State Song Of West Virginia
“West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”, “The West Virginia Hills”, “This Is My West Virginia” Those 3 Songs Are The Official State Song Of West Virginia. Each of these three songs had received an official Status Of West Virginia State Song From the State Legislature over the years.
“West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”
This song was adopted as the first official state song in 1947. This State Song Of West Virginia was composed by Col. Julian G. Hearne, Jr., a Wheeling native, attorney, and career military officer.
Lyrics to “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”
West Virginia my home, sweet home
My heart beats with lasting love for you
Where my roots are so deep, where my forefathers sleep
Where the kinfolks and friends are staunch and true;
Where the Blue of the North, and the Grey of the South
Long have blended in perfect harmony
Where the East meets the West, and derives from each the best
That’s West Virginia, home, sweet home for me!
VERSE 2
West Virginia my home, sweet home
Where mountains and hills and valleys, too
And the orchards, the farms, timberlands, all have charms
And the factories and mines are on review;
There I work, and I play, and I worship Sunday
In that land where the mountaineers are free
Other states are OK, it’s a grand old USA
But West Virginia’s home, sweet home for me!
“The West Virginia Hills”
In 1961, an edited and approved version of “The West Virginia Hills” was also made an official West Virginia State Song. In 1962, “The West Virginia Hills,” with words by Ellen Ruddell King and music and chorus by Henry Everett Engle, was completed in 1885 in Gilmer County.
“This Is My West Virginia”
This song was named the official Centennial Song of West Virginia. Understandably, this resulted in considerable confusion. It Was Written by Charleston musician and performer Iris Bell in 1962.
Lyrics to “This Is My West Virginia”
This is my West Virginia, the home of all my family,
And the faces of her people ever glow with loyalty;
The honest sweat born of honest toil is the only way they know
Here in my West Virginia, the home that I love so.
This is my West Virginia, her beauty makes my spirit whole,
In the times of dread and anguish it calms my fevered soul;
I lift mine eyes unto these hills and they give me power to go on
Here in my West Virginia, where I was born.
This is my West Virginia, and free her sons will always be
We will stand behind our principles as in 1863
Her pride will live and her strength will grow
Til her mountains turn to dust;
This is my West Virginia the land that I trust.
This is my West Virginia, these hills that guard my liberty
And her flag proclaims the legend “Mountaineers are always free.”
Where-e’er I go she will call to me through the world in which I roam
This is my West Virginia, my land, my home.
To resolve the matter, all three songs were declared official and equal by House Concurrent Resolution No. 19, adopted by the State Legislature on February 28, 1963. The Secretary of State’s office is the guardian of the official versions.
