# Help me find songs that refer to states! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342 "2004-08-18T03:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/21 "2004-08-18T05:47:16Z")
First of all, thanks for the suggestions. I’m writing them all down. Regarding Nevada, I didn’t use _Stop In Nevada_ because the only time the name is mentioned is during that line, which is the title of the song. If he’d said Nevada somewhere else, without “Stop in” in front of it, I’d use it. Same with New York, and _New York State of Mind_. The Bee Gees’ _Massachusetts_ has the state, but that’s it for the title. Too easy. No other words in the title. Oh, and **C3**? Thanks for reminding me that _St. Robinson In His Cadillac Dream_ by Counting Crows mentions Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/22 "2004-08-18T05:48:48Z")
_Rocky Mountain High_, John Denver. It is all about Colorado and mentions the state in the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/23 "2004-08-18T06:46:42Z")
Try some [Hank Williams Jr.](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/williams-hank-jr.html) songs. He mentions lots of places. In _A Country Boy Can Survive_ He mentions Alabama, South Carolina, California, Mississippi, and New York. Then there’s _Texas Women_ Others include Oklahoma, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, and several more. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/24 "2004-08-18T07:02:01Z")
Then there’s folk song that covers all the states: “Your State’s Name, Here” listed on: [this site](http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/yourstat.htm) as being by Lou and Peter Berryman > [@](#): > > {Chorus:} > Oh [Your state’s name here], oh [Again], what a state > I have not been back since [A reasonable date] > Where the asphalt grows soft in July every year > In the warm summer mornings of [Your state’s name here] I know, it’s an aquired taste. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/25 "2004-08-18T07:04:21Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > And what about “Devil Went Down to Georgia”, or “Georgia on My Mind”? There is some dispute as to whether “Georgia On My Mind” was meant to refer to the state or to Hoagy Carmichael’s sister, Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![gelid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@gelid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gelid)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/26 "2004-08-18T07:17:09Z")
“All My Little Words,” the Magnetic Fields– “I could never make you stay Not for all the tea in China, Not if I could sing like a bird, Not for all North Carolina, Not for all my little words” “Looking Out My Back Door,” Creedence Clearwater Revival– “Just got back from Illinois, Lock the front door, oh boy,…” “Unseen Power of the Picket Fence,” Pavement– “So let’s go way back to the ancient times, When there were no 50 states And on a hill there stands Sherman, Sherman and his mates, And they’re marching through Georgia… And there stands R.E.M.” “The Pointless, yet Poignant, Crisis of a Co-Ed”–Dar Williams “And I still write to my senators saying they should legalize cannabis And I should know, cause I am a horticulturist, I have a husband and two children out in Lexington, Mass.” Good luck with your list! Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/27 "2004-08-18T09:39:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Ramblin’ Man - Allman Brothers (Georgia) And there’s Can’t You See?, by the Marshall Tucker Band. We sure are set for Georgia, aren’t we? 😛 Ramblin’ Man also gets TN and, if you like, LA: “I’m on my way to New Orleans this morning, leavin’ out of Nashville, Tennessee…” In Blue Sky, also by the Allmans, you get “Goin’ to Carolina, won’t be long that I’ll be there,” which you could probably use to refer to either or both Carolinas. 😉 I was wondering how many states Tori Amos covered in the lyrics to _Scarlet’s Walk_, which is kind of a travelogue album. There are lots of cities, but only two states. New Mexico (in A Sorta Fairytale) and Virginia (song of the same name). And Mississippi in gets mentioned on a b-side. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, by The Band, mentions Tennessee. For My Brother (Derek Trucks Band) starts “In the battle for the California sun.” Though I’d mention that because I doubt anyone else knows that song, and I like that line. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/28 "2004-08-18T11:53:53Z")
[What Did Delaware, Boys?](http://www.bussongs.com/songs/what_did_delaware_boys.php) Mentions Delaware, New Jersey, Idaho, Maryland, Iowa (“Ioweigh”), Washington, Wiscon-sin, Nebraska (“New-brass-key”), Tennessee, Arkansaw, Florida (“Flora-die”), Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma (“Oklahom”), California (“Califon-ya”), Hawaii (“Hawai-ya”), Mississippi (“Mississip” and Minnisota. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard a version with Alaska in it too. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/29 "2004-08-18T12:01:41Z")
