My Country ‘Tis of Thee

A patriotic song also known as “America”, 1831.
words by Samuel Francis Smith
music: God Save the King, arranged by Henry Tucker

This famous song was written by a Boston clergyman in 1831. It was first performed for a children’s 4th of July celebration. It’s religious content puts it into many hymn books. A clean copy from 1861 and song description are found in “Popular Songs of Nineteenth Century America” by Richard Jackson. Midi notes and mp3 are available at the American Dreams Stephen Foster website.

The sheet music:

My-Country-Tis-of-Thee – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment track:

My-Country-Tis-of-Thee – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. My country! ’tis of thee
    Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing
    Land where my fathers died
    Land of the pilgrims pride
    From every mountain side let freedom ring
  2. My native country! thee
    Land of the noble free, thy name I love
    I love thy rocks and rills
    Thy woods and templed hills
    My heart with rapture thrills, like that above
  3. Let music swell the breeze
    And sing from all the trees, sweet freedom’s song
    Let mortal tongues awake
    Let all that breathe partake
    Let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong
  4. Our fathers’ God! to Thee
    Author of liberty! to thee we sing
    Long may our land be bright
    With freedom’s holy light
    Protect us by thy might, great God, our King

Sung here by Fred Feild: