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Arizona's State Anthem

Arizona Adopted: February 28, 1919

Arizona

words by Margaret Rowe Clifford, music by Maurice Blumenthal

Come to this land of sunshine
To this land where life is young.
Where the wide, wide world is waiting,
The songs that will now be sung.
Where the golden sun is flaming
Into warm, white, shining day,
And the sons of men are blazing
Their priceless right of way.

Chorus:
Sing the song that's in your hearts;
Sing of the great Southwest.
Thank God, for Arizona
In splendid sunshine dressed,
For thy beauty and thy grandeur,
For thy regal robes so sheen.
We hail thee, Arizona,?
Our Goddess and our Queen.

Come, stand beside the rivers
Within our valleys broad
Stand here with heads uncovered,
In the presence of our God!
While all around about us,
The brave, unconquered band
As guardians and landmarks,
The giant mountains stand.

Chorus:

Not alone for gold and silver
Is Arizona great;
But with graves of heroes sleeping,
All the land is consecrate!
O, come and live beside us
However far ye roam
Come, help us build up temples
And name those temples "Homes."

Chorus:

years of service to the State of Arizona

Arizona's State Anthem: Arizona

This song, titled Arizona, was written in 1915 by Margaret Rowe Clifford (1841-1926) and published by the Hatch Music Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Born in Quebec, Canada, Mrs. Clifford move to Arizona in 1896. She was a teacher and was known for her poetry, published in a number of the local papers of Cochise County.

The music is attributed to Maurice Blumenthal ( -1955). Mr. Blumenthal was an attorney and an amateur entertainer. Presumably, he knew something about music.

"Arizona's State Anthem," as it was designated, was adopted by the Fourth Arizona State Legislature and became law on February 28, 1919 without Governor Thomas Campbell's signature.

The act, adopting this song, required that all schools, public institutions, and the Battleship Arizona be furnished with copies by the Commission of State Institutions.

Title in question

As we researched the adoption of Arizona's official state anthem, we came across a discrepancy. The correct title of the song is in question.

Today, the song is most often referred to as the "Arizona March Song."

On the other hand, as can be seen below, the song adopted with the approval of House Bill No. 15 is clearly titled "Arizona."

CHAPTER 28
(House Bill No. 15.)
AN ACT

To provide for the Adoption of a State Anthem Together With the Words and Music of Same, and to provide for the Production, Publication and Distribution of said Anthem, and to Acquire the Copyright in said Anthem, Words and Music to the State of Arizona and Making an Appropriation Therefor.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. That there is hereby adopted one certain march song, entitled "Arizona," words by Margaret Rowe Clifford, Copyright 1915, and music by Maurice Blumenthal, said words and music to be designated as "Arizona's State Anthem," which are as follows:

Come to this land of sunshine
To this land where life is young.
Where the wide, wide world is waiting,
The songs that will now be sung.
Where the golden sun is flaming
Into warm, white, shining day,
And the sons of men are blazing
Their priceless right of way.

Chorus:
Sing the song that's in your hearts;
Sing of the great Southwest.
Thank God, for Arizona
In splendid sunshine dressed,
For thy beauty and thy grandeur,
For thy regal robes so sheen.
We hail thee, Arizona,—
Our Goddess and our Queen.

----------

Come, stand beside the rivers
Within our valleys broad
Stand here with heads uncovered,
In the presence of our God!
While all around about us,
The brave, unconquered band
As guardians and landmarks,
The giant mountains stand.

----------

Chorus:

----------

Not alone for gold and silver
Is Arizona great;
But with graves of heroes sleeping,
All the land is consecrate!
O, come and live beside us
However far ye roam
Come, help us build up temples
And name those temples "Homes."

----------

Chorus:

----------

Section 2. The copyright to the composition is designated in Section 1, of the act, insofar as relates to the production of said composition for public purposes, is and shall be, in and to the State of Arizona. It shall be the duty of the Commission of State Institutions to purchase and acquire an electrotype plate in the form of said composition and music, and to have produced sufficient copies and to furnish all schools and public institutions, and the Battleship Arizona with copies of said composition.

