Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Michigan, my Michigan 1902 (Bonus)


To the tune "Lauriger Horatius" a.k.a. "O Tannenbaum" a.k.a. "O Christmas Tree".
D - - A7 B7 - / - Em - A7 - D / - - - A7 B7 - / - Em - A7 - D
D - G - Em - / - A7 - - D - / - - - A7 B7 - / - Em - A7 - D

Lyrics here in a Michigan state government-approved PDF

Michigan, My Michigan—1902
Douglas Malloch*

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

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

Glow fair the bosom of thy lakes
Michigan, my Michigan
What melody each river makes
Michigan, my Michigan
As to thy lakes thy rivers tend
Thy exiled ones still to thee send
Devotion that shall never end
Michigan, my Michigan

Rich in the wealth that makes a State
Michigan, my Michigan
Great in the things that make men great
Michigan, my Michigan
Eager the voice that sounds thy claim
Under the golden roll of Fame
Willing the hand that writes the name
Michigan, my Michigan

* The Malloch lyrics have also been set to music by
W. Otto Meissner with a slightly different melody.

To be perfectly accurate, "Lauriger Horatius" is the name of the tune, while "O Tannenbaum" and "O Christmas Tree" are songs set to the tune "Lauriger Horatius".
What's Lauriger Horatius? Here are links to all you need to know, including Latin words and sheet music:
https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/4351
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/images/modeng/public/PaxHand/PaxHaf05.jpg

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