Save Florida's state song from politicians posturing to look good in front of the camera.
SAVE OUR SONG
Sen. Hill, Rep. Homan, and it would seem every politician in Tallahassee are not representing the people and are utterly contemptuous to them.
"(Old Folks At Home) Swanee River," written by American songwriter Stephen Foster in 1851, is a core of Florida's heritage and was established as the official states song in 1935. A venture sponsored by Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa/Temple Terrace inspired by Gov. Charlie Crist spurning the music at his inauguration will remove the traditional song stating, "It's a memorable song, but it's a memory of the way Florida was, and the new song will be the way Florida is."
The hundreds of politicians who will let a minority dictate what is morally wrong and what the rest of the citizens of Florida must live with are posturing in front of a camera or actively demands on everyone else. By calling this song "racist," "outdated," and "offensive" they are directly insulting the heritage of Florida. Every time the people have been asked in online polls whether "Swanee River" should be removed, the results have been vastly in staunch opposition. The truth is the people have not been asked.
This project by Sen. Hill and state Rep. Homan has gone on for months, but yet the majority of the people of Florida have not even heard of it. We now only have weeks left until this goes forward in the Florida legislature and the official song is removed in the name of Political Correctness and disparagement of the entire history and heritage of the state.
We must send a clear message now to Tallahassee or this will go through and yet another check mark on the long list of assaults on the American story will be tallied. We can tell them who they represent now and remind them that we give them the right govern, they don't take the right to tell us who we are and what we must think.
SAVE OUR SONG!
The "Just Sing Florida!" online poll that has only attracted 5000 votes ends on January 10, 2008, but that only applies to the competition. It has no effect on the official song until the legislature reconvenes and has a vote. Contact your state representative and senator. Email, telephone, and send letters. The removal of Swanee River is far from concrete. Tell the politicians they don't get to edit Florida character at their whim to brag how Politically Correct they are. Remind them they are our representatives at our whim.House Members List 2008
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Webmaster's note: If at all possible make your voices known this Sunday (Jan. 13) at National Stephen Foster Day and concert. This is a great timing and great event.
Center to celebrate Stephen Foster Day: Concert on Sunday to coincide with national celebration.
JOHNNA PINHOLSTER
Lake City Reporter
January 9, 2008
Transforming the name into the two-syllable Swanee, people from all over the nation can recognize the opening line to “Old Folks at Home,” even if they don’t know the song.
“Way down upon the Swanee River,” was the line written by Foster, a man who never saw the lazy river’s banks but managed to capture the heart and soul of an area succinctly. The State of Florida adopted “Old Folks at Home” as the Official State Song in 1935.
More than 150 years after the song was written, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs will celebrate National Stephen Foster Day with a concert on Jan. 13.
“This is part of Florida’s heritage, and it is one of three places where special events will be held to honor Stephen Foster,” said Mitzi Nelson, park information specialist.
An event will take place at the University of Pittsburgh at Stephen Foster Hall and at My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Kentucky simultaneously.
The concert will feature musical performances by this year’s winners of the Stephen Foster and Jeanie Ball Auditions. Giovanni Maschi, of Miami Shores, and Marissa Rivera, of Oviedo, will dress in period costume and perform several of Foster’s songs. Maschi will also serenade Rivera with Foster’s number “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” Nelson said.
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Webmaster's note: Politicking can be helpful, but where's the one strong willed Florida statesman willing to say he opposes the whole PC establishment and then win our loyalty?
Bill Voices State Song Contest Dissent
GRETCHEN PARKER
Tampa Tribune
January 9, 2008
Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, says none of the three finalists in the Just Sing, Florida! contest have won the approval of the Floridians he has heard from. Still, he contends his attempt to introduce a new song is not an attempt to sidestep the contest.
He also says he doesn't want to jump into the debate over whether the current state song, popularly known as "Swanee River," should be replaced.
"We're trying to avoid the whole state song controversy," Murzin said. "Who knows what happens to that bill, but we're separate and going forward."
