Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs

Subject: ADD: Shafted in Shaftsburg - Charlie Ipcar ^^
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 19 Mar 01 - 08:54 PM

Now, I'll admit that Lou and Peter Barrymen have the ultimate generic state song "Your State's Name Here" but I bet there are a lot of unofficial state name songs that are floating around. In Michigan I collaborated on one inspired by a road trip to the Thumb of Michigan, beginning with our passage through the little town of Shaftsburg. Several groups have recorded various versions and I'm convinced that like the weed it is, the state will never erradicate it. I would like to encourage others to post their own state songs here. And I'll begin with:

SHAFTED IN SHAFTSBURG
(By Charlie Ipcar & Maxine Parshall ©1975)

I've been shafted in Shaftsburg,
Been lynched in Lynchburg town;
I've been sharpened in Flint,
And Highland's got me down;
I'm all washed up in Bath,
Impaled in Lansing too;
Yes, I've been shafted in Shaftsburg,
Come on and get shafted too!
Yes, I've been shafted in Shaftsburg,
Come on and get shafted too!

I got fed up in Eaton Rapids,
In Custer I made my stand;
I got crocked in Potterville,
In Mason I was canned;
Reformed in Westphalia,
Benton Harbor straightened me out,
But the shafting I got in Shaftsburg
'Twas dreadful there can be no doubt!
But the shafting I got in Shaftsburg
'Twas dreadful there can be no doubt!

I lost my bearings in Wheeler,
Hamburg ground me down;
I was given the bird in Pigeon
And Fowlerville's a chickenshit town;
I got riled up in South Riley,
Ran amok in Menominee, Menominee, Menominee,
But when you come to Shaftsburg,
You'll be shafted I guarantee!
But when you come to Shaftsburg,
You'll be shafted I guarantee!

I got mixed up in Cement City,
Muskegon raised a stink;
You can't get high in Lowell,
Hart's got no soul I think;
I've been glum in Lum,
Taken for a ride in Cadillac;
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know you're never coming back!
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know you're never coming back!

I lost my head in Bad Ax,
And Hell it wasn't so hot;
I got fXXXed over in Climax,
And Hillsdale left me flat;
I've been socked in Argyle,
Swamped in Grand Marais,
But when you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know you're gonna stay that way!
But when you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know you're gonna stay that way!
I put up my dukes in Ellington,
Got locked in the Kalamazoo;
I got the trots in Flushing
And see-sawed at the Sault;
I got stoned in Petoskey,
Balmed in East Gilead;
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
Nothing else is quite as bad!
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
Nothing else is quite as bad!

I was polished off in Brighton,
In Lyons I lost my pride;
I was fleeced in Shepard,
In Frankenmuth I got fried;
I was blown away in Galesburg,
And Howeled all the way home;
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know it's time to roam!
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know it's time to roam!

I was cast out of Eden,
In Paradise I was lost;
I was damned in Holland,
In Thunder Bay, tempest tossed;
Tehquamenon was my downfall
But, Eureka, I saw the light;
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know it's time for flight!
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You know it's time for flight!

I got plastered in Paris,
In Rosebush I got ripped;
I got tanked in Sherman,
In Beacon I was lit;
Fell off the wagon in Temperance,
In Brunswick I got stewed;
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
Nothing else is quite as crude!
When you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
Nothing else is quite as crude!

I drifted through Grand Rapids,
At Big Rock I was sunk;
Coldwater was a chilling experience,
Hemlock had a lot of punch;
Saginaw was a big letdown,
And Paw Paw's a fruity place,
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You've known real disgrace!
But once you're shafted in Shaftsburg,
You've known real disgrace!

