1.
By thy rivers gently flowing, ‖: Illinois, :‖
O’er thy prairies verdant growing, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Comes an echo on the breeze.
Rustling through the leafy trees,
And its mellow tones are these, ‖: Illinois, :‖
And its mellow tones are these, Illinois.
2.
From a wilderness of prairies, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Straight thy way and never varies, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Till upon the inland sea,
Stands thy great commercial tree,
Turning all the world to thee, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Turning all the world to thee, Illinois.
3.
When you heard your country calling, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Where the shot and shell were falling, ‖: Illinois, :‖
When the Southern host withdrew,
Pitting Gray against the Blue,
There were none more brave than you, ‖: Illinois, :‖
There were none more brave than you, Illinois.
4.
Not without thy wondrous story, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Can be writ the nation’s glory, ‖: Illinois, :‖
On the record of thy years,
Abraham Lincoln’s name appears,
Grant and Logan, and our tears, ‖: Illinois, :‖
Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.