Instead, he says a state anthem could be established alongside the state song - whether it stays "Swanee River" or is replaced with one of the original songs submitted to Just Sing, Florida! He equated the pairing with the United States' use of the national anthem along with unofficial national songs, including "God Bless America."
The tune Murzin chose for his bill was written by a longtime friend, Okaloosa County lawman Graham Fountain, and Warren Halstrom, a Tallahassee pastor.
To listen to their song, "Oh Florida, My Sweet Home," go to www.mysweethomeflorida.com.
The state song competition wraps up Friday, when the song with the most Internet votes goes on to be written into legislation. To vote, go to www.justsingflorida .org.
Reporter Gretchen Parker can be reached at gparker@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7562.
Webmaster's note: We take the grousing opinion here.
Saying it all about Florida in a song
SUE CARLTON
St. Petersburg Times
January 9, 2008
Yes, there is that important vote around the corner on the big property tax plan. But first, something more immediate: We have but one more day to weigh in on what could be our new state song.
Yes, in point of fact, we already have a state song.
Old Folks At Home, better known as "Way Down Upon The Swanee River," is as familiar to us natives as our official state bird (the mockingbird), our official state politician (Bubba the homegrown boy gone to Tallahassee) and our official state marine mammal (the lovable manatee, whom we prefer pictured in our brochures without those unsightly propeller scars).
Believe it or not, some Floridians are actually not in love with the idea of a state song written in the 1800s in the voice of a black slave pining for "de old plantation" and referring to "darkeys." Gov. Charlie Crist didn't use it in his inauguration, and some legislators have taken up the push to find something more appropriate.
Not everyone agrees. (Around here we can't even agree on what "grouper" is.) You can hear plenty of grousing that the very idea of ditching Old Folks At Home would be a kick in the pants to history and a colossal surrender to political correctness.
But hey, they're suggesting getting rid of its official-song status, not obliterating it from all history books and human memory banks. It probably wouldn't even be a felony to hum it in public.
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New Florida Song
Chris Marchand
WMBB, Panama City, FL
January 9, 2008
The "Just Sing, Florida" contest was created this year to try and find a new state song that would better depict Florida. Six musicians and music teachers assembled by the Florida Music Educators Association, acted as judges."
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Webmaster's note: We appreciate Rep. Murzin for paying minor attention to what his constituents have asked. One must wonder what he could possibly fear from a coalition of PC monkeys that he won't just tell them to take their campaign where the sun doesn't shine.
Lawmaker: Florida needs state anthem
Bill Cotterell, FLORIDA CAPITAL BUREAU POLITICAL EDITOR
Tallahassee Democrat
January 8, 2008
Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, said many of his constituents either want to keep Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home" or don't like any of the three songs up for a public vote — the results of which will be announced Friday in Tampa.
So Murzin said a former Okaloosa County lawman and a Tallahassee church musician got him interested in their song, "Oh Florida, My Sweet Home," as a musical tribute that can coexist with anything the 2008 Legislature picks.
"The two are totally distinct and separate things," Murzin said. "It's like the 'Star Spangled Banner' is our national anthem, and 'God Bless America' could be the national song, if Congress wanted to do that."
State Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Ed Homan, D-Tampa, have agreed to sponsor bills designating a new state song, to be selected in a monthlong online election run by the Florida Music Educators Association. The three nominees — "Florida: Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," "Florida, My Home" and "My Florida Home" —- have been posted at www.justsingflorida.org for the public to hear and vote upon.
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Critics have been trying to replace "Old Folks" for decades. The state removed the offensive slavery-era dialect from the song many years ago, but many legislators and other leaders have complained that its references to plantations and banjos bear no relevance to a state with spaceports and skyscrapers.
Gov. Charlie Crist did not have the state song sung at his inauguration last year and supports the Hill-Homan search for a replacement.
Webmaster's note: Yes, it's for everyone's good to kick a song and tell a people they're "racist." Just make sure you preach about uniting.