This is the official fully Monty version of the song! ^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 02:27 AM

R&GC, I'm glad you wrote a derogatory Michigan song and didn't say something derogatory about Detroit. We native Detroiters have taken a pretty bad rap the last 40 years.
-Joe Offer, who moved to Wisconsin in 1958-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 08:34 AM

Joe, we were in dire straits because of our inability to come up with an appropriate verse for Detroit. Now that I've moved back to Maine and learned that the National Folk Festival will be relocated to Bangor next year I've been struggling to avoid another song; such a song could haunt one for years and it's arkward to wear out one's welcome in one's home state.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: GUEST,Midchuck upstairs
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 10:59 AM

Thanks to Da Yoopers, there are probably more derogatory songs about Michigan than any other state.

I'm fond of "I Hate to Wake Up Sober in Nebraska," by Free Hot Lunch. It's all true!

Peter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 11:12 AM

Midchuck, please provide a couple of verses as teasers or a link to a website. The tune to Shafted in Shaftsburg is in the same family as Moving Day for those interested. Kitty Donahue did a version as did Lady of the Lake on their WILD ROSE cassette (check with Elderly Instruments). There's also an early recording that one of our friends secretely filed in the Secretary of State's office under "state songs"; we were everywhere!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: Trapper
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 11:17 AM

Peter and Lou Berryman also have a great song consisting entirely of city names from the frozen state of Minnesota. It's sung to the tune of Chopsticks, and called, naturally enough, "CHAPsticks"....

Only Peter and Lou...

- Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: Trapper
Date: 20 Mar 01 - 11:27 AM

Here's a blue clickey for Peter and Lou's "Chapsticks", and another blue clickey for "Your State's Name Here.

- Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:00 AM

Now I know there is an unoffical NJ state song full of lovely town names. But I'm truly surprised that other state enthusists are not rushing to offer their contributions to this thread. How about Nebraska? How about Alaska? How about Florida or have all the towns there been incoporated into greater Disneyworld?

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M FROM MINNESOTA (Maguire)^^
From: raredance
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:28 PM

I'M FROM MINNESOTA

(Charlie Maguire, 1981)

I'm from Minnesota, now that's a fact
Can't tell by my shoes, can't tell by my hat
Can't tell by the way that I wear my clothes
Only by the frostbite on my nose (2X)

Went north to Duluth to watch the boats sail in
Worked on the docks until they sailed out again
Loading with a chute, loading with a crane
Loading that ore from the Iron Range (2X)

Then south to Minneapolis and St. Paul
Spent all my money that I made last fall
Floated down the Mississippi to the Iowa line
Pushing those barges, taking my time(2X)

Moorhead in the west, where the sugar beets grow
Dig them out of the ground there before the snow
Walkl down to the station get your ticket for the train
Climb aboard, come home again (2X)

It's Pine City, Forest Lake, Little Swan
Northfield, Red Wing, Marion
Ely, Little Falls, Grand Marais
Luverne, Montevideo, and Cloquet

recorded by Charlie on his Harbor Lights album.

I don't know if it qualifies as "odd" but he does get a lot of town names into it

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: & REQ-Odd State Songs
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:48 PM

I think Tennessee has the record for "Official" state songs. It seems as though everytime some Tennessee ditty comes along, the legislature makes it an "Official State Song." I think they are now at SIX!!!

1) My Homeland Tennessee -date adopted not known
2) When It's Iris Time in Tennessee - 1935
3) My Tennessee - 1955
4) Tennessee Waltz - 1965 (not surprising and most recognized)
5) Rocky Top - 1982 (they'll take anything)
6) Tennessee - 1992

Spaw

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MINNESOTA ALL SCHOOL REUNION^^
From: raredance
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:15 PM

THE MINNESOTA ALL SCHOOL REUNION

(R. Mark Fogelson, copyright 1996 Fogelsongs)

I'd like to share with you a tale,
That started when I went out to get the mail,
N found a letter that was addressed to me
I came from my home town high school,
The place I used to always riducule
"Come to the all-School-Reunion" was it's plea.

