# Which States have the most and least songs written about them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2012, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130 "2012-03-18T11:50:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/101 "2012-03-20T19:05:08Z")
> [@MarsBarsArePlastic](#): > > Wyoming, perhaps? [This old standard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aTQWC7crW4) mentions Wyoming, but is more about a cattle drive. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/102 "2012-03-20T19:11:32Z")
[Moonlight in Vermont](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwyZyDD6Yqw), one of my favorite old standards. There are a lot of songs written about Alaska, but they’re by local artists there and don’t get any play anywhere else. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/103 "2012-03-20T21:48:41Z")
We need someone to compile a list – State: Song – so we know what’s missing. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/104 "2012-03-21T03:38:42Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > We need someone to compile a list – State: Song – so we know what’s missing. Well, Idaho’s covered with “My Own Private Idaho” by the B-52s. Not coming up with anything else off the top of my head, though there IS one that mentions Boise and I just can’t…it’s back there…damnit! Lynard Skynnard, I think..damnit…get back to you, lol. “What’s Your Name”, doh. /facepalm _The incident did not happen in Boise, Idaho. The first line was originally, “It’s 8 o’clock and boys it’s time to go,” but lead singer Ronnie Van Zant changed it when he found out his brother, Donnie, was opening his first National tour with his band .38 Special in Boise. The first line became “It’s 8 o’clock in Boise, Idaho.”_ ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/105 "2012-03-21T04:02:31Z")
Any songs about New Mexico? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/106 "2012-03-21T05:27:11Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Any songs about New Mexico? Apparently, there are several. > **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=lyrics%2Bnew%2BMexico&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari)** ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/107 "2012-03-21T06:35:56Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > **Gedd** , did you and your friends come up with one for Washington (state)? “Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla Walla, Wash., and Kalamazoo!” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/108 "2012-03-21T06:40:00Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > I’ve done this before with some friends, and I think all we were missing was arizona. Anyone? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PbbYn7d_W8s/hqdefault.jpg "Dark Star 1974 Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbbYn7d_W8s) ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/109 "2012-03-21T08:24:41Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > I’ve done this before with some friends, and I think all we were missing was arizona. Anyone? [“By The Time I Get To Arizona.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrFOb_f7ubw&ob=av3e) Not exactly a _laudatory_ song, but you can’t say it doesn’t directly address the state. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/110 "2012-03-21T18:46:04Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > Well, Idaho’s covered with “My Own Private Idaho” by the B-52s. Not coming up with anything else off the top of my head, though there IS one that mentions Boise and I just can’t…it’s back there…damnit! Lynard Skynnard, I think..damnit…get back to you, lol. > > “What’s Your Name”, doh. /facepalm > > _The incident did not happen in Boise, Idaho. The first line was originally, “It’s 8 o’clock and boys it’s time to go,” but lead singer Ronnie Van Zant changed it when he found out his brother, Donnie, was opening his first National tour with his band .38 Special in Boise. The first line became “It’s 8 o’clock in Boise, Idaho.”_ The one other song I can think of that mentions Idaho is Paul Revere & the Raiders’ autobiographical song, “The Legend of Paul Revere.” It starts off : _In a little town in Idaho, way back in '61, A man was frying burgers. Gee, it seemed like lots of fun. But to his friend the bun boy, he confessed “It’s misery. I think I’d like to start a group, so come along with me.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/111 "2012-03-21T19:13:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > [Moonlight in Vermont](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwyZyDD6Yqw), one of my favorite old standards. > > There are a lot of songs written about Alaska, but they’re by local artists there and don’t get any play anywhere else. Here’s Johnny Cash with [When It’s Springtime in Alaska](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tee6VjpXwFU). I think Johnny Horton wrote the song… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130/112 "2012-03-21T20:03:04Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Here’s Johnny Cash with [When It’s Springtime in Alaska](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tee6VjpXwFU). I think Johnny Horton wrote the song… [This one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NOhQomiFZM) offended many of the Natives when it came out (Son Don’t Go Near the Eskimos). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-states-have-the-most-and-least-songs-written-about-them/616130.md?page=5)