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The Utah State Song

Utah, We Love Thee

words and music by Evan Stephens

    Land of the mountains high, Utah, we love thee
    Land of the sunny sky, Utah, we love thee! 
    Far in the glorious West, Throned on the mountain's crest, 
    In robes of statehood dressed, Utah, we love thee!
 
    Columbia's newest star, Utah, we love thee,
    Thy lustre shines afar, Utah, we love thee! 
    Bright in our banner's blue, Among her sisters true, 
    She proudly comes to view, Utah, we love thee!

    Land of the Pioneers, Utah, we love thee,
    Grow with the coming years, Utah, we love thee! 
    With wealth and peace in store, To fame and glory soar, 
    Godguarded evermore, Utah, we love thee!

Adoption of State Hymn

Utah, We Love Thee Utah State Library Division Look closer

The history of "Utah, We Love Thee" goes back over 100 years! Before it was the official state hymn of Utah, it served for over 85 years as the official state song of Utah.

The author of "Utah, We Love Thee", Evan Stephens, was born in Pencader, South Wales, and emigrated to Utah with his parents in 1866. He was about 11 or 12 years old at the time.

In adulthood, Evans secured himself as a prominent local musician. He was Latter Day Saints Tabernacle Choir conductor from 1890-1916 and he served as the chairman of the music committee for the Utah statehood program. He wrote "Utah, We Love Thee", in 1895, to be sung at the inauguration exercises when Utah became a state on January 4, 1896. The song, with words and music written by Evan Stephens, was published by the Deseret Sunday School Union, Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1917.

The song, "Utah, We Love Thee", written by Evan Stephens, was adopted by the State Legislature as the official state song on February 17, 1937, to become effective on February 24, 1937. The legislation establishing the state song reads, in part:

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Utah:

Section 1. State Song--Utah We Love Thee.
     The song entitled "Utah We Love Thee" by Evan Stephens is selected and designated to be the Utah state song.

Section 2. Effective Date.
     This act shall take effect upon approval.

In 2003, "Utah, We Love Thee" was replaced as the official state song of Utah with a song called "Utah, This Is the Place". This change was initiated by 4th graders at John Cook Elementary School in Syracuse, about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City. State Representative Dana Love sponsored House Bill 223 (HB0223) in the Utah Legislature to replace "Utah, We Love Thee" as the official state song with "Utah, This is the Place" and at the same time make "Utah, We Love Thee" the official state hymn of Utah.

The song, "Utah, We Love Thee", words and music by Evan Stephens, was adopted as the official state hymn of Utah by the Utah Legislature on March 13, 2003.

Utah Code

The following information is excerpted from the Utah Code, Title 63, Chapter 13, Section 5.5. The words are not included within the statute. All of Utah's state symbols are group-listed in one section of the Utah Code. On December 7, 2004, the online version of the Utah Code, 63-13-5.5, looked like this.

TITLE 63. STATE AFFAIRS IN GENERAL
CHAPTER 63-13. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 63-13-5.5 STATE SYMBOLS

(17) Utah's state hymn is "Utah We Love Thee" by Evan Stephens.

Source: Utah State Web Site, (http://www.state.ut.us), December 7, 2004
Source: Utah State Legislature, (http://le.utah.gov/), December 7, 2004
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Copyright 2002
Source: State Songs America, Edited by M.J. Bristow, Copyright 2000
Source: State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols by George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., Copyright 1938

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