It is Time for a New State Song,,,

...and I know what is should be.

Our current Washington State song, Washington, My Home is terrible. Seriously, listen if you dare. As I have written before, it sounds like it was written by a committee of Girl Scouts. And to think we could have had Louie, Louie as the state song!

I want to propose a new state song--catchy, funny, historical, and written right here in Washington State. The song is The Old Settler. It was written by Judge Francis Henry of Pierce County around 1874 and was an instant hit. In fact when the state Constitutional Convention finished their work in 1889, they finished up by singing The Old Settler. The song was was forgotten until the early 20th century, when it was revived by Ivar Haglund--yeah, that Ivar. This charming video from MOHAI tells the story:

Additional information at this webpage from the Northwest Folklore Society. The one thing that the experts are missing is that the tune is not original--Henry set his lyrics to the tune of the traditional Irish folk (by which I men drinking) song, Rosin' the Bow.

Clearly, this is our song. Join me, Washingtonians, let's make this our state song. I know it is pretty west-side focused, but in this case we can let that pass. Acres of clams, people, acres of clams! Can't you see crowds of Washingtonians raising their voices to sing the Old Settler at Fourth of July picnics, or Seahawks games? We need to make this happen.

Here is how you can contact your state representatives. Do it today!

The Sad Story of the Washington State Song

Over at Civil War Memory Kevin and the gang have been having sport with the controversy over the Maryland state song. It turns out that the song was written by Confederate sympathizers and denounces Lincoln as a tyrant. Several commenters pointed to other state mottoes with racist or other unfortunate content. So I started researching the Washington State song hoping to get in on the fun. Check this out:



Yes, Louie Louie could have been our state song!

This page has a thumbnail history of the 1985 effort to make Louie Louie our official state song:

Meanwhile, in the state of Washington, more impetus was brewing to push the history of 'Louie Louie' from the unusual to the implausible. Resolution No. 85-12 to the Legislature of the State of Washington by Whatcom County Commissioner Craig Cole called for 'Louie Louie' to be proclaimed the official state song. Citing Washington's need for a 'contemporary theme song that can be used to engender a sense of pride and community, and in the enhancement of tourism and economic development', Cole's resolution 'respectfully memorializes the Washington State Legislature to proclaim 'Louie Louie' as the official state song', and to name a newly created county 'Louie Louie County'.

Louie Louie is a sentimental favorite in Washington, where a Seattle band called The Wailers made it popular in the 1960s. (Here is a video of Wailers front man Jack Ely singing the song to horse.) The state instead declared a Louie Louie Day, stating among other things:

WHEREAS, Few of our citizens are aware that there is an official theme song; and
WHEREAS, Even fewer of our citizens know the words or could carry the tune ...

So the legislature ducked the issue. But why was there a movement to change the song at all? Because the exisiting state song sounds like it was written by a committee of Girl Scouts:

Washington, My Home
Written by Helen Davis
Arranged by Stuart Churchill

This is my country; God gave it to me;
I will protect it, ever keep it free.
Small towns and cities rest here in the sun,
Filled with our laughter, 'Thy will be done.'

Washington my home;
Where ever I may roam;
This is my land, my native land,
Washington, my home.
Our verdant forest green,
Caressed by silvery stream;
From mountain peak to fields of wheat.
Washington, my home.

There's peace you feel and understand
In this, our own beloved land.
We greet the day with head held high,
And forward ever is our cry.
We'll happy ever be
As people always free.
For you and me a destiny;
Washington my home."

It sounds worse than is scans--try the MP3.

Perhaps the time has come to renew the effort to change the song to Louis Louie?