# Your state's (or city's) rock song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790 "2006-05-15T02:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/21 "2006-05-15T15:54:11Z")
**Johnny Cash’s** _Folsom Prison Blues_, of course. “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.” ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/22 "2006-05-15T16:10:09Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=371656), if your state legislature decided to name a “State Rock and Roll Song,” what would it be? There are two categories: 1. Song with your state or city name in it. 2. Song by a group or act that originated in your state or city. [/QUOTE] Hometown: Jacksonville, FL 1. ``` "...and people down in Florida can't be still when old Lynyrd Skynyrd's pickin' down in Jacksonville..." from "The South's Gonna Do It" by Charlie Daniels. ``` 2. ``` any song by the aforementioned Lynyrd Skynyrd. Or Pat Boone. ``` VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/23 "2006-05-15T16:39:42Z")
Greensboro, and a lot of NC for that reason, has a huge hardcore/scene scene. Bands come here often, or start here, and we have a lot of small town hardcore groups/gangs/possees (like Trinity Killer Kids or something). Probably the most well known band to come out of here would probably be Taking Back Sunday. Coupled with that, and that their most well known song is probably “There’s No I in Team” or “You’re So Last Summer”, one of those may have to work. Either that, or one of the couple songs refering to NC as a whole, or something by John Denver. Not real rock, though, but it is as close as we can get to the music scene. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/24 "2006-05-15T16:48:50Z")
Based on the way the state has been run over the decades, I’d have to go with _Leavin’ Louisiana in the Broad Daylight_. Not for the lyrics per se, but I think the title says it all. (Hey, I love my home state, but you gotta admit it’s pretty much been run into the ground by one politician after another.) ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/25 "2006-05-15T17:12:20Z")
For my hometown of Austin, I’d have to say anything by Stevie Ray Vaughan… As far as I know, there’s two “big” songs that mention Austin by name: Little Texas’ “Amy’s Back In Austin” and Huey Lewis and the News’ “Heart of Rock 'N Roll.” We used to get excited when he sang, “in Austin…” For the state, I’d nominate Lyle Lovett’s “(That’s Right) You’re Not From Texas.” I grew up near the towns of Witney, in Oxfordshire, and Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk (in the UK). I’d have to claim Radiohead (Oxford) and The Darkness (Lowestoft) as the local bands of my youth, I s’pose. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/26 "2006-05-15T17:20:04Z")
“Last Dance with Mary Jane,” by Tom Petty, or pretty much anything by John Mellencamp. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/27 "2006-05-15T17:23:49Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] _Dirty Water_ for my home town (Boston) [/QUOTE] I was going to say Dirty Water, which Boston sems to wear with ironic pride. As for where I am now, in terms of major metropolitan area, it used to be “I Love LA” by Randy Newman, but I get the feeling that “All I Wanna Do” by Sheryl Crow has surpassed it in the hearts of the people in recent years. As for the actual town I live in now, Downey California, I would bet they’d pick something from a favorite son or daughter. I would bet they would pick “Top of the World” by the Carpenters (who grew up here), but I would prefer “Enter Sandman” by Metallica (James Hetfield is from Downey also). Weird Al was apparently born here as well, but grew up in Lynwood, so I don’t think they’d go with him. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/28 "2006-05-15T17:42:21Z")
Archetypal song: “The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota” by Weird Al. Famous musicians: Bob Dylan, and that Prince fellow. ---
**Author:** ![cold\_cold\_night](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@cold\_cold\_night](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cold_cold_night)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/29 "2006-05-15T17:44:39Z")
[QUOTE=ZebraShaSha] Greensboro, and a lot of NC for that reason, has a huge hardcore/scene scene. Bands come here often, or start here, and we have a lot of small town hardcore groups/gangs/possees (like Trinity Killer Kids or something). Probably the most well known band to come out of here would probably be Taking Back Sunday. [/QUOTE] Really? I thought Taking Back Sunday were from Amityville, NY? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Batman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@The\_Batman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Batman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/30 "2006-05-15T18:02:27Z")
_Californication_ - Red Hot Chili Peppers ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/31 "2006-05-15T18:12:23Z")
