Woody Guthrie: The radical legacy of the legendary folk singer in Trump’s America

A new album by Woody Guthrie (1912-1967), perhaps the most influential US folk artist, was released late last summer. Woody at Home, Vol. 1 & 2 contains songs – some already known, others previously unreleased – the artist recorded from 1951 to 1952 on a tape recorder he received from his publisher. A version of the famous This Land Is Your Land (1940), with new verses, is among the tracks.

The release reflects the continuing vitality of Woody Guthrie in the United States. There is an ongoing process of updating and redefining his figure and artistic legacy – one that does not always take into account the singer’s radicalism but sometimes accentuates his patriotism.

The story of This Land Is Your Land is a case in point. There are versions of the song containing verses critical of private property, and others without them. The first version of This Land became almost an unofficial anthem of the US and, over the years, has been used in various political contexts, sometimes resulting in appropriations and reinterpretations. In 1960, it was played at the Republican national convention that nominated Richard Nixon for president, and in 1988, Republican candidate George HW Bush used it in his presidential campaign.

However, Guthrie made his contribution by supporting both the Communist Party and,...

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