State song search is more than just a contest
James Perry
News-Press
January 8, 2008
In March 2007, the FMEA, as music experts, partnered with Sen. Tony Hill and Rep. Ed Homan to manage the process for "Just Sing, Florida!" and to select the three songs panelists believed to be the best of those submitted for consideration as a new state song.
The FMEA's mission is to promote high-quality music education programs for all Florida students. Since one of the FMEA's core missions is to provide opportunities for augmenting development of active and future musicians and music educators in order to enhance the profession, the opportunity to manage the process for the "Just Sing, Florida!" contest seemed a natural fit.
It was our hope from the beginning that Floridians — from young to old — would seize this opportunity to engage in music and the arts and to value the unity it can bring to our state. Whether you know it or not, music and the arts are indispensable and powerful forces in our communities. Take a look at this effort. When it is all said and done, it will have been something that engaged hundreds of cities and thousands of Floridians from the composition of 243 entry songs to the online voting and subsequent anticipated participation in the legislative process during the 2008 legislative session. Music has the power to unite people and create feelings of joy, belonging, pride and more.
The official state song has not changed since 1935. Most people don't realize the current state song, "Old Folks at Home" by Stephen Foster, is Florida's second state song. While "Old Folks at Home" is well-known and loved by many, others feel the song does not reflect the environment or values of Florida today and that it is time for a change.
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Webmaster's note: Seems it's common wisdom to take this moment to promote whatever other song you think should be the new "official" one.
Newly Formed Committee Seeks to Include Florida's Official Welcome Song, 'Florida' as Official State Song
Reuters
January 7, 2008
MIAMI, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A newly formed committee, 'Hold the Florida StateSong Vote', has retained TransMedia Group to publicize their campaign to stop the vote seeking to replace The Swanee River with a new state song and name Florida, Florida's current Welcome Song, as the official state song. Florida, written by Lawrence Hurwit and Israel Abrams, was named the official state welcome song in 1985.
"Florida is a catchy song that evokes light-heartedness and fun -- all things associated with the Sunshine State. Florida was written after Governor of Florida Bob Graham requested that Hurwit create an official song and the Florida House of Representatives voted in the song. It only makes sense to name the official state song as one already deemed important by our government," said Tom Madden, Founder and CEO of TransMedia Group.
With Hurwit's successful background in composing and orchestrating music, Governor Graham asked Hurwit to use Florida as an inspiration for a song. "Being a tourist turned long-time resident of Florida, I tapped into my experiences to write this ballad. After all, Florida welcomes people around the world to come and bask in sun with us," said Lawrence Hurwit.
The voting for the song ends on January 10th and Florida is not among the finalists chosen. The committee to 'Hold the Florida StateSong Vote' urges Florida residents to visit www.floridawelcomesong.com. Committee member Susan Cutaia says, "We already have an official song and it's been ignored in this competition. All we want is for everyone to hear Florida and then decide for themselves if it's worthy to be considered a finalist." The winner will be decided by popular vote at www.justsingflorida.org.
Media Contact: Kelli Bloechinger 561-750-9800 X 226 kelli@transmediagroup.com SOURCE TransMedia Group Kelli Bloechinger of TransMedia Group, +1-561-750-9800 X 226, kelli@transmediagroup.com
Webmaster's note: Los Angeles Times chimes in on how to be more politically sensitive and quotes Gov. Crist saying Swanee River "does not represent the people of Florida."
Floridians may get to sing a different tune
Carol J. Williams
Los Angeles Times
January 6, 2008
"Old Folks at Home," the official Florida ballad that voices an illiterate slave's nostalgia for the Suwannee River, has been a source of embarrassment and discord for decades for its allusions to "darkeys" and "longing for de old plantation."
The song, written by Pennsylvanian Stephen C. Foster in 1851 and adopted by Florida 84 years later, may soon be consigned, though, to the dustbin of the outdated.
Republican Gov. Charlie Crist nixed the song from his inauguration a year ago, giving critical mass to a campaign underway since the 1960s civil rights movement to replace the ode, commonly known as "the Swanee River song," with one more reflective of modern Florida.
