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A later Senate amendment proposed to change the word am to has in the two places.
Also in , House Joint Resolution, No. These measures made no progress, however, after being referred to committee.
In , more legislation related to the Virginia state song was introduced, among them Senate Bill No. On January 9, Senate Bill No.
This bill had the effect of maintaining the song as an historical document while retiring "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" as the official state song. It was immediately referred to the Senate Committee on General Laws where a substitute bill was proposed to adopt a modified version of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" as the state song and, at the same time, adopt the original "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" as the state song emeritus.
Also in , House Joint Resolution, No. This didn't work very well and, besides, a big kid took it and broke it into pieces. Smarting at the cool reception they had received from local Marylanders and happy to be returning to the Old Dominion, the troops joyfully sang the original "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" they also sang a parody of Maryland's state song, which they wryly renamed "Maryland, Damn Maryland". A later Senate amendment proposed to change the word am to has in the two places. But now old age it holds me tight my limbs are growing sore, so Carry me back to Old Virginny, to Old Virginny's Shore.
Bland, as set out in the House Joint Resolution 10, adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia at the Session of , is declared to be the official song emeritus of the Commonwealth. The revised version of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" set forth as follows shall be the official song of the Commonwealth:.
The lyric change in this substitute was similar to that suggested by Sentate Bill No. The following information is excerpted from the Code of Virginia , Title 7. The words and the sheet music are included within the statute. Virginia General Assembly, http: Songwriter's Hall of Fame, http: Lions of Virginia District A, http: Shearer and Barbara S.
Shearer, Copyright Source: State Songs America , Edited by M. Bristow, Copyright Source: This earlier song was so popular at one time that it was like an unofficial state song.
It is a catchy, rollicking tune, which was popular with bands in the last century. These days, it is a favorite of bands that perform at Civil War reenactments.
In his last days he wants only to be returned to his homeland. In these respects, the early song is similar to the latter one, but its lyrics hold no offensive racial references, because the hero of the tune is a simple oysterman:. Certainly, the song is inoffensive, but it has more than that to recommend it.
It also is part of Virginia's history. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had to wade across the Potomac from Maryland after having fought to a draw a Union army three times its size. Smarting at the cool reception they had received from local Marylanders and happy to be returning to the Old Dominion, the troops joyfully sang the original "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" they also sang a parody of Maryland's state song, which they wryly renamed "Maryland, Damn Maryland".
Apparently "Old Virginny" was popular with northern troops as well, as it was included in "The American Veteran Fifer," published in by the Grand Army of the Republic, the proud and powerful Union army veterans' association. Rather than whip up some modern composition, Gov. Allen and the legislature in Richmond could choose this agreeable alternative, which should suit all Virginians proud of their state's year history. The "darkey's" song of "Old Virginia" rightly has been retired, but now the original "Old Virginny" should be carried back from obscurity.
"Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" is a song which was written by James A. Bland ( –), an African American who wrote over songs. It is not an. "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia," which the Virginia legislature recently decided to retire as the state song, has inspired a long-running political.