List of U.S. state songs

Forty-nine of the fifty U.S. states that make up the United States of America have one or more state songs, which are selected by each state legislature, and/or state governor, as a symbol (or emblem) of that particular U.S. state. New Jersey has no official state song, while Virginia's previous state song, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", adopted in 1940,[1] was rescinded due to its racist language by the Virginia General Assembly.[2] In 2015, "Our Great Virginia" was made the new state song of Virginia.[3]

Some U.S. states have more than one official state song, and may refer to some of their official songs by other names; for example, Arkansas officially has two state songs, plus a state anthem, and a state historical song. Tennessee has the most state songs, with 9 official state songs and an official bicentennial rap.

Arizona has a song that was written specifically as a state anthem in 1915, as well as the 1981 country hit "Arizona", which it adopted as the alternate state anthem in 1982.[1]

Two individuals, Stephen Foster, and John Denver, have written or co-written two state songs. Foster's two state songs, "Old Folks at Home" (better known as "Swanee Ribber" or "Suwannee River") (for adopted by Florida), and "My Old Kentucky Home" are among the best-known songs in the U.S. On March 12, 2007, the Colorado Senate passed a resolution to make Denver's trademark 1972 hit "Rocky Mountain High" one of the state's two official state songs, sharing duties with its predecessor, "Where the Columbines Grow".[4] On March 7, 2014, the West Virginia Legislature approved a resolution to make Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" one of four official state songs of West Virginia. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the resolution into law on March 8, 2014.[5] Other well-known state songs include "Yankee Doodle", "You Are My Sunshine", "Rocky Top", and "Home on the Range"; a number of others are popular standards, including "Oklahoma!" (from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical), Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind", "Tennessee Waltz", "Missouri Waltz", and "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away". Many of the others are much less well-known, especially outside the state.

Maryland ("Maryland, My Maryland") and Iowa ("The Song of Iowa") use the tune from the song "O Tannenbaum" as the melody to their official state songs.[6]

