Collecting Delaware Books
Our Delaware
Words by George B. Hynson
Music composed by M. S. Brown
Verse 1:
Oh the hills of dear New Castle,
and the smiling vales between,
When the corn is all in tassel,
And the meadowlands are green
Where the cattle crop the clover,
And its breath is in the air,
While the sun is shining over
Our beloved Delaware.
Chorus
Oh our Delaware!
Our beloved Delaware!
For the sun is shining over
our beloved Delaware,
Oh our Delaware
Our beloved Delaware!
Here's the loyal son that pledges,
Faith to good old Delaware.
Verse 2:
Where the wheat fields break and billow,
In the peaceful land of Kent,
Where the toiler seeks his pillow,
With the blessings of content
Where the bloom that tints the peaches,
Cheeks of merry maidens share,
And the woodland chorus preaches
A rejoicing Delaware.
Verse 3:
Dear old Sussex visions linger,
Of the holly and the pine,
Of Henlopen's Jeweled finger,
Flashing out across the brine
Of the gardens and the hedges,
And the welcome waiting there,
For the loyal son that pledges
Faith to good old Delaware.
Verse 4 (new):
From New Castle's rolling meadows,
Through the fair rich fields of Kent,
To the Sussex shores hear echoes,
Of the pledge we now present
Liberty and Independance,
We will guard with loyal care,
And hold fast to freedom's presence,
In our home state Delaware.
New Stanza for Our Delaware
About 1960, a movement was started to create a fourth stanza for the state song OurDelaware. The jacket for a 33 rpm record illustrated here tells the story. The new stanza was adopted by the legislature.
Side 1 of this 7-inch record contain the original version of Our Delaware played by Delaware Music Camp Orchestra and the new stanza sung by the Delaware Music Camp Small Choir.
Side 2 had The Star Spangled Banner by the Delaware Music Camp Orchestra, The Star Spangled Banner by the Delaware Music Camp Male Vocal Ensemble, and America The Beautiful by the Delaware Music Camp Small Choir.
The Delaware State Archives has this record. Click this link and then "Access this item" to hear the new stanza sung by the Delaware Music Camp Small Choir.