Rosemary Clooney Sings "God Bless America"

Many have criticized this song mightily in recent years without ever having listened to the words. When Irving Berlin wrote both the words and music to this anthem in 1938, he never meant it to be played or sung in an overblown way but recognized a great soul when Kate Smith sang this song because she did so with love, responding to the happy connotations of this song and not as a divisive way as many unfortunately hear. This song was heard on an Armistice Day radio broadcast by Kate Smith who became identified with the song. The royalties were signed over by Irving Berlin to help the Boy and Girl Scouts of America and appeared in the film "This Is The Army" from 1942. This song was the only one Rosemary Clooney never recorded and we are very lucky she had decided to include it at her concerts that fall. John Oddo wrote a quietly humane version which calls attention to the lyrics, an expression, if you will, of a simple man's love for his adopted country. And just two months after 9/11, we really needed to be comforted and inspired in a more spiritual nature.