Posted in Fundamentals

Hymns to America on the Fourth of July

Fireworks – Knoxville, TN

It was a rainy day on the Fourth of July where we live. Helen (adorable wife) and I had planned to attend a concert and a fireworks display being held in one of our downtown parks, and then share it with Easin’ Along readers. However, the threat of showers (and the lingering effects of a summer cold) kept yours truly holed up indoors.  This wasn’t the most glimmering illustration of an active retirement lifestyle, but I had to take a rain check and sit this one out.

Television was filled with Fourth of July celebrations, including the one we had planned to visit, and each of one of them featured orchestras and bands belting out lively patriotic tunes.  There is nothing like patriotic music to get me fired up…almost to the point of curing my cold. If John Phillip Sousa has not yet been granted sainthood, surely he is on the list. Every time piccolos are played in the Sousa marching tune, Stars and Stripes Forever, I get chills, and I’ll wager that others do also.

There were some hymns being played during these celebrations as well. I love hearing The Battle Hymn of the Republic, especially when it is sung slowly in parts and builds to a resounding finish. The hymn America, which we sang in church last Sunday, is also a favorite, and who has not shed a tear when listening to America the Beautiful beautifully sung. I’ll admit to being caught up in the lyrics many times.

Listening to those hymns on America’s birthday serves as a warm reminder of how fortunate we are to live in such wonderful country and one that is richly blessed with staggering beauty. Each line in the hymns America and America the Beautiful brought back memories of some of the places we have visited on our Easin’ Along travels. Therefore, since I was homebound and could not share our local festival with readers, I thought I would post a few pictures from those trips to illustrate the lyrics of those two hymns.

Here goes…I hope you enjoy them. Be grateful that I didn’t sing them for you, but you’re encouraged to sing along as you scroll.

America – Lyrics by Samuel Francis Smith, 1831

My country ’tis of thee – Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI
Sweet Land of Liberty – Statue of Liberty – NYC
Of Thee, I Sing – Juke Joint Festival – Clarksdale, MS
Land Where My Fathers Died – Veterans Cemetary, Knoxville, TN
Land of the Pilgrims’ Pride – Mayflower II, Plymouth, MA
From Ev’ry Mountainside – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
Let Freedom Ring – Church Steeple, Nantucket, MA

America the Beautiful – Lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates, 1893

O Beautiful for Spacious Skies – Kure Beach, NC
For Amber Waves of Grain – Greeneville, TN
For Purple Mountain Majesties – White Sands, NM
Above the Fruited Plain – Grey Eagle, MN
America! America! – Beaudette, MN
God Shed His Grace on Thee – Cadet Chapel, West Point (USMA)
And Crown Thy Good With Brotherhood – Men’s Fellowship, SHPC
From Sea – Marconi Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore
To Shining Sea – Pier, Hermosa Beach, CA

Happy 241st Birthday America!  We’re still filled with pride, we’re still strong, and we’re still Easin’ Along!

4 thoughts on “Hymns to America on the Fourth of July

  1. This is fantastic! Thanks so much for the illustrated patriotic songs. Even brought back memories of our visits to some of these sites. I enjoy your posts so much and we are working hard to get to our own Easin Along days!

    1. Thanks so much. Helen (adorable wife) even liked it because it brought back memories for her also. We live in a beautiful country. Stay on track and you’ll be Easin’ Along in no time.

  2. Loved reading, singing along and seeing all those beautiful places. You matched the photos and lyrics perfectly.

    1. Thank you! That was fun to do and it also helped me to get some pictures organized in the process. Thanks for visiting Easin’ Along.

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