Illinois (state song)
Encyclopedia
"Illinois" is the official state song of the U.S. state
of Illinois
. Written by Charles H. Chamberlain and composed by Archibald Johnston, "Illinois" became the state song by an act of the 54th Illinois General Assembly
(1925).
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Written by Charles H. Chamberlain and composed by Archibald Johnston, "Illinois" became the state song by an act of the 54th Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
(1925).
Lyrics
- 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 LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's name appears, GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and LoganJohn A. LoganJohn Alexander Logan was an American soldier and political leader. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He served the state of Illinois as a state senator, congressman and senator and was an unsuccessful candidate for Vice President...
, and our tears, Illinois, Illinois, - Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.