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.
God Bless The U.S.A.
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife
I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota
To the hills of Tennessee
Across the plains of Texas
From sea to shining sea
From Detroit down to Houston
And New York to L.A.
Where's pride in every American heart
And it's time we stand and say
That I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
In Lee Greenwood's famous song "God Bless the U.S.A." the lyrics paint an image of a scenario where the singer has lost everything they've worked for, but still find comfort in the fact that they live in a free society. The line "And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free" emphasizes this idea. The next couple of lines speak to the sacrifices that have been made for this freedom, "And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me," alluding to the many soldiers who have died defending America. This is followed by the line "And I'd gladly stand up next to you, and defend Her still today," which reiterates the idea that people are willing to stand up for the country that they love. The last line of the song, "God Bless the U.S.A.," is a hopeful and patriotic declaration that this free and beloved country will remain blessed.
The song is often played during national holidays and used as a symbol of patriotism. It is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers to protect their country, and how sacred freedom is to Americans. It is also a song about hope and the American spirit of resilience, as the singer finds comfort even in difficult circumstances. Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." has become an American classic, and its message is still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
If tomorrow all the things were gone
If I lost everything I had - my money, belongings, and possessions
I worked for all my life
That I had worked my entire life to earn
And I had to start again
If I had to begin anew with nothing
With just my children and my wife
With just my family by my side
I thank my lucky stars
I am grateful and blessed
To be living here today
To be residing in the United States of America currently
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
Because the American flag represents freedom
And they can't take that away
And no one can take that freedom from me
And I'm proud to be an American
I'm proud of my identity as an American
Where at least I know I'm free
Knowing that I have the freedom to live, speak and worship as I please
And I won't forget the men who died
Remembering the lives of those who died fighting for our country's freedoms
Who gave that right to me
They made sacrifices for me to have this country's freedoms
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
I'm willing to stand alongside my fellow Americans
And defend Her still today
And protect the land that we call home even today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
Because there's no question or uncertainty
I love this land
I have deep affection for my country
God Bless the U.S.A.
May God continue to bless the United States of America
From the lakes of Minnesota
Starting from the lakes located in Minnesota
To the hills of Tennessee
To the hills situated in Tennessee
Across the plains of Texas
Going across the plains extending in Texas
From sea to shining sea
From the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
From Detroit down to Houston
From Detroit situated in the north to Houston located in the south
And New York to L.A.
From New York located in the east to LA situated in the west
Where's pride in every American heart
There is a sense of pride within every American
And it's time we stand and say
And it's time we express our feelings about our country
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lee Melvin Greenwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tylernelson2024@gmail.com
on Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her Hands
I love your songs