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 鈥淥ur Great Virginia鈥� the 鈥渢raditional鈥� state song, and 鈥淪weet Virginia Breeze鈥� the 鈥減opular鈥� song of the commonwealth.
The old song, 鈥淐arry Me Back to Old Virginny” became the song emeritus聽in 1997聽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 鈥� an old scallop).
LISTEN:
Sweet Virginia Breeze:
Our Great Virginia:
