An (Un)familiar Tune: Arlington’s Song
The county's official song, “Arlington,” was adopted unanimously by the county board in October 1970.
Though many may not know the words to this reverential tune, Arlington has had an official song for over 50 years.
The county's official song, “Arlington,” was adopted unanimously by the county board in October 1970. The musical occasion was marked with a performance of the tune by a chorus of the Masons’ International Order of Job’s Daughters, who were dressed in 18th-century period costumes. The Chamber of Commerce later distributed ten thousand copies of the sheet music and lyrics throughout the County.
The song was composed by the Reverend Ernest K. Emurian (1912-2004), who, from 1962 to 1981, was minister of the Cherrydale Methodist Church. In addition to his pastoral duties, Emurian was also known for being a musician, poet, and writer. He wrote geographically inspired tunes about the Virginia cities of Portsmouth, Lynchburg, and Arlington and penned multiple books about national songs and hymns. He said, “If a place is worth living in, it’s worth writing a song about.”
The song caught a second wind in the 20th century when, in 2000, the County Board reintroduced it with a performance featuring some of the daughters of the original Daughters chorus who had performed the song's 1970 debut. What might be called a third resurrection occurred in 2016, when Arlington TV recorded and aired a performance with some of the members of the original 1970 chorus.
Possibly even more obscure than the official song, it is a precursor to that 1970 tune written in 1938. However, this version was never formally adopted as official County music. In August 1938, local Hoffman family orchestra members presented their song, “Arlington,” to the Chamber of Commerce. The tune was composed by Theodore G. Hoffman, who wrote it to " promote the public interest in and welfare of Arlington County.”
Hoffman was a German immigrant who performed with his three sons and who also composed songs used by the U.S. Army during World War II and other patriotic compositions throughout his career. A 1938 article describes the song as a march, with the lyrics paying homage to “businessmen, the neighborly spirit of the homeowners, the healthy climate, the atmosphere of happiness, and the beauty of Arlington scenery.”
A few mainstream songs from recent years also reference Arlington, such as the Foo Fighters’ “Weenie Beenie,” named after the beloved County eatery, or “Arlington” by Fairfax-based band Emmet Swimming off of its 1996 album Arlington to Boston. However, neither of those tunes captures the detail and charming local specificity of the County’s official song.
Images
