Charles Bradley, “God Bless America” | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 37^th  edition of Lit Music That Lifts, we’re uplifted by the late Charles Bradley performing his rendition of the patriotic classic, “God Bless America.”

Welcome to Lit Music That Lifts (LMTL), or Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 for short! Music Lifts seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the X edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2022), we highlight 🎵 “God Bless America” as performed by the late, great 🎙 Charles Bradley.

“Hello / This is Charles Bradley / A brother that came from the hard licks of life / That knows that America is my home.” 🎙 Charles Bradley (1948 – 2017) –  the Screaming Eagle Of Soul – was a talented, talented man.  Despite experiencing the hard licks of life,  he eventually overcame and became a critically acclaimed solo artist signed to Daptone. 🎵 “God Bless America” appears as the introductory record on his 2016 album, 💿 Changes, which is led by his marvelous, reinterpretation of the 🎙 Black Sabbath gem, 🎵 “Changes”.  Before he wows on “Changes,” or begins singing the familiar lyrics and melody of the patriotic record at hand, Bradley provides spoken commentary about his life and his appreciation and love for America.

“America, you’ve been real honest, hard, and sweet to me / But I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Bradley asserts in the intro, later adding, “America represents love for all humanity and the world /I say it from my heart.” From there, Bradley, his backing band (🎙 Menahan Street Band), and backing vocalists (🎙 Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens) bless us with just a taste of the Irving Berlin patriotic gem.  Rest assured, the Screaming Eagle Of Soul makes the most of this short but utterly inspired record.  Think of this as the churchy, soulful edition.

“God bless America

My home, sweet home

God bless America

My home, sweet home.”

🎙 Charles Bradley • 💿 Changes • 🏷 Daptone • 📅 2016

Charles Bradley, “God Bless America”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 37 (2022) [📷: Arek Socha, Benjamin Balazs, Brent Faulkner, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Daptone, Ketut Subiyanto, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay]