I hadn't heard it before. The midi file shows it to be ok, a fine, upstanding, decent enough tune, but I can't say it's anything to write home about. The words: ditto.
The John Denver tune is a nice one, and it does mention WVa ( a beautiful state) - and I think the song does work in a third chord somewhere, eventually, doesn't it?
Seriously folks, there is one, and only one, contender for greatest state song. I am not biased, because it is no longer my state (I live in Indiana, which has one of the second-tier songs).
This song has a troubled past, racially speaking. It is not a perfect song, but few classics are. The lyrics were officially updated in 1986 by the state legislature (http://www.50states.com/songs/ has them a bit wrong, as do many sites, I found when I was recently commissioned to do an arrangement. You can see the original, and the official lyric, as mandated by House Resolution 159 at http://www.shgresources.com/ky/symbols/song/ ) The lyrics are wistful, even a bit sad - not the flag waving stuff that says nothing that take the place of lyrics in many state songs.
This melody is rich with harmonic possibilities (you should hear my recent chart - the harmonies for this small group are so good I want to do a chart with the same changes for the Louisville Orchestra, even though they haven't asked me for one, just so I can hear it more often, he says modestly).
The one and only greatest state song is, and will always be, Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night."
The debate is ended.
RBH
P.S. My oldest sister, when she took a government job and moved to Maryland, had to deal with the shame of, as she put it: "At the Derby they play "My Old Kentucky Home." At the Preakness they play "O Christmas Tree!"
Andrew Stiller wrote:
On Sep 8, 2004, at 3:23 PM, Mark D Lew wrote:
The state I grew up in, Alaska, is blessed with a gorgeous state song ("Alaska's Flag"), both in text and in music. Perhaps I'm biased, but I think it's got the best music of any state song
Better than "Country Roads" (WV)? Hard to believe!
Andrew Stiller Kallisti Music Press http://home.netcom.com/~kallisti/
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