# 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:** 2
**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, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/21 "2002-05-13T14:42:17Z")
**Montana** - “Come Monday” (Jimmy Buffett): _Remember that night in Montana When we said there’d be no room for doubt?_ ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/22 "2002-05-13T14:47:24Z")
Indiana - “Indiana wants me”, R Dean Taylor. That was a top 40 hit in it’s day - I’m surprised no one got it yet. Something tells me you should restrict this to things which mention the state in the title, or at least have the state as an important part of the song, not just a mention in passing, and not a City - specifically the state. ---
**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, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/23 "2002-05-13T14:53:42Z")
Oops. Correction. The **South Dakota** lyrics above are from “B Movie Box Car Blues” not “Flip, Flop and Fly.” ---
**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, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/24 "2002-05-13T15:01:22Z")
**Nebraska** and **Wyoming** - “Badlands” (Bruce Springsteen): _From the town of Lincoln, Nebraska With a sawed-off 410 on my lap Through the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path_ ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/25 "2002-05-13T15:06:46Z")
According to [www.getlyrics.com](http://www.getlyrics.com) there is a song called _The Delaware River_ by Mark Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/26 "2002-05-13T15:06:57Z")
Can easily do a lot better on Texas, too: “T is for Texas” - Dwight Yoakum (penned by Jimmie Rodgers, I believe) “Home with the Armadillo” - not in the title, but specifically about Texas. “Memories of East Texas” - Michelle Shocked Which Carolina gets “Carolina in the Pines”, by Michael Murphy? Does either WANT it? If you want to do the city of Baltimore for Maryland, Randy Newman did a song called “Baltimore” (good song). Tennessee - David Loggin’s “Please Come to Boston” (repeated chorus - “Rambling boy, why don’t you settle down / \*\*\* ain’t your kind of town / There ain’t no gold and there ain’t nobody like me / I’m the number one fan of the man from Tennessee”) Oh, enough! ---
**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, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/27 "2002-05-13T15:08:15Z")
**Kentucky** - “Kentucky Rain” (Elvis) **South Carolina** and **Louisiana** - “Louisiana Rain” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers): \*South Carolina Put out its arms to me That was when I was taken in And it left its mark on me Louisiana rain Is soakin’ through my shoes I may never be the same When I reach Baton Rouge\* **Louisiana** also gets a mention in Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry): _Way down in Louisiana close to New Orleans Way back up in the woods amongst the evergreens…_ ---
**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, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/28 "2002-05-13T15:11:50Z")
Another **Indiana** Top 40 song - “I’m Going Back to Indiana” (Jackson 5) ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/29 "2002-05-13T15:19:03Z")
Counting crows mention a load of places in their songs: Baton rouge, New Orleans La loma (?) Cheasapeake Bay (spelling…?) Los Angeles Omaha Richmond Maryland Virginia Boston Nashville Ohio, and probably others too. I don’t even know where half these places are but maybe they lie in your outstanding states. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/30 "2002-05-13T15:33:34Z")
Uh, **malden** , Moline is one of the Quad Cities that is in Illinois (Bettendorf and Davenport are the Iowa ones, and Rock Island is the other Illinois one). Louisiana also gets a mention in Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue”: _So I drifted down to New Orleans, where I happened to be employed Yeah I was working for a while on a fishing boat, right outside of Delacroix_ and also any version of “House of the Rising Sun.” Speaking of Dylan songs, there’s also “Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.” If my calculations are correct, this marks my 400th post. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/31 "2002-05-13T15:42:58Z")
