God Bless America

"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised in 1938. The song is structured as a solemn prayer, asking for God's blessing and guidance for the United States. While originally written during World War I, it gained widespread popularity in 1938 when it was introduced as a "peace song" on an Armistice Day radio broadcast, sung by Kate Smith, who subsequently made it her signature song.

Over the decades, the song has become an enduring cultural staple, often cited as an unofficial national anthem of the United States. It has been a common feature at political and labor rallies, as well as sports events, most notably during the seventh-inning stretch at Major League Baseball games. Its history is marked by shifting societal interpretations: once a symbol of unity and religious tolerance in the 1940s, it was increasingly adopted by political conservatives during the 1960s to counter secular liberalism and anti-war sentiment.

The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Celine Dion and LeAnn Rimes, both of whom saw significant chart success with their versions following the September 11 attacks.