Out With The Old, In With The Muse

By CURTIS ROSS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Mar 4, 2007

If ''Old Folks at Home'' is on the way out, what's on the way in?

That Stephen Foster ditty has been Florida's state song since 1935, but efforts are under way to replace it. Also known as ''Way Down Upon the Swanee River,'' the lyrics' use of the term ''darkeys'' and idyllic view of plantation life now seem archaic and offensive.

Some Floridians have suggestions to replace ''Old Folks,'' and the Legislature would likely have to approve a new song.

We have a few suggestions of our own, which may not be appropriate for official consideration but are, in their own ways, fitting.

We invite you to submit your choices, serious or not.

Please observe our ''no Jimmy Buffett'' restriction, as his ''Margaritaville'' already is the unofficial state song. At least it is around here on Friday afternoons.

Critic's Choice

1. ''Take Out Some Insurance'' (Jimmy Reed): A plea to those fleeing underwriters.

2. ''Like a Hurricane'' (Neil Young): This one seems obvious enough.

3. ''Gator Country'' (Molly Hatchet): Face it, 'Noles, it's UF's year.

4. ''My Beach'' (Surf Punks): ''My sun! My sand! My surf! GO HOME!'' Listen up, tourists! There's too many of us here already.

5. ''Deep Down in Florida'' (Muddy Waters): The great bluesman's lusty lyrics make Florida sun sound like nature's Viagra.

On A Serious Note

1. ''Florida's Song'' (Charles Atkins): The Florida State University professor and blues musician penned the song in hopes of having Ray Charles record it. That didn’t happen, but it now is the frontrunner to replace ''Old Folks,'' having been played at Gov. Charlie Crist's inauguration in place of ''Old Folks.''

''We need a state song that provides an example of relating to people,'' Atkins says. ''That's my biggest problem with ['Old Folks'] — 'all the world is sad and dreary.' I'm going to go to New York and sing 'all the world is sad and dreary. I can't wait to get back to Florida'? It speaks about other places, but it doesn't say anything nice about them.''

Hear Atkins and his Downhome Blues Band perform it here.

2. ''Florida's My Own'' (Amy Carol Webb): Lines such as ''I'm not born or bred here/Just gently led here'' make this an ideal candidate for a state with so many non-natives among the populace.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this song here.

3. ''Rose and the Gold'' (Mem Semmes): The colors in the title refer to a Florida sunrise, not FSU football uniforms, Semmes insists. Semmes handles publicity for the Will McLean Foundation, named for the father of Florida folk.

Semmes' song can be heard on ''These Diamonds,'' a CD of Florida folk songs produced by the organization. Read the lyrics here.

4. ''In Florida Among the Palms'' (Irving Berlin): The great American composer saluted the Sunshine State in this jaunty number.

Hear it on this video.

5. ''Florida, My Florida'' (C.V. Waugh): Or we could always go back to this, the official state song until 1935. Its hymnlike stanzas make it easy to sing, and where else are you going to find a song that celebrates phosphate mines? Read the lyrics here.

Make Your Own Suggestion