The Florida Music Educators Assn. has been conducting a contest -- "Just Sing, Florida" -- for a new state song since April. A panel of music teachers listened to 243 entries submitted over six months, pared down the field to 20 and then to three.
The new song will be announced Friday, and two state lawmakers intend to submit a bill to make it the official replacement for Foster's.
"There just comes a point in time when you need to make a change. We're not throwing the old song away; we're just retiring it," said state Sen. Tony Hill, a Jacksonville Democrat. "It should go into an archive or a museum where people can see that was the Florida of 1935. But it's not the Florida of 2008 -- a darkey longing for his plantation."
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When substance and truth did not matter; everything was dominated by the political dogma.
William Penncrest
January 2, 2008
Florida state governor Charlie Crist's personal disdain for the official song of his state, Stephen Foster's Swanee River, reminds me of the repression of the arts behind the Iron Curtain of the former Soviet Union. Even while the song officially remains the property of the people of his state, a state congressman and a State senator were more than happy -- in setting up an official organization accepting contributions -- to gratify their own personal wishes to replace this traditional music, having been inspired and encouraged by the governor's ceremonial snubbing of the song. The people of the state had not asked them to do this, nor had this been proclaimed as part of Crist's gubernatorial campaign. Even had this been so, Crist still found occasion to display his personal contempt for history and tradition before a valid substitution had been adopted by the people.
In the United States these days, we have passed from government by the people to government largely at the whims of their elected representatives. The political leadership tells the citizens what they are to expect, rather than asking them for their input or seeking to know and respect the will of the majority.
Of course, ignoring and disregarding the will of the majority of the citizens has been going on for quite some time in this fair land. So true is this that the people no longer feel that they possess any real political power and, as a result of this feeling of political impotence, the citizenry sheepishly awaits the dictates of their 'representative' elected officials. The United States hasn't been a true democracy in many decades.
It was said of the Soviet Union, by a Russian man who lived through it all, that it was a period "when substance and truth did not matter; everything was dominated by the political dogma of that time." Sounds exactly like today's Political Correctness.
For one thing, Old Folks At Home used to be widely taught in the nation's public schools, right along with appreciation of classical music and the folk music of various nations of the world. I am referring to the Exploring Music course which used to be used in American schools. That book says specifically of Stephen Foster's song, "Sometimes we sing songs written by composers so often that they seem as much a part of the music of the people as any folk song. 'Old Folks at Home' is such a song." If the educators of the past were so unenlightened as to include such a 'disgraceful song' in the curriculum, our nation surely must have been wallowing in the stinking mire of a most piteous ignorance.
The lyrics in the refrain to this song clearly show the emphasis in its meaning: "All the world is sad and dreary / Everywhere I roam; O loved ones, how my heart grows weary, / Far from the old folks at home." The stress is placed on the feeling of missing family and loved ones at home.
When the former Soviet Union was experiencing the same kind of government interference in the cultural life of its people, the late Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould, spoke out on television to his own nation: "Despite all of the idiotic repressions of Soviet musical life, despite all of the absurd restrictions of the official policy of the arts, at a time of international, as well as personal, crisis, that superb impassioned lyricism of the Russian character will still respond with achievements of mesmeric power."
The American majority is not only silent; it is living under an open oppression that is hostile to its traditions. The 'American' rulership has plans for the people that have never been mandated by the people. In suppressing so innocent and charming an expression of Americana, our current leaders are announcing their firm intention of replacing traditional America with something entirely foreign to the government founded at such great cost in 1776.
I Hear Florida Singing
Jonathan Cunningham
New Times Broward-Palm Beach
January 3, 2008
Some Florida lawmakers think it's finally time to jump into the 21st Century and get a new state song. The old state song, "Old Folks at Home," also known as "Swanee River," beloved by some and detested by others, is on its way out. We need a new ditty to take its place, but what exactly should it be?
