WASHINGTON — After more than 15 years without a state song, Virginia is on track to get a new one. Two, actually.
The House of Delegates approved a Senate bill Tuesday that designates “Our Great Virginia” the “traditional” state song, and “Sweet Virginia Breeze” the “popular” song of the commonwealth.
The old song, “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” became the song emeritus in 1997 after complaints that it included racist language.
A number of proposals for a new song had come up in the years since, but until now none had stuck.
Other Virginia state symbols include the official bat (Virginia Big-eared), insect (Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly), dog (American Foxhound), beverage (milk), fleet (replicas of the Susan Contant, Godspeed and Discovery on display in Williamsburg) and fossil (Chesapecten Jeffersonius – an old scallop).
LISTEN:
Sweet Virginia Breeze:
Our Great Virginia:
