Go, Mississippi

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Go, Mississippi
Regional anthem of Mississippi
LyricsWilliam Houston Davis, 1962
MusicWilliam Houston Davis, 1962
Published1962
AdoptedMay 17, 1962; 61 years ago (1962-05-17)

"Go, Mississippi" (copyrighted as "Go, Mis-sis-sip-pi") is the

regional anthem of Mississippi, adopted as the official state song
on May 17, 1962.

History

Adoption

"Go, Mississippi" was written and composed by

William Houston Davis (1914–1987)[1][2] and copyrighted in 1962.[i] The copyright was assigned in 1962 to the Jackson Board of Realtors, who recommended it to the Legislature
.

It was adopted as the official state song by

UPI, everyone rose.[5]

The song was enthusiastically received in front of 41,000 fans at a formal dedication September 29, 1962, by

Ole Miss–Kentucky football game.[6][7]

Background

"Go Mississippi" is the same melody as "Roll with Ross," which Houston Davis[iii] composed under a commission by Ross Barnett (1898–1987) for use as a 1959 campaign theme song for governor.[8][9] The lyrics of "Roll with Ross" include the words:

Roll with Ross, roll with Ross, he's his own boss
For segregation, one hundred percent
He's not a moderate like some of the gents
He'll fight integration with forceful intent.

— Lyrics to "Roll with Ross" (© 1959)
The same melody as "Go, Mississippi" (© 1962)

The halftime was promoted,

State Anthem.[7]

Proposals to change

Introduction

There have been proposals to adopt other songs for various reasons, namely because of the current song's direct connection to a staunch segregationist holdout.

1976 attempt

In 1976,

Charlie Pride, whose identity as a performing artist is linked closely with Mississippi culture, publicly expressed support of a group wanting to change it.[13][14]

Attempts after 2000

In 2000, State Senator

Nashville led a concerted campaign promoting "I Miss Mississippi" as a new state song for Mississippi.[15] In 2015, State Senator Robert L. Jackson
, introduced 2 Senate Bills:

Both bills died in committee February 3, 2015.

The song was officially changed to One Mississippi by Steve Azar in April 2022. The bill was signed by Tate Reeves and went into effect on July 1, 2022.[16]

Lyrics

(Verse)
States may sing their songs of praise
With waving flags and hip-hoo-rays,
Let cymbals crash and let bells ring
'Cause here's one song I'm proud to sing.

(1st chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, keep rolling along,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you cannot go wrong,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, we're singing your song,
M-I-S, S-I-S, S-I-P-P-I.

(2nd chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you're on the right track,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, and this is a fact,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you'll never look back,
M-I-S, S-I-S, S-I-P-P-I.

(3rd chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, straight down the line,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, ev'rything's fine,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, it's your state and mine,
M-I-S, S-I-S, S-I-P-P-I.

(4th chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, continue to roll,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, the top is the goal,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you'll have and you'll hold,
M-I-S, S-I-S, S-I-P-P-I.

(5th chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, get up and go,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, let the world know,
That our Mississippi is leading the show,
M-I-S, S-I-S, S-I-P-P-I.[17]

Sheet music

  • "Go, Mississippi" (© 1962)
In E♭ major
Jackson, Mississippi: Jackson Board of Realtors (publisher) (© 1962)
OCLC 20005003
  • "Go, Mississippi" (© 1961)
(manuscript)
OCLC 656249381

Selected discography

Delta Recording Corp. recorded the original version of "Go, Mississippi" at its studio in

ASCAP. When Mississippi was searching for a state song, the Delta Recording Studio reportedly recorded all the state university bands in search of the song that would truly be representative of the state.[20][21][22]

