In 1918 Irving Berlin composed a show tune called “God Bless America.” But he never would have imagined that his would eventually rise to the status of a nationally known patriotic anthem.
Written right after World War I and laying dormant for decades, this late-blooming but iconic American tune has endured largely in part to its versatility–from Kate Smith belting it out for the first time in 1938 to Whitney Houston warming up the crowd at a boxing match in 2000.
Sheryl Kaskowitz tells the story of its evolution and deep history in the new book, “God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song.” She explains the song’s unexpected rise as a staple of American culture.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.