When Stephen Foster composed "Old Folks," with its broad black dialect and affectionate reference to "darkies," slavery was still legal in the United States. The namesake of this column was fighting for his freedom in the courts, a battle he'd ultimately lose when Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney decreed that all blacks were merely property in the United States. It was 1851, and the country was at its nadir as Foster put pen to paper and plucked a Florida river's name from an almanac (changing "Suwannee" to "Swanee" to suit his melody). Why Florida politicians adopted it as the official state song in 1935 is still a mystery. It actually had nothing to do with Florida, although the song's subsequent popularity spurred tourists to come here to see the misnamed river. Perhaps embracing it was a declaration that Florida had no scruples when it came to separating Yankees from their money.
Tony Hill, a state senator, and Ed Homan, a state representative, are leading the charge to ditch "Old Folks." They had another decent idea when they joined with the Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) to sponsor a contest, titled "Just Sing, Florida!," in which state musicians were encouraged to submit original compositions to replace Foster's. The problem, apparently, is that there were not a whole lot of talented folks who entered it.
Most of the entries were country or classical songs, according to a "Just Sing, Florida!" spokesperson. Of the 243 songs that were entered, just one was hip-hop. One more was reggaeton. Most were bunk.
How do I know?
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Write Your Comment Here
Singing a new tune
Peggy Sias Lantz
Orlando Sentinel
January 2, 2008
I have always liked Stephen Foster's "Swanee River," for when all my family was living in Florida and I was not, I did indeed long for "the old folks at home." And I do think the Legislature spends too much time on trivial pursuits. We have a state soil, a state insect and a state pie, for goodness' sake!
Nevertheless, I would like to comment on the three contenders for a new Florida state song.
All three tunes are interesting enough, yet within the range of an octave, making them accessible to most voices.
My choice is "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)." The first word is Florida. The tune is easily singable and catchy. The opening section is easy to learn, while the middle section offers musical interest as well as good words. I wish the word "Florida" began on a downbeat, but making the first two notes a dotted quarter note and an eighth note would improve it.
If we have to have a new state song, this Florida native thinks "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)" is the best of the three.
PEGGY SIAS LANTZ Orlando
St. Andrew’s Choir Director Carl Ashley Vies for Florida State Song Competition
Skip Sheffield
Boca Raton News
December 31th, 2007
The public will decide by popular vote tallied by midnight Jan. 10.
Ashley’s composition, “Florida, My Home,” with lyrics by Betsy Dixon, is one of three finalists in a statewide competition to replace Stephen Foster’s “Swanee River” (Old Folks at Home) as the Florida State Song.
Written in 1851 and adapted as Florida’s state song in 1935, “Swanee River” (shortened from Suwannee) reflects a 19th century world of plantations and slaves, called “darkies” in the song lyrics.
Like the Rebel theme “Dixie,” “Old Folks at Home” is considered dated and offensive to many.
“Stephen Foster was one of the greatest American songwriters of all time,” acknowledges Carl Ashley, a music teacher and director of choirs at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. “There is some resistance to replacing `Old Folks at Home’ as the state song. It was written in a different era, and it is now dated and potentially offensive. They wanted a state song that was more inclusive of the whole state, its people and its diverse cultures.”
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So long, Swanee -- your time is over
David H. Green
Pensacola News Journal
December 22, 2007
Regrettably, Florida's governor is committed to dropping "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River") as Florida's state song even as more old folks make Florida their home. He even refused to allow it to be performed at his inauguration. Personally, I like the fact that our state song was written by a man who never set foot in Florida; he picked the name for our song off a map, thinking "Suwannee" was a two-syllable word, rather than three. Its sins include the fact that as originally written its chorus referred to "darkies" and is thus guilty of blatant racism and — even worse — being behind the times in racial nomenclature. Further, it a refers to past plantation life fondly rather than as the worst possible form of man's inhumanity to man — even worse than genocide, ethnic cleansing or city nuking. Our governor joins those convinced it glorifies slavery by not demonizing it.
