Woody Guthrie in Will Geer's apartment. Guthrie made his first recordings—several hours of conversation and songs recorded by the folklorist Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress—as well as an album, "Dust Bowl Ballads," for Victor Records in Camden, New Jersey. In February 1940 he wrote his most famous song, "This Land Is Your Land", as a response to what he felt was an overplaying of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" on the radio. Guthrie thought the lyrics were unrealistic and complacent. He adapted the melody from an old gospel song, "Oh My Loving Brother", which had been adapted by the country
Role of music in World War II war song of WWII in the U.S was ""God Bless America"" written by Irving Berlin for a World War I wartime review, but was withheld and later revised and used in World War II. There were many other popular patriotic wartime songs during this time like, ""A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"" by Glenn Miller and "Arms for the Love of America" by once again Irving Berlin in 1941. After successful incorporation of music into the war efforts, more was needed in order to keep hopes alive and stable both back in the U.S and in the Home Front. Various