# Has every state been mentioned in popular music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740 "2002-05-13T03:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/1 "2002-05-13T03:47:36Z")
I was talking to my friend today about how we can’t think of our pathetic little state, Connecticut, being mentioned in any song. I was originally going to ask that in GQ but then I figured that we could probably come up with a mention for every state. Here’s what I can come up with with my fairly limited knowledge of song lyrics Alabama-Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd Alaska- Arizona-Keep On Rockin’ Me Baby, Steve Miller Band (I went from Phoenix Arizona all the way to Tacoma) Arkansas- California-Lodi, CCR Colorado- Connecticut- Delaware- Florida-Miami, Will Smith Georgia-Ramblin Man, Allman Brothers (My father was a gambler down in Georgia) Hawaii- Idaho Illinois-Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Jim Croce (On the South Side of Chicago…) Indiana- Iowa- Kansas- Kentucky- Louisiana-Brown Sugar, Rolling Stones (Sold in the market down in New Orleans) Maine- Maryland- Massachusetts Michigan- Minnesota- Mississippi-Mississippi Queen, Mountain Missouri-Route 66, Rolling Stones (Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri) Montana- Nebraska- Nevada-Viva Las Vegas, Elvis New Hampshire- New Jersey- New Mexico-Route 66, Rolling Stones (You’ll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico) New York-New York State Of Mind, Billy Joel North Carolina- North Dakota- Ohio-Cleveland Rocks, Presidents of the USA Oklahoma-Route 66, Rolling Stones (Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty) Oregon- Pennsylvania-Keep on Rockin’ Me Baby (Philadelphia, Atlanta, LA) Rhode Island- South Carolina- South Dakota- Tennessee-Proud Mary, CCR (Clean a lot of plates in Memphis) Texas-Route 66 (I sure do get a lot out of that one: see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico) Utah- Vermont- Virginia- Washington-Keep on Rockin’ Me Baby (I went from Phoenix Arizona all the way to Tacoma) West Virginia- Wisconsin- Wyoming- These are all OTOH and my knowledge is limited mostly to some classic rock so you’ll probably come up with a lot more in a few minutes ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/2 "2002-05-13T04:37:24Z")
Oh, and New Jersey gets Hurricaine, Bob Dylan (And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashing In the hot New Jersey night) ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/3 "2002-05-13T04:41:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Big Kahuna Burger \* > \*\*Michigan- > \*\* Simon and Garfunkel, “America” (“Michigan seems like a dream to me now / It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw…”) and Journey, “Don’t Stop Believing” (“Just a city boy / Born and raised in south Detroit”) And I’m sure Bob Seger mentions it a few times… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/4 "2002-05-13T04:43:45Z")
Off the top of my head - Kentucky- “Man of Constant Sorrow” Maryland - “Baltimore” (probably) Michigan - “America” Nebraska - I’m pretty sure it’s mentioned on Springsteen’s _Nebraska_ New Jersey - “Jersey Girl” West Virginia - “Country Roads” ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/5 "2002-05-13T05:01:23Z")
In “Cadillac Ranch”, a line is “little girlie in the blue jeans so tight Drivin’ off through the Wisconsin night” Same song he says “Junior Johnson haulin through the woods of Caroline” Which I assume means North Carolina. “Dancin in the streets” mentions Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit, Philadelphia, plus some others I’m sure I’m forgetting. Elvis sang “Blue Hawaii” Ummm… Slipknot has an album called “Iowa”, but I don’t know if they mention it in any song. I’ll let some others have a chance now. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/6 "2002-05-13T05:10:37Z")
Massachusetts - “Dirty Water” by the Standells: “Love that dirty water, oh, oh, Boston you’re my home” ---
**Author:** ![Dagny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dagny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dagny)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/7 "2002-05-13T05:17:04Z")
Alaska: :North To Alaska" and “Springtime In Alaska” both by Johnny Horton Colorado: “Rocky Mountain High” John Denver, “Nobody’s Fat In Aspen” Christine Lavin, “Avalanche” The Zambonies ---
**Author:** ![Dagny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dagny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dagny)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/8 "2002-05-13T05:29:11Z")
Connecticut: “Bob Marley and the Hartford Whalers” The Zambonies. The song also mentions NJ, MI and PA. Pennsylvania: “Russian Pop Song” The Zambonies. " Sergi and Alexi took a train to Pittsburg." ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/9 "2002-05-13T06:14:14Z")
