I Love You, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
California's official state song "I Love You, California" was written by F. B. Silverwood, a Los Angeles merchant. The words were subsequently put to music by Alfred F. Frankenstein, a former conductor for the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. It was the official song of expositions held in San Francisco and San Diego in 1915, and was played aboard the first ship to go through the Panama Canal. In 1951, the State Legislature passed a resolution designating it as California's state song. During the years following, several attempts were made to make other songs such as "California, Here I Come" the official state song. Finally, in 1988, "I Love You, California" became the official state song by law. (Source: California State Library)
California State Code states 421.7. "I Love You, California," a song published in 1913 with lyrics by F.B. Silverwood and music by A.F. Frankenstein, is an official state song.
Another song with a similar title, I Love You, China, is an ode to China.
[edit] Lyrics
I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all.
I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.
I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.
Chorus
Where the snow crowned Golden Sierras
Keep their watch o'er the valleys bloom,
It is there I would be in our land by the sea,
Every breeze bearing rich perfume.
It is here nature gives of her rarest. It is Home Sweet Home to me,
And I know when I die I shall breathe my last sigh
For my sunny California.
II.
I love your red-wood forests - love your fields of yellow grain.
I love your summer breezes and I love your winter rain.
I love you, land of flowers; land of honey, fruit and wine.
I love you, California; you have won this heart of mine.
III.
I love your old gray Missions - love your vineyards stretching far.
I love you, California, with your Golden Gate ajar.
I love your purple sun-sets, love your skies of azure blue.
I love you, California; I just can't help loving you.
IV.
I love you, Catalina, you are very dear to me.
I love you, Tamalpais, and I love Yosemite.
I love you, Land of Sunshine, Half your beauties are untold.
[edit] External links
- http://www.library.ca.gov/history/cahinsig.cfm#Heading8 Official State government site, includes MIDI file
- http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10414 mp3 version available for free download at Project Gutenberg
