OK did ya know? State Song of Oklahoma

  1. Thursday, February 23, 2006 14:06
The official song and anthem of the State of Oklahoma is "Oklahoma!" composed and written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein from the Broadway musical of the same name "Oklahoma!"

The Oklahoma Legislature officially adopted "Oklahoma!" as the state song on May 11, 1953.

Within Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes, there are three sections related to the state song and anthem.
  • §25-94.1. Official state song.
    The official song and anthem of the State of Oklahoma is hereby declared to be the words and music of the song "Oklahoma," composed and written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

  • §25-94.2. Official depository of state song.
    The State Library shall be the official depository of the official State song, and the State Librarian shall cause a copy thereof to be kept in the State Library.

  • §25-94.3. Words of state song.
    "Brand new state, Brand new state, gonna treat you great!
    Gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters,
    Pasture fer the cattle, Spinach and Termayters!
    Flowers on the prairie where the June bugs zoom,
    Plen'y of air and plen'y of room,
    Plen'y of room to swing a rope!
    Plen'y of heart and plen'y of hope!
    Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain,
    And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet
    When the wind comes right behind the rain.
    Oklahoma, ev'ry night my honey lamb and I
    Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk makin' lazy circles in the sky.
    We know we belong to the land
    And the land we belong to is grand!
    And when we say - Yeeowþ A-yip-i-o-ee ay!
    We're only sayin' You're doin' fine, Oklahoma! Oklahoma - O.K."
    Listen: MIDI (iTunes)
Have you ever noticed at any public event we usually start singing at "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain". I really don't remember ever singing about Spinach and Termayters.

While doing reasearch for this, I also found out there are an official state children's song (adopted 1996) and an offical state folk song (adopted 2001):
  • §25-94.5 Official State Children's Song
    Added in The official children's song of the State of Oklahoma is hereby declared to be the words and music of the song "Oklahoma, My Native Land", composed and written by Martha Kemm Barrett.

  • §25-94.7 Words of the Official State Children's Song
    "As I travel the roads of America, such wonderful sights I can see.
    But nothing compares to the place I love;
    The perfect home for you and for me.
    Yes, Oklahoma, my native land. I am proud to say your future's looking grand. Yes, Oklahoma, such history. Ev'ry day you give a gift just for me.
    I see a Scissortail Flycatcher cut through the clean air as mistletoe kisses the branches ev'rywhere. Redbuds open ev'ry single spring. I hear a Pow Wow beat the rhythm of the old ways as oil wells pump back mem'ries of the boom days. Only Oklahoma has these things.
    Yes, Oklahoma, my native land. I am proud to say your future's looking grand. Yes, Oklahoma, such history. Ev'ry day you give a gift just for me. Perfect home for you. The perfect home for me. It's only Oklahoma for me."
  • §25-94.8. Official Oklahoma State Folk Song
    The official Oklahoma State Folk Song is hereby declared to be the words and music of the song "Oklahoma Hills", composed and written by Woody Guthrie and Jack Guthrie. Except for nonprofit educational use, state use of the state folk song shall be preceded by notice of the intended nonprofit use to the copyright holder.

  • §25-94.10. Words of the Official State Folk Song
    Many a month has come and gone
    Since I’ve wandered from my home
    In those Oklahoma Hills
    Where I was born
    Many a page of my life has turned
    Many lessons I have learned
    And I feel like in those hills
    Where I belong

    CHORUS:

    Way down yonder in the Indian nation
    Ridin’ my pony on the reservation
    In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born
    Way down yonder in the Indian nation
    A cowboy’s life is my occupation
    In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born

    But as I sit here today
    Many miles I am away
    From the place I rode my pony
    Through the draw
    Where the oak and black-jack trees
    Kiss the playful prairie breeze
    And I feel back in those hills
    Where I belong

    CHORUS

    Now as I turn life a page
    To the land of the great Osage
    In those Oklahoma hills
    Where I was born
    Where the black oil rolls and flows
    And the snow white cotton grows
    And I feel like in those hills
    Where I belong

    CHORUS
    (iTunes)
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