State songs

State State song Composer(s) Lyricist(s) Year adopted
Alabama
 "Alabama"Mrs. Edna Gockel GussenJulia Strudwick Tutwiler1931[1][7]
Alaska
 "Alaska's Flag"Elinor DusenburyMarie Drake1955[1][8]
Arizona
 State song: "Arizona"Rex Allen and Rex Allen, Jr.Rex Allen and Rex Allen, Jr.1981[1][9]
State anthem: "Arizona March Song"Maurice BlumenthalMargaret Rowe Clifford1919[1][9]
Arkansas
 State anthem: "Arkansas"Eva Ware BarnettEva Ware Barnett1917/1987[1][10]
"Arkansas (You Run Deep in Me)"Wayland HolyfieldWayland Holyfield1987[1][10]
"Oh, Arkansas"Terry Rose and Gary KlaffTerry Rose and Gary Klaff1987[1][10]
State historical song: "The Arkansas Traveler"Sanford Faulkner(Official lyrics by committee, 1947)1949/1987[1][10]
California
 "I Love You, California"Abraham F. FrankensteinF. B. Silverwood1951[1]
Colorado
 "Where the Columbines Grow"A.J. Fynn1915[1][11]
"Rocky Mountain High"John Denver and Mike TaylorJohn Denver2007[12]
Connecticut
 State song: "Yankee Doodle"1978[1][13]
State cantata: "The Nutmeg"2003[1][13]
Delaware
 "Our Delaware"1925[1]
Florida
 Official song: Revised lyrics of "Old Folks at Home (Suwanee River)"Adopted by the Stephen Foster Memorial at the University of Pittsburgh from the original by Stephen Foster2008 (revised lyrics)[14]
1935 (original lyrics)[1]
Official poem: "I Am Florida"Walter "Clyde" OrangeAllen Autry Sr.2013[15][16]
State anthem: "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)"
Jan Hinton2008[17]
Georgia
 "Georgia on My Mind", sung by Ray CharlesHoagy CarmichaelStuart Gorrell1979[1]
Hawaii
 State anthem: "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī"Henri BergerKing David Kalākaua1967[1][18]
Idaho
 "Here We Have Idaho"Sallie Hume Douglas1931[1]
Illinois
 "Illinois"Archibald JohnstonCharles H. Chamberlain1925[19]
Indiana
 "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away"Paul Dresser1913[1]
Iowa
 "The Song of Iowa"S.H.M. Byers1911[1]
Official Companion State Song: "Make Me a World in Iowa"Effie Burt2002[1][20]
Kansas
 "Home on the Range"1947[1]
Official state march: "The Kansas March"1935[1]
Official march: "Here's Kansas"1992[1]
Kentucky
 State song: "My Old Kentucky Home"Stephen Foster1928[1]
Bluegrass song: "Blue Moon of Kentucky"Bill Monroe1988[1][21]
"Kentucky Home Made Christmas"
Louisiana
 "Give Me Louisiana"Doralice Fontane[22]1970[1]
"You Are My Sunshine"Jimmie Davis
(former governor)		1977[1]
State march: "Louisiana My Home Sweet Home"1952[1]
Environmental song: "The Gifts of Earth"[23]
Maine
 "State of Maine Song"Roger Vinton Snow1937[1]
Maryland
 "Maryland, My Maryland"
(to the tune of "O Tannenbaum")		James Ryder Randall1939[1][24]
Massachusetts
 State anthem: "All Hail to Massachusetts"Arthur J. Marsh1981[1][25]
State folk song: "Massachusetts"Arlo Guthrie1981[1][26]
State ceremonial march: "The Road to Boston"1985[1][27]
State patriotic song: "Massachusetts (Because of You Our Land is Free)"Bernard Davidson1989[1][28]
State glee club song: "The Great State of Massachusetts"1997[1][29]
State polka: "Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts"Lenny Gomulka[30]1998[31]
State ode: "Ode to Massachusetts"2000[1][32]
Michigan
 An official state song: "My Michigan"H. O'Reilly ClintGiles Kavanaugh1937[1]
Minnesota
 "Hail! Minnesota"1945[1]
Mississippi
 "Go, Mississippi"
(sometimes called Go Mis-sis-sip-pi)		1962[1]
Missouri
 "Missouri Waltz"melody: John V. Eppel
arranged: Frederic K. Logan		J.R. Shannon1949[1]
Montana
 "Montana"1945[1]
State ballad: "Montana Melody"1983[1]
Nebraska
 Official: "Beautiful Nebraska"Jim Fras and Guy Miller1967[1][33]
Nevada
 "Home Means Nevada"Bertha Rafetto1933[1]
New Hampshire
 Official: "Old New Hampshire"1949[1]
1977
Official: "Live Free or Die"Barry Palmer2007
Honorary: "New Hampshire, My New Hampshire"1963[1]
Honorary: "New Hampshire Hills"1973[1]
Honorary: "Autumn in New Hampshire"1977[1]
Honorary: "New Hampshire's Granite State"1977[1]
Honorary: "Oh, New Hampshire"1977[1]