Original recording
Governor Ross R. Barnett Campaign Souvenir: 1959 Campaign Songs
Jerry Lane Orchestra, Maurice Thompson Singers ₳
Houston Davis Productions, Inc.
OCLC 874137334
133-657: Side 1
  1. "Go, Mississippi" (© 1962)
    Jerry Lane Orchestra
    Houston Davis (w&m)
    OCLC 30057690
133-656: Side 2
  1. "Roll With Ross" (© 1959)
    (audio on YouTube)
    Houston Davis (w&m)
    Maurice Thompson Singers ₳
    Orchestra conducted by Jerry Lane ‡
    OCLC 874142886
  2. "Little Carrol's Last Stand" (© 1959)  [iv] †
    (audio on YouTube)
    Houston Davis (w&m)
    Maurice Thompson Singers ₳
    Orchestra conducted by Jerry Lane
† The copyright for "Little Carrol's Last Stand" was previously registered as "The Battle of New Orleans." "Little Carrol's Last Stand" was a political campaign attack song commissioned in 1959 by Ross Barnett, the prevailing 1960 gubernatorial candidate against Lieutenant Governor Carroll Gartin.
‡ Jerry Lane was a dance band leader and trombonist from Jackson, Mississippi. Former band members include Tom "Bone" Malone.[23]
₳ The Maurice Thompson Singers were a small vocal ensemble from Jackson, Mississippi, founded and conducted by S. Maurice Thompson (1903–1973). Thompson, a radio broadcast pioneer, had moved to Jackson in 1935 to be an announcer at WJDX. In the 1960s, he was the station manager for WLBT.

Notes

  1. Ole Miss, "Never, never, never, shall our emblem go from Colonel Reb
    to Ole Black Joe." (Catsam 2009)

Original copyrights

Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Music, Library of Congress, Copyright Office

References

  1. OCLC 7065938, 516213921
  2. OCLC 50763390
  3. ^ "General Information: State Symbols," Mississippi Blue Book, 2012–2016 Secretary of State of Mississippi, pps. 54–55 (retrieved March 23, 2016)
  4. ISBN 0-313-31534-5
  5. UPI), May 17, 1962, pg. 2 (retrieved May 25, 2016, via www.newspapers.com/clip/50693814/the-delta-democrat-times/
    )
  6. Philadelphia Inquirer
    , September 30, 1962
  7. ^ a b c "The Black Man Who Was Crazy Enough to Apply to Ole Miss," by Nick Bryant," The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 53, Autumn 2006, pps. 60–71, 31 (retrieved May 25, 2016, via JSTOR; www.jstor.org/stable/25073538)
  8. ^
    OCLC 51214164
  9. ^ Sez, Col Reb (2012-12-10). "ColRebSez: If states can't choose their own license plates, then there may be no right to choose state songs, either". ColRebSez. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  10. OCLC 794003562
  11. OCLC 423202727
  12. Delta Democrat-Times (Greenville, Mississippi), April 28, 1976 (retrieved May 25, 2016, via www.newspapers.com/clip/50693640/the-delta-democrat-times/
    )
  13. Des Moines Register
    , February 8, 1994, 2A
  14. Daily Herald
    , February 4, 2000, Sec. 1A, pg. 2
  15. ^ "Duo Promotes Potential New State Song," by Jan Swoope, The Columbus Dispatch, June 3, 2011
  16. ^ "Gov. Reeves signs bill changing Mississippi's state song". 16 April 2022.
  17. ^ Lyrics in the official website of the State of Mississippi Archived 2013-08-22 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Jimmie Ammons and the Delta Label," by David Evans, Blues Unlimited, No. 42, March/April 1967, pg. 6
  19. ^ Jimmy Ammons and the Delta Label," by Kerry Kudlacek, Blues Unlimited, No. 48 November/December 1967, pps. 13–14
  20. OCLC 30320566
  21. ^ "Jimmie Ammons & Delta Records," by Don Pittman (Jackson, Mississippi), Rockabilly Hall of Fame (www.rockabillyhall.com), September 20, 1999 (retrieved may 24, 2016)
  22. OCLC 875933309
  23. OCLC 928726027

Mississippi Legislature citations

  1. William Gardner Hewes, Mississippi State Senate

  • ^ Senate Bill 2217 (2003):
  • ^ Senate Bill 2177 (2015):
  • ^ Senate Bill 2178 (2015):

    • Further reading

    External links
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Go,_Mississippi&oldid=1213778377"