Yesterday Once More

9 Feb 2016

American States

Music

Hi Listeners,

This week we are presenting songs with American states in their titles. Given the nationalistic and parochial loyalties of the American people it’s not surprising to find a song about almost every American state. It’s an interesting contrast to Australia where there are few (if any) songs celebrating our states.

There’s a bright start with Neil Sedaka’s ‘Wheeling West Virgina’ followed by the wonderful Southern, Cajun atmosphere in Bobby Gentry’s ‘Louisiana Man’. There’s the frontier approach to America’s two largest states (North To Alaska) and (Bigger Than Texas). Probably the state most sung about is California. In the program there are two songs about California – Jose Felciano’s expansive version of ‘California Dreamin’ and the Beach Boys surfie rendition of ‘California Girls’.

Aussie group Axiom released a cover of ‘Arkansas Grass’ and the Bee Gees scored hugely with ‘Massachusetts’. Probably the most interesting song is the oldest. Perry Como and his writers obviously had fun with the lyrics of ‘Delaware’ which cleverly (or cornily) presents many American states in word play.

Playlist

• Wheeling West Virginia – Neil Sedaka
• Louisiana Man – Bobby Gentry
• Mississippi – Pussycat
• North To Alaska – Johnny Horton
• Arkansas Grasss _ Axiom
• California Dreamin’ – Jose Feliciano
• Blue Hawaii – Elvis Presley
• Tennessee Waltz – Patti Page
• California Girls – Beach Boys
• Delaware – Perry Como
• Massachusetts – Bee Gees
• Bigger Than Texas – Tommy Sands

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