Woody Probably Would Have Been More Direct

 ‘This Land’ is not his song: Woody Guthrie’s family rejects Josh Hawley’s use of lyrics

Story by Judy Kurtz • 6h ago

The family of the singer behind the classic tune, “This Land is Your Land” has a message for Sen. Josh Hawley: This song is not your song to “co-opt.”

‘This Land’ is not his song: Woody Guthrie’s family rejects Josh Hawley’s use of lyrics

‘This Land’ is not his song: Woody Guthrie’s family rejects Josh Hawley’s use of lyrics

The Missouri Republican referenced the 1940 folk music hit by Woody Guthrie last week when introducing the This Land is Our Land Act, S. 684, which would “ban Chinese corporations and individuals associated with the Chinese Communist Party from owning United States agricultural land.”

In a Monday statement to The Kansas City Star, Guthrie’s daughter said the late performer’s family rejected Hawley’s use of the song in legislation.

“In this particular case, the co-opting or parodying of the lyric by those not aligned with Woody’s lyrics — i.e. misrepresentation by autocrats, racists, white nationalists, anti-labor, insurrectionists, etc. — is not condoned,” Nora Guthrie said.

While saying she accepted “This Land is Your Land” being used for political purposes from time to time, Guthrie explained, “We do not consider Josh Hawley in any way a representative of Woody’s values therefore we would never endorse or approve of his reference to Woody’s lyrics.”

**************************************************

Here's what I think Woody would have said to the Missouri Wonder.

(Image from Donaldson Collection/ Getty Images)