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US State Songs
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List of all of the official state songs with words, their history and
adoption information.
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Ohio Symbols
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Ohio State Song
"Beautiful Ohio"
Written by Ballard MacDonald
Special lyrics by Wilbert B. McBride
Composed by Mary Earl
Adopted in 1969.
"Beautiful Ohio" was adopted in 1969.
"Beautiful Ohio"
I sailed away;
Wandered afar;
Crossed the mighty restless sea;
Looked for where I ought to be.
Cities so grand, mountains above,
Led to this land I love.
Chorus
Beautiful Ohio, where the golden grain
Dwarf the lovely flowers in the summer rain.
Cities rising high, silhouette the sky.
Freedom is supreme in this majestic land;
Mighty factories seem to hum in tune, so grand.
Beautiful Ohio, thy wonders are in view,
Land where my dreams all come true!
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Original Chorus as written by Ballard MacDonald
Drifting with the current down a moonlit stream
While above the Heavens in their glory gleam
And the stars on high
Twinkle in the sky
Seeming in a paradise of love divine
Dreaming of a pair of eyes that looked in mine
Beautiful Ohio, in dreams again I see
Visions of what used to be.
Origin of Song:
Beautiful Ohio" became the state song in 1989. The music was composed by Mary Earl, and the original lyrics were written by Ballard MacDonald. In 1989, the Ohio legislature adopted an amendment to section 5.09 of the Ohio Revised Code that changed the words of the state song. The new lyrics are the work of Youngstown attorney Wilbert McBride. Ohio Revised Code describing the State Song: (1989 S 33, eff. 11-6-89; 1989 H 457)
Ohio Statutes
§ 5.09 State song.
Text of Statute
The song, "Beautiful Ohio," is hereby adopted as the official song of the state, the lyric being written by Ballard MacDonald, with special lyrics by Wilbert B. McBride, and the music being composed by Mary Earl. The special lyrics are as follows:
I sailed away;
Wandered afar;
Crossed the mighty restless sea;
Looked for where I ought to be.
Cities so grand, mountains above,
Led to this land I love.
Chorus
Beautiful Ohio, where the golden grain
Dwarf the lovely flowers in the summer rain.
Cities rising high, silhouette the sky.
Freedom is supreme in this majestic land;
Mighty factories seem to hum a tune, so grand.
Beautiful Ohio, thy wonders are in view,
Land where my dreams all come true!
History
HISTORY: 133 v H 457 (Eff 10-14-69); 143 v S 33. Eff 11-6-89
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State Songs
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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. |
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