Honorary: "The Old Man of the Mountain"1977[1]
Honorary: "The New Hampshire State March"1977[1]
Honorary: "New Hampshire Naturally"1983[1][34]
New Jersey
 None[35]N/AN/A
New Mexico
 State song: "O Fair New Mexico"Elizabeth Garrett1917[1]
Spanish state song: "Así Es Nuevo Méjico"Amadeo Lucero1971[1]
State ballad: "Land of Enchantment"1989[1]
Bilingual song: "New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo México"Elizabeth Garrett1995[1]
State cowboy song: "Under New Mexico Skies"Syd Masters2009
New York
 "I Love New York"Steve Karmen1977[36]
North Carolina
 "The Old North State"1927[1]
North Dakota
 "North Dakota Hymn"1947[1]
Ohio
 "Beautiful Ohio"Mary EarlBallard MacDonald (1969)
Wilbert McBride (1989)		1969[1][37]
Rock song: "Hang On Sloopy"The McCoys1985[1][38]
Oklahoma
 Official state song: "Oklahoma"Rodgers and Hammerstein1953[1][39]
Official state waltz: "Oklahoma Wind"1982[1]
State Folk Song: "Oklahoma Hills"Woody Guthrie and Jack Guthrie2001[40][41]
Official state children's song: "Oklahoma, My Native Land"Martha Kemm Barrett1996[42]
Official state gospel song: "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"Wallis Willis2011[43]
Oregon
 "Oregon, My Oregon"J.A. Buchanan and
Henry B. Murtaghin		1927[1]
Pennsylvania
 "Pennsylvania"1990[1]
Rhode Island
 State march: "Rhode Island"1996
State song: "Rhode Island, It's for Me"1996[1]
South Carolina
 "Carolina"Anne Curtis BurgessHenry Timrod
G.R. Goodwin (editor)		1911[1]
"South Carolina on My Mind"Hank Martin and Buzz Arledge1984[1]
South Dakota
 "Hail, South Dakota!"DeeCort Hammitt1943[1]
Tennessee
 "My Homeland, Tennessee"Roy Lamont SmithNell Grayson Taylor1925[44]
"When It's Iris Time in Tennessee"Willa Waid Newman1935[1][44]
"My Tennessee"Frances Hannah Tranum1955[44]
"Tennessee Waltz"Pee Wee KingRedd Stewart1965[1][44]
"Rocky Top"Boudleaux Bryant /
Felice Bryant		1982[1][44]
"Tennessee"Vivian Rorie1992[44]
"The Pride of Tennessee"Fred Congdon /
Thomas Vaughn /
Carol Elliot		1996[1][44]
"A Tennessee Bicentennial Rap: 1796-1996"Joan Hill Hanks1996[44]
"Smoky Mountain Rain"Kye Fleming
Dennis Morgan		2010[44][45][46]
"Tennessee"John R. Bean2012[44]
Texas
 "Texas, Our Texas"William J. MarshWilliam J. Marsh and Gladys Yoakum Wright1929[47][48]
Utah
 State song: "Utah, This Is the Place"Sam and Gary Francis2003[49]
State hymn: "Utah, We Love Thee"
(State Song 1937-2003)[50]		Evan Stephens2003[1]
Vermont
 "These Green Mountains"Diane Martin (composer)
Rita Buglass Gluck (arranger)		Diane Martin1999[1][51]
Virginia
 Traditional state song: "Our Great Virginia"Jim Papoulis (arranger), based on "Oh Shenandoah"Mike Greenly2015[3]
Popular state song: "Sweet Virginia Breeze"Steve Bassett and Robbin Thompson2015[3]
Emeritus state song: "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" (retired as official song in 1998)James A. Bland[52]1940[1][2]
Washington
 State song: "Washington, My Home"Stuart Churchill (arranger)Helen Davis1959[1]
State folk song: "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On"based on "Goodnight, Irene"Woody Guthrie1987[1][53]
Unofficial state rock song: "Louie Louie"Richard BerryRichard Berryunofficial[54]
West Virginia
 Official state song: "The West Virginia Hills"Henry Everett EngleEllen Ruddell King1963[1][55]
Official state song: "This Is My West Virginia"Iris BellIris Bell1963[1][55]
Official state song: "West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home"Julian G. Hearne, Jr.Julian G. Hearne, Jr.1963[1][55]
Official state song: "Take Me Home, Country Roads"John Denver
Bill Danoff
Taffy Nivert		2014[56]
Wisconsin
 State song: "On, Wisconsin!"William T. PurdyCharles D. Rosa and J. S. Hubbard1959[1][57]
State ballad: "Oh Wisconsin, Land of My Dreams"Shari A. SarazinErma Barrett2001[1][57]
State waltz: "The Wisconsin Waltz"Eddie HansenEddie Hansen2001[1][57]
Wyoming
 State March: "Wyoming"George Edwin KnappCharles E. Winter1955[1][58]
State Song: "Wyoming Where I Belong"Annie & Amy SmithAnnie & Amy Smith2018

