La prima versione di God Bless America fu scritta nel 1834 da Robert Montgomery Bird,
si trattava di una poesia-preghiera ancora non pensata per essere messa in musica,
divenne invece un inno con la seconda versione scritta da Irving Berlin nel 1918.
E' considerato come un autentico "alter ego" dello Star Spangled Banner.
1834
God bless the land that gave us birth!
No pray'r but this know we.
God bless the land, of all the earth,
The happy and the free.
And where's the land like ours can brave
The splendor of the day.
And find no son of hers a slave?
God bless America!
God bless the land, the land beloved
Forever and for aye!
God bless the land that gave us birth.
God bless America!
1918
While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
God bless America, land that I love,
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America, my home sweet home.
God bless America, my home sweet home.

Prima di una World Series della Major League Baseball disputata dai Texas Rangers.
L'interpretazione di Celine Dion al Superbowl NFL 2003, vinto dai Buccaneers sui Texas Cowboys.