What is the state song of Oklahoma called?

Oklahoma State Song and Anthem

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75th Anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Production Oklahoma!

In 1935 the state song of Oklahoma was “Oklahoma—A Toast,” written by Kingfisher native Harriet Parker Camden. The song was very reverent and the lyrics described iconic images of Oklahoma including sunflowers and fields of cotton. George Nigh, the youngest legislator elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives at the age of twenty-three, thought the song was too old-fashioned. Nigh remembered the first time he heard the song “Oklahoma!” at home in McAlester, and thought it would be more cheerful and celebratory of the state.

In 1953 Nigh introduced a bill to officially change the state song to “Oklahoma!,” which he believed captured the spirit of the state better than the somber “Oklahoma—A Toast.” He had one major opponent to the bill, a man he called Old Man Huff, who did not believe the state song should be written by a non-Oklahoman. Old Man Huff sang “Oklahoma–A Toast” on the legislature floor and was overcome with emotion.

Representative Nigh had to act fast if he wanted his bill to pass. He tabled the measure for one legislative day and called the representative from the town of Chickasha, where the Oklahoma College for Women (now the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma) chorus had just finished a production of the musical. Nigh also called Ridge Bond, the only Oklahoman to perform the character Curly on Broadway. Bond still had costumes from the musical and was asked to visit the legislature to perform some songs from the show–with no chance to rehearse! The next day George Nigh gave the floor to the women’s choir, who began singing a couple of songs from the musical. Suddenly, Ridge Bond burst through the door singing “Oklahoma!,” and everyone stood to cheer. After the performance was finished, George Nigh’s bill passed and the state song was officially changed to “Oklahoma!”

Ridge Bond with the Oklahoma College for Women chorus (courtesy of Ridge Bond Archives). 5

"State song" redirects here. For sovereign states, see national anthem. For equivalent songs found in other countries, see regional anthem.

Forty-eight of the fifty U.S. states have one or more state songs, a type of regional anthem, which are selected by each state legislature as a symbol (or emblem) of that particular U.S. state.

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 10 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"), adopted by Florida, and "My Old Kentucky Home", are among the best-known songs in the U.S. In 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, along with "Where the Columbines Grow".[2] In 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.[3] Additionally, Woody Guthrie wrote or co-wrote two state folk songs – "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" and "Oklahoma Hills" – but they have separate status from the official state songs of Washington and Oklahoma, respectively. 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.

New Jersey has never adopted a state song.[4] In 2021, Maryland removed the official status of "Maryland, My Maryland" due to pro-Confederate language deemed racist, but did not establish a replacement.[5] Virginia's previous state song, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", adopted in 1940,[1] was later rescinded in 1997 due to language deemed racist by the Virginia General Assembly.[6] In 2015, "Our Great Virginia" was made the new state song of Virginia.[7]

Iowa's ("The Song of Iowa") uses the tune from the song "O Tannenbaum" as the melody for their official state song.[8]

State songs[edit]

Federal district songs[edit]

Territory songs[edit]

See also[edit]

• List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia
• Lists of United States state symbols

