America the Beautiful

Hillsdale College’s choir sings “America the Beautiful [arr. By Frank La Rocca].
James A. Holleman, Music Director | Debra Wyse, Accompanist/Assistant Conductor

America the Beautiful
By Katharine Lee Bates, 1913

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

America the Beautiful - Ward/Bates arr. Frank LaRocca
Copyright Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Inc.
Used by Permission

[FrankLaRocca]

As the composer of this arrangement, I am honored and humbled by the many kind comments.  Thank you. Congratulations to Hillsdale College for creating such an inspiring video.

[hobabby]

God bless and keep our country free. Such a beautiful reminder of what our country stood for.

[AThriftInTime]

Absolutely beautiful! Thank you Hillsdale College for this visual reminder of our heritage & the blessings we've received as Americans.

[annarounseville]

Well done, Hillsdale College Choir and director/conductor. Beautiful edits for the visuals also. Bravo/Brava, and thank you.

[biggrex]

Amazing, "Beautiful harmonizing" describing this rendition would be an understatement, video nicely compliments it too. @ 1:14, that's where I was at 5am this July 4th to catch the sunrise and take some photos from that view

[inocencianieves]

😢😥😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 can not stop crying, what ever happened to our country. So, much pain, anger and racism 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[phoenixxryzin]

This is why I will hang my American flag out tomorrow. Not for the Washington politicians, not for the rich, powerful and celebrities, but for the ordinary USA citizens, the grassroots hardworking, responsible and family loving Americans who have made our USA - our home - great. God bless America for our ideals that still ring true.

[newboland]

This is the united states of america
land of freedom, land of opportunity, land of the brave and the land of the people.

god bless america

[KellyMillerldspoetry]

It's been 240 years since we declared our independence. Through blood, sweat, and tears, we freed man to his conscience.

[KeikArkinshock]

Nothing has moved me in tears as much as this. With the imagery and the beautiful choir voices, it makes me feel proud of the good things in America.

[dogloverlcp]

the best version of this beautiful song I've ever heard

[davidhull]

I am astounded by the 45 dislikes (so far). How do you dislike this? There is something really wrong with your soul to dislike something so beautiful. Probably self loathers. Really beautiful version of "America the Beautiful" and wonderful imagery from all across the fruited plain. Well done, Hillsdale!

[johnathanreynolds]

Hillsdale college, I truly appreciate this! God bless!

[TheMotz]

What the world doesn't see is that most of the time America really is like this.

[laydebugg]

Dear Lord I pray we bring back the America we have lost.

[bill]

Is it okay if I just sit here and cry for a while? America is under sustained attack from within and from without and the contrast with this beauty is just too much to bear. Someone at Hillsdale sees what I see in her and the battle is hard to fight.

This country is worth saving ... not just as a piece of real-estate or a collection of natural resources, but as a nation - intact and vibrant and whole.

[myrnaleon]

I shed tears whenever I hear this beautiful hymn . America God shed thy grace on thee. 🙏🏼❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[WingedAngels]

This is the most beautiful video I have ever seen, and heard!

[gabe.penfield]

For 245 years, America has been the role model for every other nation on earth. No matter how many other governments are modeled after the United States, the American three branch system remains the best and longest lasting. What the Founding Fathers did over two centuries ago was unbelievable. God bless America!

[DisabusingTheLeft]

What a GORGEOUS performance!!! Very moving. I will listen to this a hundred times this week as part of my Independence Day reflections and celebration. Simply astounding.