Uh, **malden** , Moline is one of the Quad Cities that is in Illinois (Bettendorf and Davenport are the Iowa ones, and Rock Island is the other Illinois one). Louisiana also gets a mention in Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue”: _So I drifted down to New Orleans, where I happened to be employed Yeah I was working for a while on a fishing boat, right outside of Delacroix_ and also any version of “House of the Rising Sun.” Speaking of Dylan songs, there’s also “Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.” If my calculations are correct, this marks my 400th post. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/32 "2002-05-13T15:54:38Z")
No one’s mentioned _California Dreaming_ by The Mamas & The Papas, if I’m not mistaken. Also, I believe it was Soundgarden’s song _Outshined_ that has the line, “I’m looking California/but feeling Minnesota”. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/33 "2002-05-13T15:56:24Z")
I count 4 states remaining, so… _Moonlight in **Vermont** _ (jazz standard; Johnny Hartman amongst others) \ ***Rhode Island** Is Famous For You (Broadway song; great cover by Blossom Dearie) Oregon or New Hampshire anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/34 "2002-05-13T16:14:55Z")
John Linnell of They Might Be Giants has is working on it. So far he has released [State Songs](http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=379916476/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=LINNELL*JOHN/itemid=800495) which includes: Illinois Songs Of The 50 States, The West Virginia South Carolina Idaho Montana Pennsylvania Utah Arkansas Iowa Mississippi Maine Oregon Michigan New Hampshire Nevada ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/35 "2002-05-13T16:56:50Z")
Bad Brains: “Banned in D.C.” It’s a very popular song with _me_. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/36 "2002-05-13T17:05:44Z")
Of course, Johnny Cash hits most of the country in [I’ve Been Everywhere](http://www.toptown.com/hp/66/everywhere.htm) ---
**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, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/37 "2002-05-13T17:38:20Z")
Of course, the graduate level of this is name a song for each _country_ in the world… [This could take a while.](http://aiolos.cti.gr/~pipis/glbdb/db-content.html) ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/38 "2002-05-13T18:38:48Z")
And then of course, who can forget Perry Como’s version of this one? What Did Delaware? Written By: Unknown Copyright Unknown What did Delaware, boys, What did Delaware? What did Delaware, boys, What did Delaware? What did Delaware, boys, What did Delaware? I ask you now as a personal friend, What did Delaware? She wore her New Jersey, boys, She wore her New Jersey She wore her New Jersey, boys, She wore her New Jersey She wore her New Jersey, boys, She wore her New Jersey I tell you now as a personal friend, She wore her New Jersey What did Idaho, boys, What did Idaho? What did Idaho, boys, What did Idaho? What did Idaho, boys, What did Idaho? I ask you now as a personal friend, What did Idaho? She hoed her Maryland, boys, She hoed her Maryland She hoed her Maryland, boys, She hoed her Maryland She hoed her Maryland, boys, She hoed her Maryland I tell you now as a personal friend, She hoed her Maryland What did Ioway, boys, What did Ioway? What did Ioway, boys, What did Ioway? What did Ioway, boys, What did Ioway? I ask you now as a personal friend, What did Ioway? She weighed a Washington, boys, She weighed a Washington She weighed a Washington, boys, She weighed a Washington She weighed a Washington, boys, She weighed a Washington I tell you now as a personal friend, She weighed a Washington How did Wiscon-sin, boys, How did Wiscon-sin? How did Wiscon-sin, boys, How did Wiscon-sin? How did Wiscon-sin, boys, How did Wiscon-sin? I ask you now as a personal friend, How did Wiscon-sin? She stole a New-bras-key, boys, She stole a New-bras-key She stole a New-bras-key, boys, She stole a New-bras-key She stole a New-bras-key, boys, She stole a New-bras-key I tell you now as a personal friend, She stole a New-bras-key What did Tennessee, boys, What did Tennessee? What did Tennessee, boys, What did Tennessee? What did Tennessee, boys, What did Tennessee? I ask you now as a personal friend, What did Tennessee? She saw what Arkansaw, boys, She saw what Arkansaw She saw what Arkansaw, boys, She saw what Arkansaw She saw what Arkansaw, boys, She saw what Arkansaw I tell you now as a personal friend, She saw what Arkansaw How did Flora-die, boys, How did Flora-die How did Flora-die, boys, How did Flora-die How did Flora-die, boys, How did Flora-die I ask you now as a personal friend, How did Flora-die? She died in Missouri, boys, She died