References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg Johnson, Roger R. (2009). "State Songs". Welcome to America. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
2. ^ "Official State Song". Retrieved April 16, 2009.
3. ^ "Colorado State Song Rocky Mountain High composed by John Denver". www.netstate.com. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
4. ^ John C. Ensslin (March 25, 2016), "55-year fight to name a N.J. state song gains traction", northjersey.com, retrieved May 18, 2021
5. ^ Bass, Randi (June 10, 2021), "Maryland officially repeals state song", WDVM-TV, retrieved May 18, 2021
6. ^ a b "Official State Song of the Commonwealth of Virginia". 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
7. ^ a b c "Listen: Virginia Now Has 2 State Songs". 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
8. ^ "Maryland, my meh song", The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, 15 March 2016. Retrieved on 05 June 2017.
9. ^ 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.
10. ^ "Official State Song". Alaska Information. State of Alaska Office of Economic Development. Archived from the original on 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
11. ^ a b "Arizona State Anthems". SOS for Kids. Arizona Secretary of State's Office. 2003. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
12. ^ a b c d "State Songs". Arkansas Secretary of State's Office. Archived from the original on 2015-07-10. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
13. ^ a b "State Songs". Colorado State Archives. 2014-07-16. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
14. ^ "Colorado State Song". Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. Archived from the original on 2019-01-07. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
15. ^ Brown, Jennifer (March 12, 2007). "Lawmakers OK 'Rocky Mountain High'". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2007-03-12. CRS 24-80-909
16. ^ a b c "Illustrations and Descriptions of State Seal, State Flag and other Emblems" (PDF), Connecticut State Register and Manual, Secretary of the State, pp. 827–828, 2020, retrieved 2021-06-18
17. ^ a b c d "Title 3 State Elective Officers, Chapter 33 Secretary", General Statutes of Connecticut, January 1, 2021, retrieved 2021-06-18
18. ^ "Ansonia's 'Polka Pete' to receive Connecticut lifetime achievement award", New Haven Register, May 7, 2014, retrieved 2021-06-18
19. ^ [1] 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
20. ^ "SR1894". flsenate.gov. Florida State Senate. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
21. ^ "I Am Florida". www.iamflorida.org. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
22. ^ from janhintonmusic.com "Home" page. Retrieved on November 27, 2008
23. ^ "Hawaii Revised Statutes §5-10". hawaii.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
24. ^ State Songs of the United States: An Annotated Anthology. Psychology Press. 1997. ISBN 9780789003973.
25. ^ "HR 126 ...recognizing Ms. Effie Burt for her composition, "I'll M..." www.legis.iowa.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
26. ^ "Home on the Range - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
27. ^ "KRS 002.100". ky.gov. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
28. ^ Statton, Dana; Mitchell, Jennifer (28 August 2014). "Give Me Louisiana: Selections from the Doralice Fontane Papers". Louisiana State University. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
29. ^ Lyrics & act numbers of official songs Archived 2006-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
30. ^ "Section 19". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
31. ^ "Section 20". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
32. ^ "Section 27". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
33. ^ "Section 31". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
34. ^ "Section 43". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
35. ^ "Official Web Site of Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push". chicagopush.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
36. ^ "Section 44". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
37. ^ "Section 47". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
38. ^ Montana Code Annotated 2019, Title 1, Chapter 1, Part 5, 1-1-530 State lullaby, retrieved 2019-10-27
39. ^ NE-gov-symbols.
40. ^ "Section 3:7 State Songs". www.gencourt.state.nh.us. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
41. ^ reynolds. "Frequently Asked Questions | NJ Facts". www.state.nj.us. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
42. ^ "New York State Information and Emblems: New York State Library". www.nysl.nysed.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
43. ^ "Section 91. State hymn of remembrance in honor of all American veterans", New York Consolidated Laws, State Law, Article 6, 2019-10-29, retrieved 2019-12-26
44. ^ Arnold, Chad (January 3, 2019), "New York gets new veterans' hymn despite objections to Christian theme", Democrat and Chronicle, retrieved 2019-12-26
45. ^ Ohio Revised Code: 1989 S 33, eff. 11-6-89; 1989 H 457
46. ^ House Concurrent Resolution 16 on November 20, 1985.
47. ^ "25 Okla. Stat.] § 94.1–3". state.ok.us. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
48. ^ "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.
49. ^ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.8–10
50. ^ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.5–7
51. ^ 25 Okla. Stat. § 94.11–13
52. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "State Songs". State of Tennessee. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
53. ^ Tennessee Journal, Vol. 36, No. 23, June 4, 2010
54. ^ 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.
55. ^ Spain, Charles A. Jr. (19 May 2014). "Texas, Our Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
56. ^ "State Song" (Texas Government Code § 3101.005)
57. ^ Utah State Song - "Utah, This is the Place" from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer: Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
58. ^ Utah State Hymn - "Utah We Love Thee" from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer: Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
59. ^ "State Song". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
60. ^ The song was rescinded in 1998 but is still not yet replaced and still in use until for the time being.
61. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
62. ^ "Washington State Facts". wsdot. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
63. ^ a b c Ramella, Richard. "West Virginia's Three State Songs". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on 2021-02-22. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
64. ^ "'Take Me Home, Country Roads' a WVa State Song". USA Today. March 7, 2014.
65. ^ a b c "State song, state ballad, state waltz, state dance, and state symbols". Wisconsin Legislature 1.10. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
66. ^ "Wyoming Facts and Symbols: State Song". State of Wyoming. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
67. ^ "Wyoming Facts and Symbols: State Song". State of Wyoming. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
68. ^ a b Imhoff, Gary (October 1999). "Our Official Songs". DC Watch. Retrieved February 7, 2012.

External links[edit]

• Media related to Songs of the United States at Wikimedia Commons

What is the only state without a state song?

What is a state song?

Does each state have a song?

Who wrote Oklahoma state song?