Proud to be an American... and a Canadian? The Secret History of Lee Greenwood's Other Anthem

For millions of Americans, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" is more than just a song; it's a cultural touchstone. Released in 1984, its powerful chorus has echoed through stadiums, political rallies, and moments of national reflection for decades, cementing its place as a quintessential patriotic anthem. But what if this icon of American identity had a secret, nearly identical twin from the Great White North?

It sounds like a joke, but it's a strange and fascinating piece of music history. In 1989, Lee Greenwood took his signature song, swapped out the American geography, and recorded "God Bless Canada."

A Northern Twist for a Southern Tune

The story begins not with a burst of Canadian patriotism, but with a tourism campaign. In the late 1980s, the "Canada Loves You" tourism initiative sought a powerful jingle to attract American visitors. They approached Greenwood, whose song was a massive hit, and offered him $15,000 to rework his anthem for a Canadian audience. The result was a track that kept the melody and soaring sentiment of the original but tailored the lyrics to a Canadian landscape.

From the Plains of Texas to the Plains of Saskatchewan

The lyrical changes are a direct, almost comical, one-for-one swap of North American landmarks. The famous opening lines were transformed to reflect Canadian geography:

• "From the lakes of Minnesota" became "From the lakes of Manitoba."
• "To the hills of Tennessee" became "To the hills of Calgary."
• "Across the plains of Texas" became "Across the plains of Saskatchewan."

The roll call of American cities was also replaced with Canadian counterparts:

• "From Detroit down to Houston and New York to L.A." was changed to "From Vancouver to Toronto, from Montreal to St. John's Bay."

Greenwood even recorded the song in both English and French to appeal to a wider Canadian audience, proving his commitment to the project.

A Gesture of Goodwill?

When news broke of the Canadian version, some Americans felt it was a betrayal that cheapened the original's patriotic message. Greenwood, however, saw it differently. He viewed it as a gesture of goodwill between neighboring countries, promoting a sense of continental unity. As he told the Deseret News in 1989:

I didn't think twice about it... It's all North America, isn't it? It is a song about the land, the people and the pride. It's not a song that's political.

For Greenwood, the core message of pride in one's homeland was universal, and the specific locations were interchangeable. It was a business decision and a diplomatic one, not a dilution of his American pride.

A Curious Footnote in Music History

Today, "God Bless Canada" exists mostly as a piece of internet trivia, a surprising "what if?" that pops up in forums and articles. You can easily find and listen to the recording online, where it often elicits amusement from Canadians and surprise from Americans. The song serves as a fascinating case study in the intersection of art, patriotism, and commerce. It reminds us that even our most cherished cultural symbols can have unexpected, and sometimes international, backstories.

So the next time you hear the familiar strains of "God Bless the USA," you might just find yourself humming about the hills of Calgary and the plains of Saskatchewan—a testament to a time when one of America's most patriotic songs briefly crossed the border.

Sources

• Deseret News: Greenwood changes tune so that words fit Canada
• AllMusic: Lee Greenwood Biography
• Taste of Country: The Story Behind Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the U.S.A.'