in Missouri She died in Missouri, boys, She died in Missouri She died in Missouri, boys, She died in Missouri I tell you now as a personal friend, She died in Missouri Where has Oregon, boys, Where has Oregon? Where has Oregon, boys, Where has Oregon? Where has Oregon, boys, Where has Oregon? I ask you now as a personal friend, Where has Oregon? She’s gone to Oklahom, boys, She’s gone to Oklahom She’s gone to Oklahom, boys, She’s gone to Oklahom She’s gone to Oklahom, boys, She’s gone to Oklahom I tell you now as a personal friend, She’s gone to Oklahom Why did Califon-ya, boys, Why did Califon? Why did Califon-ya, boys, Why did Califon? Why did Califon-ya, boys, Why did Califon? I ask you now as a personal friend, Why did Califon? She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys, She phoned to say Hawai-ya She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys, She phoned to say Hawai-ya She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys, She phoned to say Hawai-ya I tell you now as a personal friend, That’s why Califoned. What did Mississip, boys, What did Mississip? What did Mississip, boys, What did Mississip? What did Mississip, boys, What did Mississip? I ask you now as a personal friend, What did Mississip? She sipped a Minnisota, boys, She sipped a Minnisota She sipped a Minnisota, boys, She sipped a Minnisota She sipped a Minnisota, boys, She sipped a Minnisota I tell you now as a personal friend, That’s what Mississipped. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/39 "2002-05-13T19:31:58Z")
Alabama- “Alabama Getaway” by the Grateful Dead Alaska- Arizona- “Arizona” by Mark Lindsay Arkansas- California- “California Dreaming” by the Mamas & the Papas Colorado- “Leader of the Band” by Dan Fogelberg (“And I’m in Colorado, when I’m not in some hotel”) Connecticut- Delaware- Florida- “Miami 2017/I’ve Seen the Lights Go Down on Broadway” by Billy Joel (“Before we all lived here in Florida, before the Mafia took over Mexico”) Georgia- “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight Hawaii- “Blue Hawaii” by Elvis Presley Idaho - “Your Own Private Idaho” by the B-52s Illinois- Indiana- “Indiana Wants Me” By R. Dean Taylor Iowa- Kansas- “Kansas City” by Wilbert Harrison (never mind that it refers to a city in Missouri- it SAYS Kansas!) Kentucky- “Kentucky Woman” by Neil Diamond and Deep Purple Louisiana- Maine- “Jim Dandy” by Black Oak Arkansas (“I was flying my way up to Maine. I bought a ticket on a DC plane”) Maryland- Massachusetts - “Massachusetts” by the Bee Gees Michigan- Minnesota- Mississippi- Missouri- Montana- Nebraska- “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen Nevada- New Hampshire- New Jersey- New Mexico- New York- “Back in the New York Groove” by Ace Frehley North Carolina- “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor North Dakota- Ohio- “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Oklahoma- “Never Been to Spain” by Three Dog Night (“well I never been to Heaven, but I’ve been to Oklahoma”) Oregon- Pennsylvania- Rhode Island- South Carolina- South Dakota- “Rocky Raccoon” by the Beatles (“Now, somewhere in the Black Mountain Hills of Dakota lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon.”) Tennessee- “Please Come to Boston” by Dave Loggins (“I’m the #1 fan of a man from Tennessee.”) Texas- “All My Exes Live in Texas” by George Strait Utah- Vermont- “Moonlight in Vermont” by many folkd, including Willie Nelson Virginia- Washington- West Virginia- “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver Wisconsin- “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot (“The ship was the pride of the American side, coming back from some mill in Wisconsin.”) Wyoming- “From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)” by Bruce Springsteen/Dave Edmunds (“She packed her bags and went to Wyoming with a real estate man.”) ---
**Author:** ![islandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@islandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/islandgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740/40 "2002-05-13T20:10:17Z")
Dr. Dre (with a bunch of other people) did a song called “California Love” Also (I know this is not really “popular” music) , the Animaniacs did a song called “Wakko’s America” that has all the states and their capitals. You can find the lyrics here: [AMLF -- 31 through 40](http://members.cruzio.com/~keeper/03.html#4) 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-every-state-been-mentioned-in-popular-music/108740.md?page=3)