No Virginia, There Is No State Song…Yet
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iStock/Thinkstock(RICHMOND, Va.) — Virginia is still in search of a new state song. The longtime state song, “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny,” was retired 18 years ago because of its references to “massa” and “darkey.”
Virginia’s General Assembly recently narrowed down the new state song to two finalists: “Virginia, the Home of My Heart,” by Richmond native Susan Greenbaum; and “Our Great Virginia,” in which New York writer Mike Greenly kind of cheats and invents new lyrics to the folk song “Oh, Shenandoah” to honor Old Dominion.
The Washington Post has come up with its own list of picks for Virginia’s state song. In a very small, unscientific poll, the newspaper lists readers’ choices, followed by the songwriter and/or performer, and the Virginia locale from which they hail:
“Learn to Fly,” by Foo Fighters w/founder Dave Grohl (Springfield): 25 percent
“Sweet Dreams,” by Patsy Cline (Winchester): 21 percent
“Happy,” by Pharrell Williams (Virginia Beach): 16 percent
“Sweet Virginia Breeze,” by Robbin Thompson (Richmond): 10 percent
“Work It,” by Missy Elliott (Portsmouth): 10 percent
“Virginia the Home of My Heart,” by Susan Greenbaum (Richmond): nine percent
“The Way It Is,” by Bruce Hornsby (Williamsburg): seven percent
“Love Won’t Let Me Wait,” by Major Harris (Richmond): one percent
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