My Melody of States Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alabama

"Stars Fell on Alabama".
"We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white, and stars fell on Alabama last night". Do you suppose it was a cotton field in Alabama?

Whichever, this love song and tribute to Alabama has been very popular.
Many famous singers recorded this lovely song which was composed in 1934 by Frank Perkins with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. Jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong are a few of the estimated one hundred singers who have recorded "Stars Fell on Alabama". Not only has this song been popular with so many singers and orchestras, but it is now recognized on the vehicle license plates of Alabama. In 2002, "Heart of Dixie" was moved to the bottom of the license plate, and "Stars Fell On Alabama" put above the license numerals.

Answer: Tennessee

"I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz...'.

Patti Page, a popular songstress of the 1950s recorded "The Tennessee Waltz" which became an instant success when the song debuted in 1950. It had been composed by Pee Wee King and written by Redd Stewart. In 1965 "The Tennessee Waltz" was voted the fourth state song by its legislature. "My Homeland, Tennessee" was the first state song, (1925, followed by "When It's Iris Time in Tennessee"(1935), and "My Tennessee" (1955). On a very different note, "Tennessee Waltz" is the title of James Earl Ray's autobiography.

Answer: Vermont

"Pennies in a stream" are the first lines of the song, "Moonlight in Vermont", which were written by lyricist Richard Blackburn. Although Mr. Blackburn was originally from Ohio, his visit to Vermont inspired him to write the words of this song. Margaret Whiting, the then twenty-year-old daughter of composer Richard Whiting, had her first hit as a vocalist in 1944 with "Moonlight in Vermont".

In Whiting's autobiography, "It Might As Well Be Spring", she tells of how she needed help to musically interpret the lyrics of "Moonlight In Vermont" as they did not rhyme and were a description of the state as opposed to popular love songs of the time. Lines from the lyrics such as "falling leaves of a sycamore, ski trails on a mountain side, warbling of a meadow lark", are some examples from this beautiful song. With the help of Johnny Mercer, musician and composer, Margaret Whiting said she was able to render the song, accenting with her voice the soft sounds of the breeze and the feeling of moonlight and snowlight in Vermont.

Answer: New York

"East side west side, all around the town...' The lyrics and music to the song "Sidewalks of New York" are by James W. Blake and Charles E. Lawlor. James Blake, the composer of the lyrics, did grow up on the East Side of New York City. In 1894, while working as a haberdasher, Blake met Charles Lawlor who had come into his store humming a tune. Blake liked the tune and asked Lawlor about it. When Blake heard it was an original tune that Lawlor was composing, Blake offered to write the lyrics for the tune.

This very popular 1890s song was used as a Presidential campaign theme in the 1928 Presidential election. Democratic candidate, the Governor of New York, Alfred E. Smith, had the words of the chorus of "The Sidewalks of New York" adapted to fit his campaign. Smith, a former newsboy and fish monger, who was born on the South Side of New York City near the Brooklyn Bridge, lost the 1928 election to Herbert Hoover. If Smith had won he might have, "tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York".

Answer: Pennsylvania

Did you know "Everybody has a mania, to do the polka from Pennsylvania"? Or so the song lyrics tell us. A fast, one, two, three, oom-pah-pah beat has the partners whirling and circling the perimeter of the dance floor. This cheerful music, whether dancing or toe-tapping to it, makes for a lively time.

For a bit of fun, try to attend a local German festival. Many of the female dancers wear dirndl dresses and many of the men are in lederhosen. Foods native to Germany are served. Oh I forgot - and lots of beer, too. A popular singing group of the 1930-40s, The Andrews Sisters, recorded "The Pennsylvania Polka". You could, "Pick out your partner and join in the fun".

Answer: Texas

"Deep in the Heart of Texas"

"The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas", so wrote June Hersey in 1941 to the hand-clapping tune of composer Jim Swanger. The next year, 1942, this song was used as the title of a movie recounting Reconstruction in Texas. The University of Texas Longhorns play this song prior to the start of their home sporting events. During the Houston Astros' seventh inning stretch at home games, "Deep in the Heart of Texas" is played after "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". This Texas song has been played in movies, such as "Twelve O"Clock High" and on television shows. One humorous rendition was sung by Sheldon, (Jim Parsons), during an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" titled "The Bus Pants Utilization".

Answer: My Old Kentucky Home

Prior to the race at the The Kentucky Derby, the words of composer, Stephen Foster are sung. The band plays and the fans sing (some with a tear in their eye, or a mint julep in their hand), "My Old Kentucky Home". The words of the song, about the "sun shining bright on my old Kentucky home" were composed by Foster, who some call The Father of American Music. Fittingly it seems, Stephen Foster was born on the patriotic date of July 4, 1826 in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. Only once did Foster visit the state of Kentucky and that was as a child. Old time familiar favorites of Foster include "Oh Susanna", "Swanee River"and "Beautiful Dreamer". Here follows the enacting law making "My Old Kentucky Home" the official state song of Kentucky.

"An Act of the Legislature 1928
WHEREAS, the song, "My Old Kentucky Home," by Stephen Collins Foster, has immortalized Kentucky throughout the civilized world, and is known and sung in every State and Nation; therefore,Be it Resolved by the Senate of Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring: That the song, "My Old Kentucky Home," by Stephen Collins Foster, be and is hereby selected and adopted as the official State song of the State of Kentucky". (sic)

The song, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Bill Monroe, is the bluegrass song of Kentucky.

Answer: California

In 1921, "California Here I Come" was first heard in the musical, "Bombo" starring Al Jolson. It is a familiar American song, and has been heard in the U.S. Presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan. In the book, "Richard Nixon Alone in the White House" by Richard Reeves, Reeves tells of the clearing out of the desks of Richard Nixon prior to his departure from the White House.

A file that contained Nixon's suggestions for his funeral was found. One suggestion Nixon proposed for the music of his funeral was that "California Here I Come" be played softly and lightly at some time during the services.

The second line of the song is "right back where I started from".

Answer: North or South Carolina

Nothing could be finer than to be in "Carolina In The Morning" say the lyrics of this 1922 song which does not define whether it is North or South Carolina. Reputedly both North and South Carolina wanted to claim it as their own, and neither one ever really gained the right to say it was theirs. Groucho Marx, who recorded a version of "Carolina"in the Morning", was friends with the composer, Gus Kahn. Because Groucho's grandson, Alan, knew of his grandfather's friendship with Gus Kahn, it is reported that he asked Groucho whether it was North or South Carolina. Groucho is said to have replied that it was never determined. With no clear decision, neither Carolina uses "Carolina in the Morning" for their state song, but do play it for civic and sporting events. If these states had "Aladdin's lamp for only a day", here's what [I bet] they would say, "nothing could be finer than to be in...' [ North, oops no, South Carolina],' ... in the morning.

Answer: Georgia

The opening lines of the song "Georgia On My Mind" are "Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through, just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind". Composed by Hoagy Carmichael in 1930, who also wrote the classic, "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind" became a jazz favorite. Renditions of this song were made popular by Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, and Billie Holiday, but the entertainer who is most closely associated with Georgia's state song is Georgia's native son, pianist and singer, Ray Charles. Though recorded by many, it is only Ray Charles's version of "Georgia On My Mind", that is the state song of Georgia. On March 7, 1979, Ray Charles played and sang this song before Georgia's state legislature. That was the very day "Georgia On My Mind" became the official state song of Georgia.