"O Fair New Mexico", 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 the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

was officially selected as the

state song Forty-eight of the fifty U.S. states have one or more state songs, a type of regional anthem, which are selected by each state legislature as a symbol (or emblem) of that particular U.S. state. Some U.S. states have more than one official state ...

in 1917. It was adopted as the state song by an act of the New Mexico legislature, approved on March 14, 1917, as signed by New Mexican governor Washington E. Lindsey. "The New Mexico State Song", NSTATE, LLC, December 2004, web:
-->nm_o_fair_nm.htm Netstate-song-nm

History

The author of the song,

Elizabeth Garrett Helen Elizabeth Garrett, commonly known as Elizabeth Garrett or Beth Garrett (June 30, 1963 – March 6, 2016), was an American professor of law and academic administrator. Between 2010 and 2015, she served as Provost and Senior Vice President ...

, was the daughter of former Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett, the man who killed

Billy the Kid Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at t ...

. "O Fair New Mexico" was composed and copyrighted in 1915 as a ''guardia vieja''-era

tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...

. On March 14, 1917, the New Mexico legislature and then governor Washington E. Lindsey approved the song as the official state song of New Mexico. In 1924, Elizabeth Garret made a recording of the song at Marsh Laboratories in Chicago, released on the

Autograph Records Autograph Records was an American record label in the 1920s owned by Marsh Laboratories of Chicago, Illinois, which was owned by Orlando R. Marsh, an electrical engineer. Marsh made recordings by his own experimental methods. Autograph was the f ...

label (which was owned by Marsh Laboratories). In 1928,

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dist ...

presented then New Mexico governor Governor

Arthur T. Hannett Arthur Thomas Hannett (February 17, 1884 – March 18, 1966) was an American lawyer and politician who rose to become the List of governors of New Mexico, seventh Governor of New Mexico, governor of New Mexico. Biography He was born on Febr ...

with a version of the song arranged as a

march March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...

. Contemporary versions of the state song have been arranged with more of a

New Mexico music New Mexico music ( es, música nuevo mexicana) is a genre of music that originated in the US state of New Mexico, it derives from Pueblo music in the 13th century, and with the folk music of Hispanos during the 16th to 19th centuries in Santa ...

style.

Lyrics

The following are the lyrics for "O Fair New Mexico": ::;First verse :::Under a sky of azure, where balmy breezes blow, :::Kissed by the golden sunshine, is Nuevo México. :::Home of the Montezuma, with fiery hearts a glow, :::State of the deeds historic, is Nuevo México. ::;Chorus :::O fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so :::Our hearts with pride o'erflow , no matter where we go, :::O fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so, :::The grandest state to know, New Mexico. ::;Second verse :::Rugged and high sierras, with deep canyons below; :::Dotted with fertile valleys, is Nuevo México. :::Fields full of sweet

alfalfa Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...

, richest perfumes bestow, :::State of the apple blossoms, is Nuevo México. ::;Chorus ::;Third verse :::Days that are full of heart-dreams, nights when the moon hangs low; :::Beaming its benediction, o'er Nuevo México. :::Land with its bright mañana, coming through

weal The term ''weal'' may refer to: * Happiness, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy * Prosperity, the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune or good social status * Wealth, abundance of valuable resources or m ...

and woe; :::State of our

esperanza Esperanza is the Spanish word for hope, and may refer to: Places Philippines * Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, a municipality * Esperanza, Masbate, a municipality * Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, a municipality United States * Esperanza, Mississippi, ...

, is Nuevo México. ::;Chorus

External links

University of New Mexico, University Libraries - Buckner collection of Elizabeth Garrett materials, 1893-1992

References

{{List of U.S. state songs

Music of New Mexico Tangos Spanish-language songs 1917 songs Songs about New Mexico

History

Lyrics

See also

External links

References