Section 3. There is hereby appropriated out of any money in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated for the purpose of acquiring said copyright in the State of Arizona, the sum of $250.00, and there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $350.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purpose of production, publication and distribution of said anthem as provided by this act.

Section 4. The State Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his warrants upon the fund above appropriated, and the State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to pay such warrant.

Section 5. All acts and part of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

"This bill having remained with the Governor five days, Sundays excluded, and the Legislature being in session, it became law on the twenty-eighth day of February, A. D., 1919."

(Signed) MIT SIMMS.
Secretary of State

Sheet music often includes "March Song" with "Arizona" but is usually conveyed in a contrasting type face leading us to believe that "March Song" is a song descriptor and not part of the title.

The entry in the 1915 Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 3: Musical Compositions lists the song as "Arizona; march song."

Arizona; march song, words by M. R.
Clifford, music by Maurice Blumenthal,
of U. S. ; piano ace. arr. by Ray
Stuart, of U. S. [4708
© Mar. 24, 1915; 2 c. Mar. 25,
1935; E 359551; Margaret Rowe
Clifford, Douglas, Ariz.

Other musical composition entries contained in the Catalog contain similarly formed entries. It seems to us that "march song" is either a compositional descriptor or part of the song title.

We have contacted the United State Copyright Office for clarification.

Currently, we are betting that "march song" is not part of the title. What do you think?

You may purchase the sheet music from the Arizona Capitol Museum here. Contact the Arizona Capitol Museum at 602-926-3666 for further information.

Arizona's alternate state anthem, adopted in 1982, is also titled Arizona. Or, is it I Love Arizona?

Sources...

Mercer, Preston. "Desert Scrapbook." Yuma Daily Sun 31 Jul 1953, Part 2, Page 2. Print.

"Author State Song Passes January 20." Casa Grande Dispatch 29 Jan 1926, 4. Print.

"Chapter 28." Acts, Resolutions and Memorials of the Regular Session Fourth Session of the State of Arizona. Tucson: Acme Publishing Company, 1919. 26-28. Print.

Shankle, George Earlie. State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols. Irvine, Calif.: Reprint Services Corp, Revised edition, 1971.

Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Additional Information

Arizona's State Anthem: Arizona

About the State Songs : Arizona Secretary of State Kid's Page (SOS For Kids).

Arizona Anthems: Office of the Arizona Secretary of State.

State anthems: Complete list of official state anthems from NETSTATE.COM

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Arizona state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

State Songs
of America
Michael J. Bristow

State Songs of America, by Michael J. Bristow. 185 pages. Publisher: Greenwood (February 28, 2000)

State Songs of America provides the music and lyrics for the official songs adopted by the state governments. Arranged alphabetically by state, each song has a single vocal line over a piano accompaniment, with one verse only under the vocal line and remaining verses appearing separately. Each entry includes the date the song was adopted, the name of the composer, and in some instances, a brief history of the song. The book will be a useful reference for those wanting to perform a state song or to find the official songs of other states. Keep in mind that this book was published in 2000 and does not contain later adoptions.

State Songs:
Anthems and Their Origins
John Hladczuk
Sharon Schneider Hladczuk

State Songs: Anthems and Their Origins, by John Hladczuk, Sharon Schneider Hladczuk. 240 pages. Publisher: Scarecrow Press (September 26, 2000)

State Songs: Anthems and Their Origins is a tremendous resource, from which readers will gain insight into the heritage of American statehood. Histories of these songs, biographical information about the composers and lyricists, and background on each song's entrance into status as "official" make this source the most comprehensive in existence. The entries include sheet music, allowing readers to reproduce for themselves the tunes that have proved so important in the history of the Union. Music teachers, history teachers, librarians, and anyone else interested in learning more about the United States will not want to be without State Songs. Organized alphabetically by state. Keep in mind that this book was published in 2000 and does not contain later adoptions.