Music

I love the patriotic season! I start feeling it on Memorial Day when our hearts are turned to those who have given so much, and sometimes all, for our blessed country. In fact I love hearing patriotic music any day of the year.

My father, Jacob Kapp Jr., was a great patriot and passed those feelings along to his children. He saw his two younger brothers go off to war and later saw one of them return from Italy (1944) seriously injured in his arm, knee, hand, wrist and the right side of his leg, requiring two years of surgeries and therapies at Bushnell Army Hospital in Brigham City, Utah. This experience sparked a strong patriotic response in my Dad to the end of his life, and we children felt it and honored it. My grandfather, Jacob Kapp Sr., a Dutch immigrant who came to Zion when he joined the LDS church as a teenager, felt a deep appreciation and pride for his sons who fought honorably for his new country.

Our country at present is going through challenging times, and I like to remember the words of President Harold B. Lee urging us to keep in mind the great destiny of our country:

     Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may
heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster,
and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men
whom God raised up, will never fail. . . . I plead with you not to preach
pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. . . .
It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may
yet have to pass through. . . . You must remember . . . that this church
is one of the most powerful agencies for the progress of the world and
we should all sound with one voice. We must tell the world how we feel
about this land and this nation and should bear our testimonies about
the great mission and destiny that it has. (1)

Over a decade and a half ago when I was writing patriotic songs with Orrin Hatch, we needed one more upbeat song to complete an album we were planning to record. My young Primary-aged granddaughters were visiting us one day when I said to them, “If one of you gives me a great title for a patriotic song, I’ll give you $50.” Little Rachel shouted out, “America Rocks!” I loved that title and had always wanted to write a rock song so I mentioned it to Orrin and he liked it too. Together we came up with a song by that title that has been sung every year at BYU’s Marriott Center by a five-thousand-voice choir of fifth graders from the valley who form an American flag in their red, white and blue shirts that fills the whole north side of the Marriott Center. It is an awesome sight and it is obvious how much they enjoy singing it! (Yes, I paid Rachel!)

Click here to listen to “America Rocks” 

America Rocks

(from the album “Heal Our Land”)

Words & Music by Orrin G. Hatch/Janice Kapp Perry)

Vocals: Randy Porter and children’s choir

If you see a great big smile lighting up my face
It’s because I know I live in a downright wonderful place
When I see red, white and blue my heart turns inside out
From a feeling deep inside that makes me want to shout:

Chorus:
America rocks! America rocks
From its busy bustling cities
To its quiet country walks
It’s totally cool! It’s totally hot!
I mean it’s like right there at the top
America rocks! America rocks! America rocks!

If you see my happy feet just can’t be still
It’s because a good parade and a band can give me a thrill
When I see them marching by my arms begin to swing
When I hear the “Stars and Stripes” it makes me want to sing:

     (Repeat chorus)

When you hear my happy voice singing clear and strong
Maybe you could join right in and we’ll all be singing along
When we sing allegiance to this country that we love
We can let the whole world know we’re feeling great because:

(Repeat Chorus

America rocks! America rocks, rocks, rocks! America rocks!

The role of home and family in promoting patriotism cannot be overstated. Many of the attributes that are so important within a familyfairness, respect, loyalty, sacrificeare all-important in the larger world as well. Within the church we also have a special responsibility to convey to our families the special role of the United States as the place where the gospel could be restoreda land “choice above all other lands,” which the Lord “preserved for a righteous people” (Ether 2:7).

In our dinner table conversations, in our family prayers, and in our home evening lessons, our families should feel the relationship between love of country and love of righteousness.

Click here to listen to  “God Bless Our Homes and Families”

God Bless Our Homes and Families

(from the album “Heal Our Land”)
Words & Music by Orrin G. Hatch/Janice Kapp Perry

Vocals: Johanne Frechette Perry & children’s chorus

Where does the love of freedom begin
Where does the love of liberty start
How can we hope to kindle the flame
That burns in a patriot’s heart
How will our children learn to have faith
How will they see that virtue is strength
How will they know this glorious land
Is blessed by the pow’r of God’s hand

From the cradle to the grave
We hear sweet freedom’s song
In our homes and families
We learn to sing along

     Chorus:
God bless our homes and families
Help them to boldly stand
For love and light and liberty
In this our chosen land
God bless the parents
To always honor freedom’s creed
God bless the children
To follow where they lead
God bless our homes and families

Where does the love of freedom begin
Where are respect and loyalty learned
How will we keep the passion for peace
That brave men of honor have earned
How will we pass our story along
How can we share democracy’s song
How will we keep the vision alive
That freedom may ever burn bright
If we honor in our homes
Those who for freedom died
We’ll preserve a legacy
Of hope that will survive

(Repeat chorus)

God bless our homes and families

In 1997, President Gordon B. Hinckley gave one of the most powerful and meaningful patriotic addresses I have ever heard, as part of Provo’s Freedom Festival. It was held in BYU’s Marriott Center on a Sunday evening. The theme of the evening was “recognition of and trust in the Almighty, who has guided this nation since its inception.”