Territories

Some American overseas territories, although not U.S. states, have songs and marches of their own.

Territory Song Composer(s) Lyricist(s) Year adopted
American Samoa
 "Amerika Samoa"
District of Columbia
 Song: "Washington"Jimmie Dodd1951[59]
March: "Our Nation's Capital"Anthony A. Mitchell1961[59]
Guam
 "Stand Ye Guamanians"1919
Northern Mariana Islands
 "Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi"1996
Puerto Rico
 Anthem: "La Borinqueña"Félix Astol ArtésManuel Fernández Juncos1977
United States Virgin Islands
 "Virgin Islands March"1963

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 Johnson, Roger R. (2009). "State Songs". Welcome to America. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Official State Song of the Commonwealth of Virginia". 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  3. 1 2 3 "Listen: Virginia Now Has 2 State Songs". 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  4. ↑ "Official State Song". Retrieved April 16, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Colorado State Song Rocky Mountain High composed by John Denver". www.netstate.com. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Maryland, my meh song", The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, 15 March 2016. Retrieved on 05 June 2017.
  7. ↑ Act 31-126, Acts of Alabama, "STATE SONG: Alabama". Official Symbols and Emblems of Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  8. ↑ "Official State Song". Alaska Information. State of Alaska Office of Economic Development. Archived from the original on 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  9. 1 2 "Arizona State Anthems". SOS for Kids. Arizona Secretary of State's Office. 2003. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "State Songs". Arkansas Secretary of State's Office. Archived from the original on 2015-07-10. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  11. ↑ "Colorado State Song". Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  12. ↑ Brown, Jennifer (March 12, 2007). "Lawmakers OK 'Rocky Mountain High'". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2007-03-12. CRS 24-80-909
  13. 1 2 State of Connecticut, Sites ° Seals ° Symbols Archived 2008-03-14 at the Wayback Machine.; Connecticut State Register & Manual; retrieved on January 4, 2007
  14. ↑ Archived 2013-07-28 at the Wayback Machine. "Summary of Bills Related to Arts, Cultural, Arts Education. Or Historical Resources That Passed the 2008 Florida Legislature May 5, 2008", Retrieved 2011-12-14
  15. ↑ "SR1894". flsenate.gov. Florida State Senate. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "I Am Florida". www.iamflorida.org. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  17. ↑ from janhintonmusic.com "Home" page. Retrieved on November 27, 2008
  18. ↑ "Hawaii Revised Statutes §5-10". hawaii.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  19. ↑ State Songs of the United States: An Annotated Anthology. Psychology Press. 1997. ISBN 9780789003973.
  20. ↑ "HR 126 ...recognizing Ms. Effie Burt for her composition, "I'll M..." www.legis.iowa.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  21. ↑ "KRS 002.100" (PDF). ky.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  22. ↑ Statton, Dana; Mitchell, Jennifer (28 August 2014). "Give Me Louisiana: Selections from the Doralice Fontane Papers". Louisiana State University. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  23. ↑ Lyrics & act numbers of official songs Archived 2006-07-17 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ↑ Maryland, My Maryland - Maryland State Song
  25. ↑ "Section 19". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  26. ↑ "Section 20". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  27. ↑ "Section 27". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  28. ↑ "Section 31". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  29. ↑ "Section 43". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  30. ↑ "Official Web Site of Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push". chicagopush.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  31. ↑ "Section 44". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  32. ↑ "Section 47". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  33. ↑ NE-gov-symbols.
  34. ↑ "Section 3:7 State Songs". www.gencourt.state.nh.us. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  35. ↑ reynolds. "Frequently Asked Questions | NJ Facts". www.state.nj.us. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  36. ↑ http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/emblems/song.htms%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  37. ↑ Ohio Revised Code: 1989 S 33, eff. 11-6-89; 1989 H 457
  38. ↑ House Concurrent Resolution 16 on November 20, 1985.
  39. ↑ "25 Okla. Stat.] § 94.1–3". state.ok.us. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  40. ↑ "Oklahoma Session Laws – 2001 – Section 47 – Oklahoma State Folk Song; declaring "Oklahoma Hills" as the Oklahoma State Folk Song. Effective date". www.oscn.net. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  41. ↑ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.8–10
  42. ↑ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.5–7
  43. ↑ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.11–13
  44. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "State Songs". State of Tennessee. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  45. ↑ Tennessee Journal, Vol. 36, No. 23, June 4, 2010
  46. ↑ Tom Humphrey, 'Smoky Mountain Rain' Wins Race to Become 8th State Song Archived 2010-06-06 at the Wayback Machine., KnoxNews website, June 3, 2010.
  47. ↑ Spain, Jr., Charles A. (19 May 2014). "Texas, Our Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  48. ↑ "State Song" (Texas Government Code § 3101.005)
  49. ↑ Utah State Song - "Utah, This is the Place" from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer: Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
  50. ↑ Utah State Hymn - "Utah We Love Thee" from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer: Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
  51. ↑ "State Song". Secretary of State of Vermont. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  52. ↑ The song was rescinded in 1998 but is still not yet replaced and still in use until for the time being.
  53. ↑ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  54. ↑ "Washington State Facts". wsdot. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  55. 1 2 3 Ramella, Richard. "West Virginia's Three State Songs". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  56. ↑ "'Take Me Home, Country Roads' a WVa State Song". USA Today. March 7, 2014.
  57. 1 2 3 "State song, state ballad, state waltz, state dance, and state symbols". Wisconsin Legislature 1.10. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  58. ↑ "Wyoming Facts and Symbols: State Song". State of Wyoming. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  59. 1 2 Imhoff, Gary (October 1999). "Our Official Songs". DC Watch. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
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