Arlo Guthrie is Woody Guthrie's son; Arlo was very popular in 1960's hippie… Read Full Bio ↴Arlo Guthrie is Woody Guthrie's son; Arlo was very popular in 1960's hippie communities for his lyrics, always looking for fun, chronicling the values of the day, sample verbiage "You can get everything you want in Alice's Restaurant" And Alice's Restaurant was also a movie as well as an album, Arlo Guthrie made the music for the film, devised it and featured in it. Woody Guthrie, obviously performing a generation earlier, was a folk-singer, singing solo songs to speak out for his fellow downtrodden Americans, as well as working children's songs, just using acoustic guitar, while Arlo had occasional, collaborating backgound musicians, such was the communal zeitgeist, adding to his sound and his much-acclaimed 1960's public stance.

This Is Your Land
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This land is your land, this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me

I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me , a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

This land is your land and this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling

The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

Overall Meaning

Arlo Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” is a classic folk song that celebrates America's beauty and vastness. The song suggests that this land was created for everyone, regardless of race, religion, or socioeconomic standing. Guthrie highlights geographical wonders across the United States, such as the Golden Valley, the California coast, and New York City. He paints an image of a never-ending highway, a golden valley, and a wheat field full of waves, dust, and chanting voices that praise the land created for all Americans. With these lyrics, Guthrie suggests that every American has the right to access and enjoy the natural beauty and resources found throughout the country.

The first stanza begins with the repetition of the line “This land is your land, this land is my land,” emphasizing the song’s message of unity and inclusion. These words then evoke a sense of national pride by highlighting the vast expanse of America. In the second stanza, Guthrie shares his experience of walking through these beautiful spaces, describing the endless skyway and the golden valley. The third stanza describes his journey into the desert, where he hears a voice that echoes his sentiments. Finally, the fourth stanza wraps up the song with a repetition of the first, making it clear that this land belongs to all Americans, no matter where they come from.

Line by Line Meaning

This land is your land, this land is my land
This land belongs to all of us, not just a select few.

From the California to the New York island
This land stretches from coast to coast.

From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land includes a diverse range of environments and landscapes.

This land was made for you and me
This land was created to be enjoyed and utilized by all people.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
As I traveled along the road.

I saw above me that endless skyway
I looked up and saw the vast expanse of the sky.

And saw below me that golden valley
I looked down and saw a beautiful valley.