Early life
After the separation of his parents, Lee grew up in Sacramento on the poultry farm of his grandparents. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone, and at the age of nine became a member of a dance ensemble. In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearance. A short time later, he worked with the country musician Del Reeves.
He founded his first band, Apollo, in 1962. He briefly battled a cocaine addiction and moved to Iceland to go to rehab. The band, which changed its name later to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and appeared mostly in casinos in Las Vegas. A few records were recorded in Los Angeles with the Paramount label. After the band broke up in the 1970s, Greenwood moved back to Las Vegas, where he worked as a black jack dealer during the day, and as a singer at night.
Career
In 1979, he was discovered in Reno, Nev., by Larry McFaden, the bandleader and bassist of Mel Tillis. After making some demo tapes, Greenwood was signed in 1981 by the Nashville-based MCA label, and McFaden became his manager.
The first single, "It Turns Me Inside Out", made it to a spot in the top 20 of the country charts. Greenwood had written this song for Kenny Rogers, but Rogers turned it down due to the sheer volume of songs he had been offered at the time. "Ring On Her Finger and Time on her Hands" landed him in the country top 10.
He is best known for writing and recording the patriotic song "God Bless the USA" in the early 1980s. "God Bless the USA" gained renewed popularity following the launch of Operation: Desert Storm in 1991, and again, ten years later, following the September 11, 2001 attacks; in fact, the song even re-entered the Top 20 of the country charts in late 2001. Since then, Greenwood has played at many public events and commemorations of the attacks. He supports the United States Republican Party.
Theater
In 1995, Greenwood took a break from his touring schedule to spend time with his wife and newborn son. In his time off, he elected to build a theater in Sevierville, Tenn., and in April 1996, the "Lee Greenwood Theater" opened its doors. This gave Greenwood the opportunity to still perform daily shows, in addition to being with his family. The theater operated for five seasons, and closed for Greenwood to continue touring. The theater was not located in the heavily entertainment and tourist oriented areas of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Gatlinburg, Tenn., which contributed to the theater closing. The former theater building is now host to a church.
America
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet land of liberty
Of thee I sing
Land where my fathers died
Land of the Pilgrim's Pride
From every mountain side, let freedom ring
Land of the noble free
Thy name I love
I love thy rocks and thrills
Thy woods and template hills
My heart with raptured thrills, like that above
Let music swell the breeze
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's psalm
Let mortale tongues awake
Let all that breathe partake
Let rocks bear silent wake
The sound roll on
Our father's guide 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.
The lyrics to Lee Greenwood's song "America" are a tribute to the United States of America and its founding principles of liberty and freedom. The first stanza begins by referencing the well-known patriotic hymn "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," before invoking the country's heritage (land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's Pride) and calling for the spread of freedom across every mountain side. The second stanza continues the praise of America's noble, free spirit, mentioning the natural beauty of the land (rocks, hills, and forests) and the way it inspires feelings of rapture and awe. The final stanza serves as a benediction to the country, calling on all to lift their voices in celebration of freedom and liberty, and asking for protection from a higher power.
Overall, the lyrics reflect a deep love and admiration for the United States and its fundamental values of freedom and democracy. They evoke imagery of the natural beauty of the country and the sacrifices made by those who have come before, while also calling for an ongoing commitment to upholding the principles that America stands for.
Line by Line Meaning
My country tis of thee
This country belongs to me, the singer.
Sweet land of liberty
This country is a beautiful place because it is a place of freedom.
Of thee I sing
I am praising this country because of what it means to me.
Land where my fathers died
Many people who helped shape and defend this country passed away here.
Land of the Pilgrim's Pride
This country is built on a foundation of people who took pride in their purpose here.
From every mountain side, let freedom ring
I hope that no matter where you are in this country, you can experience freedom and its joys.
My native country thee
This country is my birthplace.
Land of the noble free
This country is a magnificent place because it is full of very good people.
Thy name I love
I am deeply attached to this country and care about its values and reputation.
I love thy rocks and thrills
I am in love with how varied and exciting the landscape of this country is.
Thy woods and template hills
I am in love with how diverse and beautiful the natural world is here.
My heart with raptured thrills, like that above
My feelings for this country are very strong and overwhelmingly positive.
Let music swell the breeze
I hope that the cultural richness of this country can be celebrated and enjoyed by all.
And ring from all the trees
I hope that the country's beauty and accomplishments can be seen and appreciated everywhere in it.
Sweet freedom's psalm
I celebrate and praise the freedom found in this country as if it were music.
Let mortal tongues awake
It is time for everyone to appreciate and speak out about how great this country is.
Let all that breathe partake
Everyone should have the opportunity to share in the country's wonder and its benefits.
Let rocks bear silent wake
Even the natural world should be aware of the exceptional nature of this country.
The sound roll on
This country's great story and potential will continue on, and everyone should know about it.
Our father's guide to thee
This country was built by the hard work and vision of many important fathers and role models.
Author of Liberty
This country was founded on principles of liberty, and the Creator embodied this principle as well.
To thee we sing
We are singing in praise and adoration of this country and all that it stands for.
Long may our land be bright
May this country always be a place of optimism, progress, and happiness.
With freedom's holy light
The light of freedom is like a religious experience, bringing inspiration to everyone who feels it.
Protect us by thy might
Please keep this country safe, strong, and protected.
Great god our king.
God, please bless and take care of the people and country that we love.
Writer(s): Jerry Crutchfield, Lee Greenwood Copyright: BMG Platinum Songs, Embassy Music Corporation
Contributed by Anna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lastninja7365
I’m from Japan and become an American on the Memorial Day this year. I love God and America, it’s a great country to live and work in. I’m proud of being an American where at I know I’m free and I won’t forget the men who die who gave the right to me.
@TheJd195555
Welcome to America 🇺🇸 who has served in the United States Navy and spent 5 years of it Japan 🇯🇵. I came to love the people and enjoyed my time there.
God bless you 🙏 ✝️ 🙏
@johnwyskochil463
Glad to have you here friend.
@Cat-pz7wj
WELCOME!!! It IS a great country, don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
@almighty5839
Don’t vote blue
@dougwood1658
Thank you..Glad you are now a citizen of this GREAT COUNTRY !!
I served in the Army from 1972-1974...
God Bless the USA !!!
@bsdnmd
Im born from Mexican Parents in the Good ol' US of A and when my parents became citizens, this song played and my mom shed tears she was finally an American. She waved the Stars and Stripes. If I were born again id be begging to be born in the US of A AGAIN!
@afs9612
Atta boy!
@jesusofbullets
A true American. Bless you brother.
@lowereastsideastrologist7769
you messican?