Vande Mataram the novel containing it was banned by the British government, but workers and general public defied the ban, many went to colonial prisons repeatedly for singing it, and the ban was overturned by the Indians after they gained independence from the colonial rule. In 1950 (after India's independence), the first two verses of the song were declared the "national song" of the Republic of India, distinct from the national anthem of India, "Jana Gana Mana". The first two verses of the song are an abstract reference to one's mother and motherland, they do not mention any Hindu deity by name,
I Exalt Thee chance encounter at Benson Records. Goss went on to co-produce, arrange, and co-write many of Driscoll's songs and albums, and performed with him live on a number of occasions. I Exalt Thee I Exalt Thee is a 1983 album by trumpeter and singer Phil Driscoll. It was released in 1983 on LP by Sparrow Records. The album was released on cassette in 1988. In addition to its regular CD release, in 1998 Driscoll re-performed and re-recorded the album under his own label, adding another track "I Will Bless the Lord", with the title "I Exalt Thee: 1998". The album received