President Hinckley stated, “I look upon the Founding Fathers as men who believed in God, as men who prayed to God, as men who recognized God and wished to do His will.

. . . For as long as they lived they acknowledged the hand of the Almighty in the affairs of this republic.” He referred to the words “In God We Trust,” which appear on our coinage and our currency, and to the phrase “One nation under God,” in our Pledge of Allegiance to our flag, and said “There are those in this nation today who would delete all this reference to Deity.” He then forcefully stated:

     Without acknowledgment of deity, without acknowledgment of the Almighty
as the ruling power of the universe, the all important element of personal and
national accountability shrinks and dies. Are we so arrogant as to believe

     that we can get along without Him? We see the manifestation of this
arrogance in the great host of social problems with which we deal these
days. . . problems [that] have resulted in substantial part at least, from failure
to recognize that there is a God to whom someday, each of us must give an
accounting. . . . We are forsaking the Almighty and I fear He is forsaking us. . . .
The Psalmist of old wrote, The counsel of the Lord standeth forever. Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord.’

President Hinckley concluded by saying, “I am convinced that if we are to continue to have the freedoms which came of the inspiration of the Almighty to our Founding Fathers, we must return to the God who is their true author. . . . We need to humble ourselves before Him and seek His guidance in all that concerns matters of state.” Then he invited all in that vast congregation to “lower your heads and close your eyes” as he wished to conclude His remarks with “a few words of solemn prayer.” It isn’t often that we hear our prophet pray for us and the reverent feeling in this gathering was palpable as he spoke the words of his prayer for our country:

Oh God, our Eternal Father, thou who presides over the nations and their
people, we come unto thee in prayer. We thank thee for this great and
sovereign nation of which we are citizens. Touch the minds of those of our
Congress that they shall stand tall and independent in defense of the liberty
of the people. Bless the chief executive. He is our president. Let thy spirit
move upon him to bring to pass those measures which will lift the burdens
of government from the backs of the people and keep this nation under
God, a citadel of freedom standing as an example to all the world. Bless
the Supreme Court of the United States which in recent days has declared
unconstitutional a measure designed to secure the religious liberty of the
people of this nation. May a way be found under thy divine inspiration to
bring to pass another measure which will be sustained by the court. May
thy peace rest upon this nation. May we as a people look to thee and live.
May the benevolent hand of the Almighty protect us from the evil forces of
the world. May humanism and secularism bend to an increased knowledge
of these our Father and our God. May a spirit of brotherhood spread
throughout the land. As we pray to thee, we do so in our manner, and respect
the prayers of others who speak after their manner. That thou wilt hear us all
as we lift our voices in behalf of our beloved nation. Almighty Father, hear
us, guide us, protect us, make us both strong and benevolent before the
world. Forgive us our erring ways. May we turn back to thee in our search
for wisdom, for guidance, for direction, we humbly ask in Jesus’ sacred
name. Amen (2)

Click here to listen to  “Heal our Land”

 Heal Our Land
(from the album “Freedom’s Light”)

Words & Music by Orrin G. Hatch/ Janice Kapp Perry

Vocals: Chorus

Heal our land, please grant us peace today
And strengthen all who lack the faith to call on thee each day
Heal our land, and keep us safe and free
Watch over all who understand the need for liberty

     Chorus:
Heal our land, heal our land
And guide us with thy hand
Keep us ever on the path of liberty
Heal our land, heal our land
And help us understand
That we must put our trust in thee if we would be free

Heal our land, please help us find our way
For in thy word we find our strength if we look up each day
Heal our land, and fill us with thy love
Keep us upon the path of truth that comes from heav’n above

Repeat chorus

Protect us by the power of thy rod
And keep us as one nation under God

Repeat chorus

Janice Kapp Perry: Composer, author, lecturer

(1) Harold B. Lee, Excerpts from a talk given at Ricks College Devotional Assembly, “Have Faith in America,” October 26, 1973.

(2) Gordon B. Hinckley, Excerpts from a Freedom Festival Speech in BYU’s Marriott Center, 1997.

The albums FREEDOM’S LIGHT, HEAL OUR LAND, and I LOVE AMERICA: THE OSMONDS SECOND GENERATION can all be found at www.JaniceKappPerry.com or downloaded from iTunes.