NC has that song “Carolina Calling” I think by Willie Nelson. Also that song “North Carolina, raise up!” by Petey Pablo (this song sucks so bad it’s funny.) ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Second\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Echo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/10 "2002-05-13T06:36:11Z")
Wisconsin is mentioned in RCHP’s “Around the World” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/11 "2002-05-13T07:08:21Z")
Define ‘popular music’ ;). If you consider country: Virginia: Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde, Travis Tritt (Long way to Richmond…) Colorado: Rocky Mountain High, Bob Denver ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/12 "2002-05-13T07:08:57Z")
While they (sadly) were never very popular outside of a local scene, the band Lawsuit (from Davis, CA) had a song called “North Dakotachrome” which includes about 40 state & city names (mostly states), which were mostly in puns, if somewhat nonsensical. (e.g. “I’m in such misery; I’m ill, annoyed, and glum/She carries on about me I don’t know why” has four state names in it.) CT comes up right near the start : I never doubted you, we never connected Cut out all the attitude and in the end I’ll fight for you ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/13 "2002-05-13T11:43:08Z")
Sweet Virginia is on Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones. I don’t get the impression from the lyrics that they’re talking about a woman named Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/14 "2002-05-13T12:54:37Z")
well there was George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers, but that’s a band name, not a song name or line from a song. plus they droped the delaware from there name long ago (here in delaware, we still use the old name). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/15 "2002-05-13T12:57:01Z")
The Bee Gees did a song called \*\* Massachusetts \*\*. Tom Waits did \*\* Jersey Girl \*\*. Yes, I know Springsteen covered it. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/16 "2002-05-13T13:07:55Z")
Alaska: “Anchorage” by Michelle Shocked Kansas: “Jack Straw” by the Grateful Dead (“Jack Straw from Wichita”) Maine: “New England” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (“Oh, I’ve been to old Israel’s arid plain…it’s magnificent, but so’s Maine.”) Utah: “I Lost my Sugar in Salt Lake City” recorded by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Judy Garland to Lena Horne to Perry Como ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/17 "2002-05-13T14:05:42Z")
Lynyrd Skynrd mentions **Boise, Idaho** at the beginning of “What’s Your Name.” _Well, its 8 o’clock in Boise, Idaho I’ll find my limo driver Mister, take us to the show_ ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/18 "2002-05-13T14:14:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > Colorado: Rocky Mountain High, Bob Denver **Gilligaaaaaan!** ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/19 "2002-05-13T14:15:39Z")
some more: There was a “Weird Al” Yankovic song with the line “He owns half of **Montana** ”. I don’t know the song title, though. Hootie and the Blowfish mention Charleston ( **South Carolina** ) in at least one of their songs. Sringsteen has the line “On a rattlesnake speedway in the **Utah** desert” in the song “Promised Land.” Springsteen also has the song “Mary Queen of **Arkansas** ” …and Springsteen mentions a **Maryland** city in “Hungry Heart”: “Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack…” The city of Moline, **Iowa** is mentioned in the Bob Seger song “Fire Down Below.” (“It happens in Moline, on the blueblood streets of Boston, up in Berkeley and out in Queens.”) Or maybe he’s slurriing the name “New Orleans.” …and “Turn the Page” mentions Omaha ( **Nebraska** ). And there’s the B-52’s “Private **Idaho**.” **Pennsylvania** itself (not just a city in Pa.) is mentioned in Billy Joel’s “allentown” (“Waiting here in Allentown/For the Pennsylvania we never found”) …and his song “Miami 2017” mentions **Florida** : “Before we all lived here in Florida…”) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/20 "2002-05-13T14:40:54Z")
**South Dakota** - “Flip, Flop and Fly” (Blues Brothers and Delbert McClinton): _Hitched a ride in South Dakota With two girls in a light blue DeSoto One’s name was Jane The other was plain But they both had a racin’ motor_ **Minnesota** and **Iowa** - “Big River” (Johnny Cash): _I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota). And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl. Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin’ in Davenport, And I followed you, Big River, when you called._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740.md?page=2)