"Hail, Pennsylvania!" () is a song written by Edgar M. Dilley (Class of 1897) as a submission to a
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
alumni committee-sponsored contest to write a song to the tune of "
God Save the Tsar!", the national anthem of
Imperial Russia
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* ...
, by
Alexei Fyodorovich Lvov. Dilley was awarded $25 for creating it.
[George Nitzsche - Pennsylvania in Song and Music: Origin of Some of the Classics - Franklin Field Illustrated Volume 25: Number 3 October 19th 1940] It served as the
regional anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...
of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
until 1990 and now serves as the municipal anthem of
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the ...
.
History
Dilley was an assistant director with the
University of Pennsylvania Glee Club at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. The piece was first performed by his group at its annual concert at the Academy of Music in 1895.
For many years, the song was performed at
Franklin Field, when the football team suffered a loss. The song is presently performed at University functions and sporting events by the
University of Pennsylvania Band and The University of Pennsylvania Glee Club.
Aside from becoming the alma mater of the University of Pennsylvania, the song also serves as the official song of
Lackawanna County. Also, until 1990, the song served as the official song for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, West ...
.
Lyrics
:Hail! Pennsylvania!
:Noble and strong;
:To thee with loyal hearts,
:We raise our song.
:Swelling to Heaven loud,
:Our praises ring;
:Hail! Pennsylvania,
:Of thee we sing!
:Majesty as a crown
:Rests on thy brow;
:Pride, Honor, Glory, Love,
:Before thee bow.
:Ne'er can thy spirit die,
:Thy walls decay;
:Hail! Pennsylvania,
:For thee we pray!
:Hail! Pennsylvania!
:Guide of our youth;
:Lead thou thy children on
:To light and truth;
:Thee, when death summons us,
:Others shall praise,
:Hail! Pennsylvania,
:Thro' endless days!
[Songs of the University of Pennsylvania: Brought under one cover by William Otto Miller '04. Fourth edition revised by the Musical Club and published by the Houston Club of the University of Pennsylvania. The Press of the University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: 1923.]
References
Further reading
*Cheney, Edward Potts. ''History of the University of Pennsylvania, 1740-1940''. (1940.)
*George Nitzsche - Pennsylvania in Song and Music: Origin of Some of the Classics - Franklin Field Illustrated Volume 25: Number 3 October 19, 1940
External links
Hear the song, as performed by The University of Pennsylvania BandUniversity of Pennsylvania ArchivesThe Practical Pennsylvanian
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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
University of Pennsylvania
American college songs
Alma mater songs
Music of Pennsylvania
1897 songs
Songs about Pennsylvania