Go Behind the Lyrics of Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’

Have you ever wondered what prompted Lee Greenwood to write one of the most patriotic songs of all time? Here's the story behind the lyrics to 'God Bless the U.S.A.'

Lee Greenwood released the hit song back in 1984. It would gain more national and international attention following the 1991 Gulf War and the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

The Boot sat down with Mr.Greenwood to ask him about his thought process for coming up with some of the lyrics:

"I wanted to write it my whole life. When I got to that point, we were doing 300 days a year on the road, and we were on our fourth or fifth album on MCA. I called my producer, and I said I have a need to do this. I’ve always wanted to write a song about America, and I said we just need to be more united."

Lee goes on to say:

“It keeps having a different kind of life. I mean during the Gulf War, it was a song of the war for General Schwarzkopf. After Hurricane Katrina, it was a song for life and hope, and then after 9/11, it was a song of unity and rebuilding. It just makes me really proud that I’ve done something for the country and for my family. It’s my family’s heritage."