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The Tennessee State Public School Song

My Tennessee

words and music by Frances Hannah Tranum

    Beloved state, oh state of mine,
    In all the world I could not find,
    Where God has strewn with lavish hand,
    More natural beauty o'er the land.
    From ev'ry stream and valley green
    His wond'rous art is ever seen.
    Ah, let my heart beat true to thee,
    And swell with pride for Tennessee.

   CHORUS:
    Oh, Tennessee, My Tennessee,
    Thy hills and vales are fair to see,
    With mountains grand, and fertile lands
    There is no state more dear to me.
    Thro' other climes tho I may roam,
    There will be times I'll long for home,
    In Tennessee, Fair Tennessee,
    The land of my nativity.

    The rocks and rills, and wooded hills,
    My mem'ry keeps the childhood thrills
    You gave to me, that I might know
    The joys supreme, you could bestow.
    The song of birds, the whisp'ring trees,
    The low of herds, the hum of bees,
    It all comes back so dear to me,
    My childhood home in Tennessee.

    Your battles fought and vict'ries won,
    Your freedom bought and duty done,
    With daughters fair, and sons so brave,
    To do and dare, their deeds they gave
    Courageously, without a fear
    And won the name of volunteer
    In sacred trust, let those who will,
    By being just, perserve it still.

Adoption of State Public School Song

By Senate Resolution No. 36, approved on July 2, 1931, the Tennessee Senate, of the 67th General Assembly, adopted "My Tennessee" as an official state song. The resolution reads, in part, as follows.

WHEREAS, Frances Hannah Tranum has written a song which has been set to music, which beautifully describes the landscape of our State and the spirit of our people, which song she has given the title, "My Tennessee," therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly That the song entitled "My Tennessee" written by Frances Hannah Tranum, be adopted as the State song for Tennessee.

When the Tennessee Senate approved Resolution No. 36 in 1931, Tennessee already had one state song. "My Homeland, Tennessee" had been adopted as the first state song of Tennessee in 1925. Evidence in a 1933 telegram from Mrs. John Trotwood Moore, State Librarian and Archivist of the Division of Library and Archives, Nashville, suggests that "My Tennessee", as approved in 1931 was not really considered an official state song. In the telelgram, it is mentioned that a ruling of the Assistant Attorney General of the State is that the State song adopted first was still the official State Song of Tennessee. Perhaps this was because "My Tennessee" had only been adopted by the Senate?

It appears that "My Tennessee" was not fully recognized as a state song, as of 1933, even though it had been officially adopted through a legislative act. This seems to have been resolved in 1955 when "My Tennessee was adopted by a Joint Resolution as the official public school song by the 79th General Assembly.

The song, "My Tennessee", words and music by Frances Hannah Tranum, was adopted as the official public school song in 1955. It was adopted by Senate Joint Resolution No. 35 of the 79th General Assembly.

Tennessee Code

The following information is excerpted from the Tennessee General Statutes, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 3, Section 302. The words are not included within the statute.

TITLE 4. STATE GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
PART 3. STATE SYMBOLS
SECTION 302.

4-1-302. State songs. The official songs of this state shall be as follows:

(1) "My Homeland, Tennessee" by Nell Grayson Taylor and Roy Lamont Smith, as adopted by House Joint Resolution 36 in 1925;

(2) "When It's Iris Time In Tennessee" by Willa Mae Waid, as adopted by Acts 1935, chapter 154;

(3) "My Tennessee" by Francis Hannah Tranum, as adopted by Senate Joint Resolution 35 in 1955, as the official public school song in Tennessee;

(4) "The Tennessee Waltz" by Redd Stewart and Pee Wee King, as adopted by Senate Joint Resolution 9 in 1965; and

(5) "Rocky Top" by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, as adopted by Acts 1982, chapter 545.

[Acts 1935, ch. 154, §§ 1, 2; mod. C. Supp. 1950, §§ 107.1, 107.2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 4-107; Acts 1982, ch. 545, § 1.]

Source: Tennessee State Web Site, (http://www.state.tn.us), December 5, 2004
Source: Tennessee General Assembly, (http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/), December 5, 2004
Source: Tennesee Blue Book, (http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/index.htm), December 5, 2004
Source: Tennessee State Symbols, by Rob Simbeck, Copyright 1995
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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