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The Nebraska State Song

Beautiful Nebraska

words by Jim Fras and Guy Gage Miller and music by Jim Fras

    Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairie land.
    Laced with many rivers and the hills of sand:
    Dark green valleys cradled in the earth,
    Rain and sunshine bring abundant birth.

   CHORUS:
    Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
    You will find a rainbow reaching to the ground:
    All these wonders by the Master's hand:
    Beautiful Nebraska land.

    We are so proud of this state where we live.
    There is no place that has so much to give.

   CHORUS:
    Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
    You will find a rainbow reaching to the ground:
    All these wonders by the Master's hand.
    Beautiful Nebraska land.

Adoption of State Song

Jim Fras, a Russian refuge, arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1952. Eight years later, in 1960, he composed "Beautiful Nebraska". He is said to have composed the original piece in an hour. According to Mr. Fras, "I was lying in a pasture and words just came to me... Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairie land. Laced with many rivers and the hills of sand..."

Though the song seemed to come from divine inspiration, it took seven years of campaigning to move the Nebraska Legislature to adopt "Beautiful Nebraska" as the official state song. Many songs were considered carefully by the Legislature and debate was plentiful. Finally, in 1967, Senators Richard Marvel, Jerome Warner, Harold Simpson and Eric Rasmussen introduced Legislative Bill No. 535 designating "Beautiful Nebraska" as the official state song of Nebraska. The Bill was approved by a 31 to 4 vote.

The song, "Beautiful Nebraska", words by Jim Fras and Guy Gage Miller and music by Jim Fras, was adopted as the official state song of Nebraska on June 21, 1967 when Governor Norbert Tiemann signed the legislation.

Nebraska Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the Nebraska Statutes, Chapter 90, Section 111.

CHAPTER 90. SPECIAL ACTS
SECTION 111.

90-111 State song; Beautiful Nebraska. The song Beautiful Nebraska with words and music by Jim Fras is hereby adopted as the Nebraska state song.

    Source:
    Laws 1967, c. 613, § 1, p. 2060; R.R.S.1943, § 84-728.

Source: Nebraska State Web Site, (http://www.state.ne.us), December 2, 2004
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

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