Bruce_springsteen_this_land_is_your_land_woody_... Apr 2026

Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics in 1940 as a direct response to Irving Berlin’s "God Bless America" [9]. Guthrie felt Berlin’s song was too sentimental and ignored the struggles of the poor during the Great Depression [9].

Guthrie’s music taught Springsteen how to use storytelling to reflect working-class values [5]. This influence is most evident in Springsteen’s folk-heavy albums like Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad . bruce_springsteen_this_land_is_your_land_woody_...

Watch Bruce Springsteen's high-energy performance from the Seeger Sessions, showcasing the folk tradition that Woody Guthrie helped build: Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics in 1940 as