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US State Songs

List of all of the official state songs with words, their history and adoption information.

Michigan Symbols

Michigan Symbols

Bird, Fish, Flag, Flower, Fossil, Game Mammal, Gem, Historical Society, Motto, Nicknames, Reptile, Seal, Soil, Song, Stone, Tree, Unofficial Song, Wild Flower

Michigan Unofficial State Song

"Michigan, My Michigan"

Written by: William Otto Miessner & Douglas M. Malloch.

Adopted: Unofficial State Song

"My Michigan" was named "an" official song (not "the" official song) of the state in 1937.

"Michigan, My Michigan"

A song to thee, fair State of mine,
Michigan, my Michigan;
But greater song than this is thine,
Michigan, my Michigan;
The whisper of the forest tree,
The thunder of the inland sea;
Unite in one grand symphony
Of Michigan, my Michigan.

I sing a State of all the best,
Michigan, my Michigan;
I sing a State with riches blest,
Michigan, my Michigan;
Thy mines unmask a hidden store,
But richer thy historic lore,
More great the love thy builders bore,
Oh, Michigan, my Michigan.

How fair the bosom of thy lakes,
Michigan, my Michigan;
What melody each river makes;
Michigan, my Michigan;
As to thy lakes the rivers tend,
Thy exiled children to thee send
Devotion that shall never end,
Oh, Michigan, my Michigan.

Thou rich in wealth makes a State,
Michigan, my Michigan;
Thou great in things that make us great,
Michigan, my Michigan;
Out loyal voices sound thy claim
Upon the golden roll of fame
Our loyal hands shall write the name
Of Michigan, my Michigan.

Origin of Song:

"Michigan, My Michigan"—known and sung since the Civil War—has long been considered Michigan's "unofficial" state song. Another, "My Michigan," has been all but forgotten except in the records of the Michigan legislature. "My Michigan" was named "an" official song (not "the" official song) of the state in 1937.

Sung to the melody of the Christmas song "O Tannenbaum."

State Songs

Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state legislature as a symbol of the state.

New Jersey does have an unofficial state song, "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen, but it has not yet been approved by the state legislature.

Some states have more than one official state song, and may refer to some of their official songs by other names; for example, Arkansas officially has two state songs, a state anthem, and a state historical song. Also, Virginia does not presently have a state song by that name, but it has given two songs official recognition under other names. Arizona has a song that was written specifically as a state anthem in 1915, as well as the 1981 country hit Arizona, which it adopted as an alternate.