Official Song of the State of Illinois
"Illinois"
Written by C.H. Chamberlain.
Composed by Archibald
Johnston.
By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois, Illinois,
O'er thy
prairies verdant growing, Illinois, Illinois,
Comes an echo on the breeze,
Rustling through the leafy trees,
And its mellow tones are these, Illinois, Illinois,
And its mellow tones are these, Illinois.
From a wilderness of prairies,
Illinois, Illinois,
Straight thy way and never varies, Illinois, Illinois,
Till upon the inland sea,
Stands thy great commercial tree,
Turning all the
world to thee, Illinois, Illinois,
Turning all the world to thee, Illinois.
When you heard your country calling, Illinois, Illinois,
Where the shot and shell
were falling, Illinois, Illinois,
When the Southern host withdrew,
Pitting
Gray against the Blue,
There were none more brave than you, Illinois, Illinois,
There were none more brave than you, Illinois.
Not without thy wondrous story,
Illinois, Illinois,
Can be writ the nation's glory, Illinois, Illinois,
On
the record of thy years,
Abra'm Lincoln's name appears,
Grant and Logan, and
our tears, Illinois, Illinois,
Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.
The
54th Illinois General Assembly enacted legislation
establishing the State Song.
(source:
Illinois Blue Book, 1983-1984)
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