbued the song with hope and the focus on multiculturalism as one of the core priorities of the changing political framework. Compared to the specified context, the version performed by Jones (Kalb, 2017) was sung for Jimmy Kimmel’s Live TV show, which subtracted a certain extent of sincerity from the song, making it safer in terms of its sociopolitical impact.
Finally, the version offered by Calderon represents a response to Jennifer Lopez’s (2021) rendition of the song. The latter context contributes to a better understanding of Calderon’s performance since it explains the bitterness of the sentiment behind her rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.” Namely, Calderon points to the unresolved problem of ethnic conflicts that have led to further complications in relationships between Native Americans and White Americans. The specified contexts add a new meaning to each version of the song, thus, allowing the audience to understand the singers’ light better and engage with their performance on an individual, emotional level. Indeed, each of the contexts mentioned above explains the choices that the singers made when shaping their interpretation of “This Land Is Your Land.” As a result, one can gain a more nuanced understanding of the song.
Conclusion
Though Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” was supposed to promote a specific message of liberty, particularly, the freedom to make choices as a member of the American community, recent renditions have expanded the specified concept. The opportunity to make the message more inclusive and reflect the needs of all America communities has become possible with a change in the rhythm, tone, and other crucial aspects of the song. While the differences observed in some of the more recent versions of the song have changed the initial message of the song to the point where it might not reflect the author’s point accurately, they still manage to convey the same spirit. More importantly, the new renditions have done so while expanding the song culturally and imbuing it with new, multi-layered meanings. Therefore, changes in the specified aspects of the song structure have allowed for a significant cultural reexamination of the song.
References
Griffiths, D. (2020). Searching for Woody Guthrie: a personal exploration of the folk singer, his music, and his politics. By Ron Briley. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2020. 388 pp. ISBN 978-1-62190-533-2. Popular Music, 39(2), 354-356. Web.
Indigenous Lands. (2021). This Land’s Not Your Land: by Native singer Jessa Calderon [Video]. Youtube. Web.
Kalb, E. (2017). Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings This Land is Your Land Jimmy Kimmel Live HD [Video]. Youtube. Web.
Lopez, J. (2021). Jennifer Lopez – “This Land Is Your Land” & “America, The Beautiful” – Inauguration 2021 performance [Video]. Youtube. Web.