![]() The original sheet music of "Maryland, My Maryland" | |
Regional anthem of Maryland | |
Lyrics | James Ryder Randall, 1861 |
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Music | Melchior Franck, 1615 |
Adopted | April 29, 1939 |
Relinquished | May 18, 2021 |
Succeeded by | None |
Audio sample | |
"Maryland, My Maryland" (instrumental) |
"Maryland, My Maryland" was the state song of the U.S. state of Maryland from 1939 until 2021.[1] The song is set to the melody of "Lauriger Horatius"[2] — the same tune "O Tannenbaum" was taken from. The lyrics are from a nine-stanza poem written by James Ryder Randall (1839–1908) in 1861. The state's general assembly adopted "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state song on April 29, 1939.[3]
The song's words refer to Maryland's history and geography, specifically mentioning several historical figures of importance to the state. Written at the beginning of the Civil War, it was used across the Confederacy as a battle hymn.[4] It has been called America's "most martial poem".[5]
Due to its origin in reaction to the Baltimore riot of 1861 and Randall's support for the Confederate States, it includes lyrics that refer to President Abraham Lincoln as "the tyrant", "the despot", and "the Vandal", and to the Union as "Northern scum". It also mentions Virginia as an ally and includes that state's official motto "Sic semper tyrannis". The slogan was later shouted by Marylander John Wilkes Booth when he assassinated Lincoln.[6][7] After more than ten attempts to change the state song, over 40 years, on March 22, 2021, both houses of the General Assembly voted by substantial margins to abandon "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state song without a replacement. On May 18, 2021, Governor Larry Hogan signed the bill.[1][6]