Well, Wisconsin’s state song “On, Wisconsin!” doesn’t JUST refer to the state in the title. That 70’s show song ends with “Hello Wisconsin!” You already have Minnesota, but another song that mentions it is Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” (“from the Lakes of Minnesota”) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/30 "2004-08-18T12:10:03Z")
“I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo” (unambiguous, non-punning Michigan reference) ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/31 "2004-08-18T12:16:25Z")
Gram Parson’s “Hickory Wind” for South Carolina. Doc Watson’s “Tennessee Stud” for Arkansas. Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” for Maine. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/32 "2004-08-18T12:39:12Z")
I know I’m not the only Doper who knows this song, which names all the states for you in one fell swoop: [Fifty Nifty United States](http://www.proteacher.net/archive/posts/2002/03/04/29744.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/33 "2004-08-18T13:25:26Z")
Here are several songs that mention Kansas Artist: Aaron Lines Album: Living Out Loud Title: [She Called Me Kansas](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?aaron_lines..living_out_loud..she_called_me_kansas) This one has already been mentioned, but I thought I’d link the lyrics, they are accurate to a point. Artist: Jo Dee Messina Album: Jo Dee Messina Title: [You’re Not In Kansas Anymore](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?jo_dee_messina..jo_dee_messina..youre_not_in_kansas_anymore) Artist: Procol Harum Album: A Salty Dog Title: [The Devil Came From Kansas](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?procol_harum..a_salty_dog..the_devil_came_from_kansas) This next song’s lyrics are also fitting, sadly. Artist: Regina Regina Album: Regina Regina Title: [Ticket Out Of Kansas](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?regina_regina..regina_regina..ticket_out_of_kansas) Here are a couple that mention Nevada. Artist: Mark Knopfler Album: Sailing To Philadelphia Title: [Sands Of Nevada](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?mark_knopfler..sailing_to_philadelphia..sands_of_nevada) Artist: They Might Be Giants Album: Unknown Title: [Nevada](http://display.lyrics.astraweb.com:2000/display.cgi?they_might_be_giants..unknown..nevada) I got the songs from [this](http://lyrics.astraweb.com/) site. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/34 "2004-08-18T13:50:52Z")
For another Maryland reference, you can always go with Springsteen’s _Hungry Heart_. “Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack, I went out for a ride and I never went back…” ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/35 "2004-08-18T14:21:38Z")
We’re getting a lot of duplicated states in the suggestions. How about an updated list from the OP of which states he still needs? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/36 "2004-08-18T14:41:20Z")
Also from Dar Williams- “When Sal’s Burned Down” “Cause there ain’t no cowboys in this Connecticut town” ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/37 "2004-08-18T14:51:13Z")
I was expecting Gordon Lightfoot’s _Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald_ to mention Michigan, but it does only in the context of Lake Michigan, whereas it mentions Wisconsin and Cleveland by name: “The ship was the pride of the american side Coming back from some mill in **wisconsin** As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most With a crew and good captain well seasoned Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms When they left fully loaded for **cleveland** ” The only mention of anything Michigan-y (which is where the ship sank) is the following reference to Whitefish Bay: “Does any one know where the love of God goes When the waves turn the minutes to hours? The searches all say they’d have made **whitefish bay** If they’d put fifteen more miles behind her.” Oh wait, one more refence I just found, to Detroit of all places, which barely counts as Michigan 😃 : “In a musty old hall in **detroit** they prayed, In the maritime sailors’ cathedral.” ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/38 "2004-08-18T15:08:29Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > South Dakota by Girlysound Are you sure that wasn’t by Liz Phair, originally on her _Girlysound_ demos, and then re-recorded for the _Juvenelia_ EP? ---
**Author:** ![BadBadger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BadBadger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBadger)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/39 "2004-08-18T15:15:25Z")
Don’t forget Midnight Train to georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips He’s leavin’ on that midnight train to Georgia Said he’s goin’ back to find the simpler place and time So, who you missing now? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342/40 "2004-08-18T16:45:05Z")
[State Songs](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00002DDPR/qid=1092847251/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-4579275-3984044) by John Linnell (of They Might Be Giants) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-songs-that-refer-to-states/260342.md?page=3)