As I read the letter, names floated by
Some made me smile, n some made me cry
And the thought of going back, well it nearly struck me dumb
But after thinkin it over I decided to go
I could drive on over in my old Yugo
So I R.S.VP.'d back that I would come (no pun intended)

N I saw Adolph, Mabel, Boyd and Tracy
Saints Peter N Paul who used to drive me crazy
LeRoy, Russell and my old flame Emily
I saw Myrtle, Kent, Byron, and Bertha,
Gary, Blaine and good ol' Alberta,
Herman, Florence, Tyler N Mallory.

The Welcome was given by Stephen Garfield,
who tried to Embarrass Luverne Butterfield
Then we made Good Thunder singing the school song in Harmony
A reading was given by Ann N Dale,
the food was blessed by Gray Eagle Ottertail
The Cook made some Rice, Black Duck, Orr chicken Canby

Then Hutch N son started up their band
We took off our Coats in the old Heartland
Woodstock it wasn't , but we danced till we were Sleepy Eye(d)
Then Shelly decided to take Cal-Away
'cause he'd been saying "Wannamingo?" all the day
So we Graceville(ly) agreed to shut down and say goodbye.

I saw Arnold, Maynard, Hope N Stacy.
Saints Michael N James who still drive me crazy.
Carlos, Franklin and another old flame Lydia
N I saw Bruno, Web, Gilbert and Alden
Cyrus, Kenneth N good old Austin
Elizabeth, Darwin, Douglas and Olivia
Brandon, Hugo, Warren and Victoria
Morris, Wendell, Randolph and Isabella

from the CD: R. Mark "Dance your Dream". Mark claims there are 77 towns from Minnesota mentioned in this song. He has a spoken ending that either includes a couple more or actually brings the number up to 77

rich r

Subject: ADDPOP: Rhode Island Is Famous For You
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Feb 03 - 01:29 PM

I came across this song on a Nancy LaMott recording last night, and thought it was a perfect tribute to the two loveliest women in my life - my wife and my mother-in-law, who are both from Woonsocket.

RHODE ISLAND IS FAMOUS FOR YOU
(Howard Dietz, lyrics; Arthur Schwarts, music)

Ev'ry state has something
Its Rotary Club can boast of;
Some product that the state
Produces the most of.
Rhode Island is little, but oh my,
It has a product anyone would buy.

REFRAIN I
Copper comes from Arizona,
Peaches come from Georgia,
And lobsters come from Maine.
The
Wheat fields
Are the sweet fields
Of Nebraska,
And Kansas
Gets bonanzas
From the grain.
Old whiskey
Comes from old Kentucky,
Ain't the country lucky?
New Jersey gives us glue.
And you,
You come from Rhode Island,
And little old
Rhode Island
Is famous for you!

REFRAIN 2
Cotton comes from Loosiana,
Gophers from Montana,
And spuds from Idaho.
They plow land
In the cow land
Of Missoura,
'Where mostbeef
Meant for roast beef
Seems to grow.
Grand Canyons
Come from Colorada,
Gold comes from Nevada,
Divorces also do.
Andyou,
You come from Rhode Island,
And little old
Rhode Island
Is famous for you!

REFRAIN 3
Pencils
Come from Pencilvania,
Vests from Vest Virginia
And tents from Tentasee.
They know mink
Where they grow mink
In Wyomink.
A camp chair
In New Hampchair,
That's for me.
And minnows
Come from Minnowsota,
Coats come from Dacoata,
But why should you be blue?
For you,
You come from Rhode Island,
Don't let them ride Rhode Island;
It's famous for you!


from the 1948 musical, Inside U.S.A.

Schwartz and Dietz are better-known for "Dancing in the Dark," "That's Entertainment," "You and the Night and the Music," and the lovely "Triplets." [grin]

I found the lyrics in a new book, Reading Lyrics (2000, Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball) which has hundreds of these old chestnuts.

---

Oh, Cranky Yankee, I dedicate this song to you, too.
-Joe Offer-