Proposed replacement state songs are:
• "Florida — Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky." The prettiest of the three candidates sticks with tradition by mispronouncing the name of the state (floor ee duhhhh), just as the current song mispronounces the name of the river. It's good in noting the name means Land of Flowers and claims we always welcome newcomers (some bumper stickers notwithstanding).
• "Florida, My Home" mentions our sapphire sea which thematically matches up with an Emerald Coast (actually Redneck Riveria, but developers have a hard time selling condos under that name), but it includes "All are gathered 'neath God's Heaven as He blesses home and land," so if adopted, it's sure to catch future flak from atheists and Muslims for opposite but similar reasons.
• "My Florida Home," sounding like an opera song, mentions looking down at forests and lakes, and thus might soon also be outdated as water demand, sea rise and subdivision development do away with both. (If sea rise kicks in, the state song won't matter anyway unless we vote for "Under the Sea.")
For those who insist on changing songs, you can vote on the proposed replacement at justsingflorida.org (just remember to vote for No. 1!).
Before going too far, though, please remember that the great W.E.B. du Bois, co-founder of the NAACP, praised the writer of "Old Folks at Home," Stephen Foster, for his appreciation and use of music and imagery of black culture, unlike most whites of his day — and some say even this day. (On the other hand, du Bois also found good in the Japanese conquest of China, Stalin and Hitler, so the man was obviously morally flexible). Besides, some of his ancestors were black plantation owners, and others were their property, so there's a real dichotomy there. We common folk enjoy the current song for the same reason we enjoy singing "Auld Lang Syne" for New Years: It speaks fondly and longingly of bygone days, people, places and family.
Its official status doesn't really matter since the song will still exist, no matter what; it's just a shame to drop a thing of beauty for political correctness in this culture of hypersensitivity.
David H. green is a resident of Bluff Springs in north Escambia County, and a columnist for the News Journal. E-mail him at DGreen7545@aol.com
Contest For New State Song Gets Only 5,000 Votes
Song Will Replace 'Old Folks At Home'
POSTED: 4:46 pm EST December 26, 2007
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The contest to pick a new state song is halfway over and, so far, only about 5,000 people have voted for one of the three finalists.
That's prompting concerns from some people who argue the song should not be picked by just a handful of the state's 18 million residents. The "Just Sing, Florida" online contest runs for one month and gives Floridians a chance to vote on one of three songs as their favorite.
Two state lawmakers want to replace the current state song "Old Folks at Home," also known as "Swanee River," because its lyrics have been criticized as racist. Sen. Anthony Hill, D-Jacksonville, said he believes the song, which has been the official state song since 1935, is not appropriate. "It should not be identified with the 1.8 million people living the state today," Hill told Local 10.com. Gov. Charlie Crist chose not to play "Swanee River" at his inauguration, feeling the song is offensive to many people. "I don't think it respects all of our citizens as much as it should," Crist told Local 10.com.
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Why bother changing state song?
December 24, 2007
By James Nelson
A "new" state song for Florida?
I read with interest the front-page article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel of Dec. 12, regarding the three finalists for a new Florida state song.
While all three finalist songs were pleasant, none was particularly "tuneful" and "memorable." Any human being with a college music degree that has at least half a brain would testify to that. I, myself, am one of them. After taking the poll published and voting, as of noon on Dec. 12, 78 percent of those voting chose to keep the state song that Florida has had since 1935 — Swanee River. Why not?
Apparently, some Floridians have nothing better to do than be concerned over a "state song," of which I would bet more than 90 percent of Florida residents have no idea as to the identity of same in the first place. To be overly and ridiculously concerned over an archaic use of the word "darkies," and cotton, and plantation, which occur in Swanee River, is total nonsense.
It's all part of history in Florida — no one can change that, whether we like it or not. "Political correctness" is running way out of hand these days in America, and hopefully, the public will wake up and realize there are far more important issues to worry over in Florida than an official state song, be it brand new, or the continuation of one that has been around for 72 years and no one really cared about anyway.
Let's wake up and get our priorities in place as they should be.
James Nelson is a resident of Plantation.
Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel