Illinois State Song

Illinois - Official Illinois State Song

Sung and arranged by The Xtension Chords - Used by permission of Musical Director Chris Rausch

Video by Dale Sinder - At University of Illinois Allerton Park and Urbana-Champaign Campus

The words were written by C.H. Chamberlain.

The music was 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,

Abraham Lincoln's name appears, Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois, Illinois,

Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.
--
In verse four, "Grant" refers to General and 18th President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant. Grant made his family home Galena Illinois in 1860. Following the Civil War Grant lived in Galena until his election as President in 1868. Grant last visited Galena in 1880.
Also in verse four, "Logan" refers to General John Alexander Logan who was born in Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois. Logan served in the Civil War attaining the rank of Brigadier General. After the war Logan was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1867 to 1871, and of the United States Senate from 1871 until 1877 and again from 1879 until his death in 1886. His concern for veterans led him to take part in Illinois' first organized veterans memorial services at Woodlawn Cemetery in Carbondale in 1866. In 1868, he helped found Memorial Day as a national holiday.

Видео Illinois State Song канала Dale Sinder