If You’re Happy and You Know It is a children’s song that reminds us of what to be thankful for and how to express it. The song is credited to Dr. Alfred B. Smith. He wrote the song in the mid-1900s and the song was published in a variety of places. Often the song was Read More
Hail, Vermont!
Hail, Vermont! was written by Josephine Hovey Perry of Barre, Vermont. According to Wikipedia, “The song was significant at its time of publication for mentioning Vermont’s daughters as well as her sons.” In 1938, the song officially became the state song. The song was proclaimed state song and performed in the Vermont Pavillion at the Read More
Utah We Love Thee
Utah We Love Thee is the official state hymn of Utah. The hymn was written by Evan Stephens in 1895. The song was first performed when Utah became the 45th state in 1896. In 1937, the Utah State Legislature made the hymn the official state song. In 2003, the state legislature changed the song to Read More
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was a popular tune during World War II. The song was a major hit for The Andrews Sisters. The song is extremely upbeat in tempo for a war song. Don Raye and Hughie Prince wrote the song. “The song is closely based on an earlier Raye-Prince hit, “Beat Me Daddy, Eight Read More
The Yellow Rose of Texas
The Yellow Rose of Texas is a traditional American folk song. “The earliest known version is found in Christy’s Plantation Melodies. No. 2, a songbook published under the authority of Edwin Pearce Christy in Philadelphia in 1853.” Christy founded Christy’s Minstrels. The song became popular during the American Civil War. The song was featured Read More
Rocky Top
Rocky Top is an upbeat tune referring to the hills of Tennessee. It is one of the state’s ten official state songs. Wikipedia describes “Rocky Top is a subpeak of Thunderhead Mountain, which overlooks Cades Cove, and is traversed by the Appalachian Trail. Rocky Top appears on maps of the western Smokies as early as Read More
Love Potion #9
Love Potion No. 9 is a song popular at both Valentine’s and Halloween. The song was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The duo also wrote other hits such as Hound Dog and Charlie Brown. The song describes a man looking for love, who seeks out a Gypsy who tells him he needs Love Read More
The Black Hills of Dakota
The Black Hills of Dakota refers to the Black Hills that can be found in South Dakota. Wikipedia describes the Black Hills as ” are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming…The name “Black Hills” is a translation of the Lakota Read More
Carolina
Carolina was a poem written by Henry Timrod. The poem was edited by G.R. Goodwin and set to music by Anne Curtis Burgess. The SC Daughters of the American Revolution recommended the song become the South Carolina state song. On February 11, 1911, the SC General Assembly adopted the song. Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com
Rhode Island’s It For Me
Rhode Island’s It For Me is the official state song of Rhode Island. Charlie Hall wrote the lyrics and Maria Day wrote the music. Hall was known for his comedy and poking fun of the state in his comedy troupe. In 1992 he was asked if he could write something good about the state. He Read More