Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942 in South Gate, California) is an Ameri… Read Full Bio ↴Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942 in South Gate, California) is an American country pop singer and songwriter. He is best known for a string of Countrypolitan hits throughout the 1980s, as well as for his hit "God Bless the USA".

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.

The Lord's Prayer
Lee Greenwood Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.
(As we forgive those who trespass against us.)

And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

(And ever.)
Amen.

Overall Meaning

The Lord's Prayer is a widely recognized prayer that has been recited by Christians all over the world for centuries. Lee Greenwood's rendition of the prayer in his song can be perceived as a humble supplication to God, acknowledging His almighty power and glory. The opening lines, "Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name," demonstrate the understanding and respect that the singer has for God's high position in heaven. Similarly, the next line, "Thy kingdom come," serves to recognize God's sovereignty over this world and that His kingdom shall reign forever.

The following lines of the prayer ask for daily sustenance and forgiveness of sins. "Give us this day our daily bread," shows the dependence of human beings on God's provision for their daily needs. Likewise, "And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors," reminds us of our shortcomings and asks for forgiveness, while also emphasizing the importance of showing mercy to others. The prayer further seeks God's protection from temptation and evil, "And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil." Finally, the prayer concludes with the assertion that God's kingdom, power, and glory shall endure forever. By reciting this prayer, the singer expresses their faith in God's providence, holiness, and supremacy over all.

Line by Line Meaning

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Our God in heaven, who is the ultimate father figure,

Hallowed be thy Name.
We give praise and respect to your holy name,

Thy kingdom come.
We pray for your kingdom to come and for your will to be done on earth,

Thy will be done in earth,
We ask that your will be implemented on earth,

As it is in heaven.
Just as it is executed in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread.
Please bless us with our daily sustenance,

And forgive us our debts,
Please pardon our sins,

As we forgive our debtors.
Just as we forgive those who have wronged us,

(As we forgive those who trespass against us.)
Forgiving those who have trespassed against us,

And lead us not into temptation;
Please guide us away from temptations,

But deliver us from evil:
Rescue us from malevolent forces,