my hometown is in Nashville. I’m sure there are a million…mostly country i’m sure. I know there is a dixie chicks song, a ben harper song, a david meade song, umm theres that Arrested Development hip hop song Tennessee, Rocky Top? I live in Chicago now. I hear that Sweet home Chicago song alot around here. Its not really official but this past year the real Chicago song that comes to mind is the Don’t Stop Believing song that was used for the White Sox during the world series. Man they played that alot. There is a good Spoon song Chicago at Night. And then of course the entire Sufjan Stevens album, come on feel the Illinoise which has the song Chicago on the album ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/32 "2006-05-15T18:42:55Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] I knew that “Hang on Sloopy” was Ohio’s official rock song, but I hadn’t realised that the legislature used such profane language (as bolded above) in doing it. They sound like a bunch of Generation Xers. [/QUOTE] Although it has nothing to do with music, the state of Idaho passed a special legislation commemorating Jared and Joshua Hess and their film _Napoleon Dynamite_, which was filmed in- and took place in- Idaho. Among the portions of the legislation was one commenting that the people who voted against the legislation were “freakin’ idiots.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/33 "2006-05-15T19:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] As far as I know, there’s two “big” songs that mention Austin by name: Little Texas’ “Amy’s Back In Austin” and Huey Lewis and the News’ “Heart of Rock 'N Roll.” We used to get excited when he sang, “in Austin…” [/QUOTE] How about the glurgy “Austin” by Blake Shelton? > [@lobstermobster](#): > > my hometown is in Nashville. I’m sure there are a million…mostly country i’m sure. I know there is a dixie chicks song, a ben harper song, a david meade song, umm theres that Arrested Development hip hop song Tennessee, Rocky Top? “Nashville” by Indigo Girls is a good one, but negative in that it talks about their music not being accepted in the traditional country vein. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/34 "2006-05-15T23:58:26Z")
[QUOTE=cold cold night] Really? I thought Taking Back Sunday were from Amityville, NY? [/QUOTE] Possibly, but I know that one of them, I think the lead singer, has a house here. His little brother also goes to HS around here, and many people I know know him. I’ve only met him a couple of times, myself. ---
**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 16, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/35 "2006-05-16T00:08:42Z")
Too many to cite. However, Lou Reed did do an [entire album](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002LGA/qid=1147737747/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-4174813-9763949?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) about us, and possibly the best of his career. As for my home town (Cleveland), all I have to offer is [this](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002Z7K/qid=1147738005/sr=1-23/ref=sr_1_23/104-4174813-9763949?s=music&v=glance&n=5174). ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/36 "2006-05-16T00:10:54Z")
[QUOTE=KarlGrenze] Callin’ Baton Rouge by Garth Brooks for my current city, Baton Rouge. I can think right now of any that would mention Gainesville, except perhaps one of Tom Petty’s songs? [/QUOTE] The Indigo Girls’ “Shame on You” mentions Gainesville: [http://www.lyricstime.com/indigo-girls-shame-on-you-lyrics.html](http://www.lyricstime.com/indigo-girls-shame-on-you-lyrics.html) **Exapno** one of my favorite songs for Buffalo (I went to college there) is John Fogerty’s “Rock and Roll Girls”. “Dirty Water” is a good choice for Boston proper but for Massachussetts in general it’s hard to beat the Modern Lovers “Roadrunner”. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/37 "2006-05-16T00:40:52Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Without question, my State would be “Born To Run.” {Yes, New Jersey} [/QUOTE] I remember when the New Jersey legislature was discussing making this official (I’m not sure if they ever did), Joe Piscopo had a bit in his stand-up routine about how only Jersey would have a state song with the word “suicide” featured prominently. Back in the Eighties, Seattle’s local comedy TV show Amost Live lead a campaign to get “Louie, Louie” declared the state song (their main reason, I think, was that Paul Revere and Raiders are from here and they recorded a version, though not the best-known one). Olympia, wisely, refused the full honor, but did make it the state rock song. A lot of cities and states can claim Dr. Hook’s [What a Way to Go](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/What-a-Way-to-Go-lyrics-Dr-Hook-the-Medicine-Show/396FC2D3E8BE8DE848256CAA00123F70), but Seattle gets mentioned in the first line. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/38 "2006-05-16T01:04:35Z")
God, do I have to even say it?! _See Location_ I hate that song. Smashmouth needs to do a “local” song so we can all forget about Dionne’s wailing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/39 "2006-05-16T02:13:10Z")
[QUOTE=Saltire] I remember when the New Jersey legislature was discussing making this official (I’m not sure if they ever did), Joe Piscopo had a bit in his stand-up routine about how only Jersey would have a state song with the word “suicide” featured prominently… [/QUOTE] We never went through with it. But it has been the unofficial song for a few decades now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790/40 "2006-05-16T02:42:51Z")
Seattle has more songs _from_ it than _about_ it, but there’s always Robyn Hitchcock’s number _Viva! Sea-Tac_: _Viva Seattle-Tacoma, viva viva Sea-Tac Viva Seattle-Tacoma, viva viva Sea-Tac Viva viva viva viva viva Sea-Tac They’ve got the best computers and coffee and smack_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-states-or-citys-rock-song/356790.md?page=3)