Carry Me Back To Old Virginny

"Carry Me Back to Old Virginia," which the Virginia legislature recently decided to retire as the state song, has inspired a long-running political.
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This earlier song was so popular at one time that it was like an unofficial state song. It is a catchy, rollicking tune, which was popular with bands in the last century. These days, it is a favorite of bands that perform at Civil War reenactments.

Carry Me Back To Old Virginny

In his last days he wants only to be returned to his homeland. In these respects, the early song is similar to the latter one, but its lyrics hold no offensive racial references, because the hero of the tune is a simple oysterman:.

AN 'OLD VIRGINNY' FOR EVERYONE - The Washington Post

Certainly, the song is inoffensive, but it has more than that to recommend it. It also is part of Virginia's history.

Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had to wade across the Potomac from Maryland after having fought to a draw a Union army three times its size. Smarting at the cool reception they had received from local Marylanders and happy to be returning to the Old Dominion, the troops joyfully sang the original "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" they also sang a parody of Maryland's state song, which they wryly renamed "Maryland, Damn Maryland".

Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

Apparently "Old Virginny" was popular with northern troops as well, as it was included in "The American Veteran Fifer," published in by the Grand Army of the Republic, the proud and powerful Union army veterans' association. Rather than whip up some modern composition, Gov. Allen and the legislature in Richmond could choose this agreeable alternative, which should suit all Virginians proud of their state's year history.

The "darkey's" song of "Old Virginia" rightly has been retired, but now the original "Old Virginny" should be carried back from obscurity.

Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go. There's where I labored so hard for old Massa , Day after day in the field of yellow corn; No place on earth do I love more sincerely Than old Virginny, the state where I was born. There's where the cotton and the corn and taters grow; There's where the birds warble sweet in the spring-time. Carry me back to old Virginny, There let me live till I wither and decay. Long by the old Dismal Swamp have I wandered, There's where this old darkey's life will pass away.

Massa and Missis have long gone before me, Soon we will meet on that bright and golden shore. There we'll be happy and free from all sorrow, There's where we'll meet and we'll never part no more. On de floating scow ob ole Virginny, I've worked from day to day, Raking among de oyster beds, To me it was but play; But now I'm old and feeble, An' my bones are getting sore, Den carry me back to ole Virginny To ole Virginny shore.

When I am dead and gone to roost, Lay de old tambo by my side, Let de possum and coon to my funeral go, For dey are my only pride; Den in soft repose, I'll take my sleep, An' I'll dream for ever more, Dat you're carrying me back to ole Virginny, To ole Virginny shore.

The song with "such a pleasurable melody and such discomfiting politics that it has fascinated bandleader Ketch Secor since he was a kid in Virginia" led him to write "Carry Me Back to Virginia," for the group's album. That song came from a story I was told as a kid.


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