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Why are there no heartfelt songs about Yankee states?

J

JupiterJones

Senior member
We Southerners have a sense of place that is part of our inherited tradition. We even write songs about our places. Ever heard Lynyrd Skynyrd sing about "Sweet Home Alabama," or Ray Charles? soulful rendition of "Georgia On My Mind?" Sure you have. But why are there no heartfelt songs about Massachusetts or Minnesota?

Are there any such songs about states from the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line?



Edit: Other songs that come to mind

Tennessee Waltz
Yellow Rose of Texas
Stars Fell on Alabama
Kentucky Rain
Oklahoma
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Rain
My Home's in Alabama
The Devil Went Down to Georgia
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
Rainy Night in Georgia
Mississippi Queen
Mississippi Women, Louisiana Men
Louisiana Saturday Night
Tennessee River
Blame it on Texas
Lukenbach, Texas
 
I can only assume that nobody really feels good about the Northeastern states.

There is New York, New York..........but its not that sentimental, and more about the city than the state.
 
It's not part of the Northern state mentality. I have relatives in the South, and it is not uncommon when I visit to hear the "us vs those damn yankees" mentality spoken aloud. Most often it is by the older generation. Civil war influence I would think. In New England, there are towns that are close to 400 years old. By now most people here don't think in of themselves based on geography. We just live where we are. The North is our location, not our culture.
 
I know there's a bunch about Massachusetts/boston, I've heard them.


Searching CDNOW.com there's about 40CDs with songs titles with Massachusetts and probably over 60 with Boston.

However, seeing as the type of music that is popular up here rarely would cover a heartfelt song about home I don't really find it surprising.


"But why are there no heartfelt songs about Massachusetts or Minnesota?"

Obviously not a Beegees fan 😉

 
Yankee Doodle is heartfelt...isn't it?

I have always loved James Taylor's Carolina on My Mind... though it just occurred to me that it might be about a girl named Carolina & not the states. or *gasp* both! (fraggle's on a real brainstorming roll tonight)
 
There are a lot of good folk songs about the Erie Canal too. There's also a song with a hook that's something like "yeah Boston you're my home". Dan Fogelberg has a great song called "Illinois". There's also the ever popular "Indiana Wants Me". And my personal favorite, "I Don't Give A Damn 'Bout The Whole State Of Michigan.". (The last being an Ohio State University staple.)

ZV

You can take me out of Ohio, but you can't take Ohio out of me.
 
Well, there's always my personal favorite, John Gorka's "I'm From New Jersey", with the classic lines:

I'm from New Jersey, it's like Ohio,
But even more so, imagine that.

and

Girls from New Jersey who have that great big hair,
They're found in shopping malls, I will take you there.

and, finally

I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much,
If the world ended today, I would adjust. 😀

 
Maybe cause us "damn yankees" arent stuck in the fvcking past?

Got to love the adjective "fvcking" that you felt the need to insert. Classic example of the boorish Yankee. Why do you think that the Union felt the need to retain the South by force of arms? You and I are in different worlds and should not be unequally yoked.
 
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