How Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’ became the most patriotic song in America: ‘Never intended it to be a hit’

When the rest of The usa stocks up on sizzling pet dogs and hamburgers in the days ahead of Independence Working day, Lee Greenwood is prepping for his fast paced time.

The singer-songwriter will rejoice the 40th anniversary of his legendary anthem “God Bless the USA” – a enjoy letter to the country – and at 81 yrs old, he has no designs to sluggish down.

“We generally joked, if I’m not singing someplace on the Fourth of July, you might as perfectly acquire the flag down,” Greenwood informed The Put up from a recording studio in Nashville forward of his summertime tour.

Greenwood wrote his now-ubiquitous tearjerker – deemed “the most regarded patriotic anthem in The usa,” with lyrics that contain, “And I’m happy to be an American the place at minimum I know I’m free” – just after “feeling inspired” on the back again of a tour bus some 40 yrs in the past. 

But he by no means thought it would just take off the way it has.

He’s acquired the admiration of tens of millions of People for the coronary heart-rending tune, which he sang in front of then-President Ronald Reagan at the 1984 Republican National Convention.

But there’s perhaps 1 person who loves the track much more than anybody else — Donald Trump.

There isn’t a rally the former president retains that doesn’t include things like the country tunes star’s signature music with an irrepressible twang.

Greenwood has carried out the soulful hit at Trump rallies more than the years, like the Chattanooga campaign occasion in November 2018, wherever the crooner saluted the then-president.

And the president has returned the love in spades:  “Who doesn’t like his tune, ‘God bless the Usa?’”

Becoming so intertwined with Trump rallies is a little something of a badge of honor for the “proud Christian.”

“I sense good about it simply because I certainly like President Trump – he’s an American patriot,” Greenwood claimed.

Trump promoted the “God Bless the USA” bible based on the tune before this 12 months, much to Greenwood’s delight.

“I adore that he showed his faith to the country – that was fantastic,” reported Greenwood. “He’s an individual who will acquire treatment of our region – I’m just hoping he’ll be elected once more.”

The Trump campaign called Greenwood’s track “iconic.”

“Now, a lot more than at any time, as Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats search for to destroy this nation, we proudly heed the words and phrases of the track to by no means overlook the guys who died for our freedoms and proudly stand and protect our flag. God bless the Usa!” reported Trump marketing campaign countrywide push secretary Karoline Leavitt.

A pathway to politics

Greenwood, who’s been honored with a Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Nationwide Patriot’s Award, has appear a very long way from growing up in California indifferent to politics with a World War II veteran dad and jazz-singing mom. 

His initially real brush with politics was as a teen when then-Vice President Nixon visited Greenwood’s Sacramento significant faculty, in which he was in the marching band.

“I was the initially individual he greeted when he bought off the aircraft,” claimed Greenwood, recalling staying nonplussed at the time, but later heading on to vote for the Republican for president. “I just about overlooked politics at that age.” 

It was not until later on in everyday living when Greenwood begun to pay attention. 

He remaining university at 16 for the “green-felt jungle” of Las Vegas dealing playing cards, wherever he put in 20 decades.

In his late 30s and with five albums below his belt, Greenwood claimed he was sitting in the back again of his tour bus “somewhere involving Tennessee and Texas” when inspiration struck.

Immediately after a display, Greenwood took pics with a military services coloration guard and talked over multi-technology army families.

“I was just encouraged by it,” said Greenwood, who would see it climb to the No. 7 location on Billboard magazine’s Warm Region Singles chart in 1984.

Producing a tune to unite and inspire People, reminding them about the greatness of this state, was often in the back again of the songwriter’s intellect.

“It was anything I needed to do my total daily life anyway,” said Greenwood, who experienced just lately signed with MCA Data at the time. “But I hardly ever meant ‘God bless the USA’ to be a hit.”

In fact, the tune was never ever scheduled for a launch as a one – right up until the full album was performed for Irving Azoff, then head of MCA.

“If he hadn’t manufactured the get in touch with to release the solitary of the track, no one would have listened to of it – I guarantee you,” reported Greenwood, who would go on to turn out to be a nation new music five-time male vocalist of the calendar year.

“It transformed my existence.”

It also improved the daily life of a nation in want of healing – in the aftermath of the Gulf War and the nationwide trauma of 9/11, when Greenwood was invited to the Significant Apple to sing at Recreation 4 of the 2001 World Collection and at the firemen’s memorial at Yankee Stadium.

‘It nevertheless will get me’

Even even though he’s done his legendary hit “thousands of occasions, at least” over 4 many years, Greenwood admitted he still will get choked up when he belts out lyrics such as, “Cause the flag however stands for liberty, and they simply cannot acquire that away.”

“It however gets me,” he claimed, specifically when he meets Gold Star family members and learns about a cherished just one killed fighting for our region. “That will tear me up. I definitely nonetheless get emotional about it.”

And he’ll do it once again this Independence Day, saluting nation as a result of song in Albany, Oregon, a rite of passage that he’s liked for many years. 

“I have a lot more pink, white and blue clothing than most likely anyone on the earth,” stated Greenwood, who’s married to former Skip Tennessee Kimberly Payne, and has two sons, 24 and 29.

But as much as his hit song might be synonymous with Trump, he does not want it made use of “as a weapon.”

“I really do not want to be utilized politically just simply because I’m an artist who believes in my place,” reported Greenwood.

“When I do ads for Donald Trump, that’s distinctive. But not at my demonstrates. I’m an entertainer – I like to make people today pleased,” which – much like Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” right before him – is why he “absolutely” closes his demonstrates with his soaring tune.

“I’m at any time optimistic that we will endure, even with the altering setting all around the earth,” he said. “Democracy has a opportunity to survive mainly because we can elect new folks.”