This old standard mentions Wyoming, but is more about a cattle drive.
Moonlight in Vermont, 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.
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.”
Any songs about New Mexico?
Apparently, there are several.
http://www.google.com/search?q=lyrics+new+Mexico&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
“Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., and Kalamazoo!”
“By The Time I Get To Arizona.” Not exactly a laudatory song, but you can’t say it doesn’t directly address the state.
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.”
Here’s Johnny Cash with When It’s Springtime in Alaska. I think Johnny Horton wrote the song…
This one offended many of the Natives when it came out (Son Don’t Go Near the Eskimos).