Connecticut's Anthem - Recognize This One? Quiz

Answer:

Connecticut is a recent adopter of a state anthem, adding theirs only in 1978 rumored to be at the behest of the then governor, Thomas Meskill. He was apparently tired of being played on and off the rostrum with the Yale fight song, "Boola Boola" and wanted something with more gravitas. In November of 1977, a motley collection of high school bands, revolutionary war reenactors, amateur choral groups, and many others gathered at the capitol to play their choices.


The legislature listened, debated, and finally after a bow to political correctness - replacing "girls" with "folks" - they chose "Yankee Doodle" as the state anthem. A proposal by state senator Joseph Lieberman to reference the "Boola Boola" song in the new anthem was thoroughly defeated.


The history of the "Yankee Doodle" song is a rich one and while many people, including your humble quiz setter, were taught that it was written by the Brits as a slam against the foppish Americans fighting them during the Revolutionary War, it turns out that the story is much older than that with the first written references being found as early as 1755 coming from the French and Indian War.


The Brits absolutely did adapt it after the outbreak of hostilities after 1776 and the song became popular first with the Brits as an insult, but soon (as these things are wont to do) as a point of pride with the upstart Americans. The reason that Connecticut chose "Yankee Doodle" is that the lyrics were supposedly written about the son of the governor of Connecticut, Thomas Fitch.


Finally, one interesting point of etymology is that the word "dude" is argued to come down to us from this song, where "doodle" became shortened to "dude".