This Land Is Your Land – English Lyrics

• By: Woody Guthrie
• Album: Woody Guthrie: The Anthology

Lyrics & Translation

Learning the English language through Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" offers a unique window into American history and culture. The song's simple yet poetic lyrics make it accessible for language learners, while its deeper message of social justice and inclusion provides rich material for discussion and understanding. Beyond vocabulary, the song teaches the power of music as a form of protest and a celebration of a nation's ideals.

[English]

This land is your land, and this land is my land

From California to the New York island

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters

This land was made for you and me

As I went walking that ribbon of highway

And I saw above me that endless skyway

I saw below me that golden valley

This land was made for you and me

...

I roamed and rambled, and I've followed my footsteps

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts

All around me, a voice was sounding

This land was made for you and me

There was a big, high wall there that tried to stop me

A sign was painted said "Private Property"

But on the backside, it didn't say nothing

This land was made for you and me

When the sun come shining, then I was strolling

And the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling

The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting

This land was made for you and me

This land is your land, and this land is my land

From California to the New York island

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters

This land was made for you and me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
land /lænd/ A1	noun - the part of the earth's surface that is not permanently covered by water
walking /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/ A1	verb - moving on foot at a moderate speed
highway /ˈhaɪweɪ/ A2	noun - a main road connecting important places
skyway /ˈskaɪweɪ/ B2	noun - an elevated enclosed passageway connecting two buildings
golden /ˈɡoʊldən/ B1	adjective - of or like gold
valley /ˈvæli/ A2	noun - a low area between hills or mountains
roamed /roʊmd/ B2	verb - to go aimlessly; wander
rambled /ˈræmbəld/ B2	verb - to walk for pleasure in the countryside
sparkling /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/ B2	adjective - shining brightly
sands /sændz/ A2	noun - small, loose grains of worn or disintegrated rock
diamond /ˈdaɪəmənd/ B1	adjective - resembling a diamond
deserts /ˈdezərts/ A2	noun - an area of land where it is very dry and there are few plants
wall /wɔːl/ A1	noun - a long, solid structure that is built to separate two areas
private /ˈpraɪvət/ B1	adjective - belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only
property /ˈprɒpərti/ B1	noun - a thing or things belonging to someone
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat for the earth
shining /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/ B1	verb - giving out or reflecting light
wheat /wiːt/ A2	noun - a grain that is used to make flour for bread, cakes, etc.
fields /fiːldz/ A1	noun - an area of open land, especially one planted with crops or pasture
waving /ˈweɪvɪŋ/ A2	verb - moving back and forth
dust /dʌst/ A2	noun - fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter
clouds /klaʊdz/ A1	noun - a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere
rolling /ˈroʊlɪŋ/ A2	verb - moving by turning over and over
fog /fɒɡ/ A2	noun - a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface that obscures or restricts visibility
lifting /ˈlɪftɪŋ/ B1	verb - raising to a higher position

Key Grammar Structures

• This land **is** your land, and this land **is** my land

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (to be)

  ➔ Uses the verb "is", which is the simple present form of "to be", to state a fact or a general truth about ownership. The subject complements "your land" and "my land" define who possesses this land.

• As I **went** walking that ribbon of highway

  ➔ Simple Past Tense (went) + Gerund (walking)

  ➔ "went" is the past tense of "go", indicating an action that happened in the past. "walking" is a gerund acting as part of the phrase describing the activity during the past event, indicating an action in progress. It could also be seen as a reduced adjective clause "As I went *while* walking...".

• I **saw** below me that golden valley

  ➔ Simple Past Tense (saw)

  ➔ "saw" is the past tense of "see", indicating an action that was completed in the past. The word "below" is an adverb of place.

• I **roamed** and **rambled**, and I've **followed** my footsteps

  ➔ Simple Past Tense (roamed, rambled) and Present Perfect Tense (have followed)

  ➔ "roamed" and "rambled" are in the simple past, indicating completed actions in the past. "I've followed" is in the present perfect, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has a result in the present.

• There **was** a big, high wall there that tried to stop me

  ➔ Simple Past Tense (was) + Relative Clause (that tried to stop me)

  ➔ "was" is the past tense of "be", stating the existence of something in the past. "that tried to stop me" is a relative clause modifying "a big, high wall".

• But on the backside, it **didn't say** nothing

  ➔ Double Negative (didn't say nothing) - Generally non-standard but used for emphasis in certain dialects/contexts.

  ➔ Technically incorrect grammatically, as two negatives typically cancel each other out. However, in some dialects, it's used for emphasis. The intended meaning is 'it *did* say something' as if in defiance.