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.
I'm Proud To Be An American
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars,
to be livin 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 gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
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.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its 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 gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
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 gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
The first verse of "I'm Proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood speaks about being thankful for the freedom he has in the United States. The lyrics express gratitude to the country for allowing him and his family to live in a place that still values freedom, even though it might be difficult to start over if he lost everything he had. The chorus of the song presents a declaration of patriotism and pride for being an American, where he knows he is free. The words speak to the fact that the country is defended by those who died to protect the rights of all.
The second verse speaks of the vast geography of the country from the Lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee, capturing the geographic breadth of the nation. It emphasizes the pride that resides in every American heart and the need to stand up and declare it, despite the differences that exist between different regions of the country. The chorus is repeated twice more, reminding listeners to never forget the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms that they enjoy. The song then ends with a reiteration of the strong emotional attachment to the United States.
Overall, I'm Proud to be an American is an ode to patriotism and gratitude for the freedom and protection that every citizen of the United States is afforded. It expresses an appreciation for the strength and sacrifices of those who have protected those freedoms before and who will continue to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
If tomorrow all the things were gone,
If I were to suddenly lose everything I'd worked for in life
I'd worked for all my life.
Everything I've worked for, achieved, earned and accumulated over years
And I had to start again,
If I had to begin my life again
with just my children and my wife.
With only my family by my side and nothing else to rely on
I'd thank my lucky stars,
I would be grateful and lucky to have what I have, despite the loss
to be livin here today.
To be alive, breathing and present in this country today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
The flag symbolizes the enduring concept of freedom
and they can't take that away.
Freedom can't be taken away by anyone or any power
And I'm proud to be an American,
I feel a sense of pride in being an American
where at least I know I'm free.
I am confident in my freedom as an American citizen
And I won't forget the men who died,
I will remember the soldiers who have died for my freedom and the country
who gave that right to me.
They fought for my right to be free, and I am eternally grateful
And I gladly stand up,
I am ready and willing to take a stand
next to you and defend her still today.
Alongside other Americans, I will defend our country and its values
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
I am sure of my love for this country
God bless the USA.
I ask for God's blessings for the United States of America
From the lakes of Minnesota,
From the state of Minnesota and its many lakes
to the hills of Tennessee.
To the state of Tennessee and its hills
Across the plains of Texas,
Over the flat plains of Texas
From sea to shining sea.
From the eastern seaboard to the western coast of America
From Detroit down to Houston,
From the city of Detroit in Michigan to Houston in Texas
and New York to L.A.
From the bustling New York City to the sprawling Los Angeles
Well there's pride in every American heart,
Every American has a sense of pride for the country and its people
and its time we stand and say.
It is the right moment to voice our pride and love for America
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@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?