ILLINOIS (NEXSTAR) – Most people know what their state symbols are, such as the state flag, bird, or even plant. There’s one thing most people can’t recall, and that’s their state song.
It’s no surprise that Illinois is one of 48 states in the nation with a state song. While almost every state song contains the name of the state in the title (with some adding a word or two for variety), Illinois is not one of those states.
Its state song is titled “Illinois,” and its lyrics were written by Civil War veteran Charles H. Chamberlin in 1893. Verses were set to the tune of a song named, “Baby Mine” by Archibald Johnson.
The song’s lyrics can be viewed below:
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.
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.
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.
Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.
In 1966, Win Stracke, a Chicago folk musician and co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music, wrote two more verses of the song for the 1968 Illinois Sesquicentennial:
Eighteen-eighteen saw your founding, Illinois, Illinois,
And your progress is unbounding, Illinois, Illinois,
Pioneers once cleared the lands,
Where great industries now stand. World renown you do command, Illinois, Illinois,
World renown you do command, Illinois.
World renown you do command, Illinois.
Let us pledge in final chorus, Illinois, Illinois
That in struggles still before us, Illinois, Illinois
To our heroes we’ll be true,
As their vision we pursue. In abiding love for you, Illinois, Illinois.
In abiding love for you, Illinois.
In abiding love for you, Illinois.
As a Chicago fixture in music, theater, and television in the 1940s, Stracke was referred to as “Uncle Win” by viewers of his nationally syndicated children’s television show “Animal Playtime” on NBC, which was canceled during the 1950s blacklist, according to Discogs.com.
The 54th Illinois General Assembly passed an act making “Illinois” the official state song in 1925.
