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America the Beautiful

Rating:
3.7 / 5

Words & Music: Arranged by Elvis Presley

O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above thy fruited plain

America, America
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea

For beautiful..for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain..majesties
Above the fruited plain...
America!...America!...
God shed His grace..on thee..
And crowned thy good, with brotherhood
From sea...to shining sea...

America!..America!!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea...to..shining..sea!!

AMERICA!!!....

Recordingdate: 1975/12/13, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of America the Beautiful:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Others*

(baton)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with America the Beautiful.

Jerome wrote on June 16, 2008
I'm not even american and still love the song. i'm still waiting for an invitation to perform this at the Super Bowl..
Natha wrote on April 04, 2009
Great song sung by a man whose love for his country is par excellance. It has no political content. (We all know that he kept his political views to himself.) So let's keep away from that and appreciate that the King loved his motherland with so much sincere love and genuine conviction. I appreciate this song very much.
old shep wrote on April 04, 2009
A strong showing of patriotism from Elvis here which like Marmite you either love or hate it. I'm not sure that Elvis' political views were kept to himself as he gave President Nixon some support as we know. I see nothing wrong with expressing the love you have for your country, no matter where your country happens to lye on the map. Myself I'm a Rule Brittania man.
dgirl wrote on April 04, 2009
It was proper when it came in 1976, the 200th anniversary year, but I skip it now.
sitdown68 wrote on April 04, 2009
wasn't it a missed opportunity to get a special single published back then, containing a live version combined with maybe a message by elvis on the flipside. one would hunt it around the world today, or were there way too many pepole doing that? Oh...what about America... and God Bless America on the flipside?
My boy, my boy wrote on April 04, 2009
I really love Elvis's unique voice in the talking part...
JerryNodak wrote on April 04, 2009
I love Elvis' version of this song!
Rob Wanders wrote on October 30, 2009
I skip this one. One of the weakest songs from Elvis in the 70's, in my opinion.
Ton Bruins wrote on October 30, 2009
Absolutely like it ! Fitted Elvis' voice perfectly. There are fantastic Live versions out there now..
GEORGE (GK) wrote on October 30, 2009
Elvis, recorded this song, in the den, at Graceland, courtesy of a mobile recording truck, which was sent, by RCA, to Memphis, to get Elvis, to record some new music. I guess Elvis wasn't satisfied with the home studio version of the song, because the tapes, were erased. Thankfully RCA found a small portion, of the song, and we hear the ending, on the FTD Release, "The Jungle Room Sessions". Later Elvis would perform the song, very often, on stage, his 1976 tours, as a tribute to America's birthday. RCA finally released a live version of this song, as a "B" side in 1977. The "A" side was the "Elvis in Concert" 1977 version or Elvis performing "My Way". Of note, Elvis' version of "My Way" charted higher than Frank Sinatra's original version, on the Billboard pop charts. Elvis various versions of "America" have shown up on various Concert tapes, which have been released on various CDs. Elvis always gave a strong performance, of the song, and did "America" proud, and it finds a nice place in Elvis' Catalog of music.
JimmyCool wrote on October 30, 2009
I like how this song sounds on the "Old Times They Are Not Forgotten" import CD.
NONE000000 wrote on April 11, 2010
Never heard anyone do this song better!
Deano1 wrote on April 11, 2010
A very nice rendering of the "alternate" national anthem with a moving spoken bridge. Not quite as powerful as "An American Trilogy", but it was good enough to have been a single in '76 (definitely a missed opportunity). Elvis performed this song from late '75 through almost the entire year of '76 in concert and it would have been an ideal way to promote his tours and celebrate the U.S.A.'s 200th birthday. It was finally released as a single in late '77 as the flipside of "My Way".
Ruthie wrote on April 12, 2010
There is no evidence, statements of any kind, that indicate Elvis supported Nixon. It wouldn't have mattered who was in office at that time since he made the visit for one purpose only. But, again, none of this has anything to do with the song or his performance of it. It is very easy to get side tracked from the subject!
Gorse wrote on January 30, 2013
As stated yet another missed opportunity to bring our man to the fore by releasing an almost certain top 20 US, and global hit record. He uses that powerful ballad voice, and massive vocal finish, that makes even this Englishman feel patriotic.
sugartummy wrote on February 23, 2013
I can't stand the God bless America s--t. But now I know it's for the 200th anniversary, it makes sence. Still hate it though.
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