Don Hill
By Don Hill
Guest columnist
Seems like Seymour is right in the middle of things.
Mainly railroad tracks. Trains running in both directions. Thankfully, some great artists have given us something to read while we are patiently waiting. The graffiti is amazing.
Speaking of running, we also are dead center of the two greatest races, one consisting of horses and one cars, which brings me to ask a question: Which of those two do they sing their state song before the race? Of course, you said both of them. Wrong!
If you said Kentucky, you are right. Kentucky adopted “My Old Kentucky Home“ as the official state song in 1928 (composed by Stephen Foster in 1853). Kentucky also recognizes an official state bluegrass song, “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” written by Bill Monroe in 1945.
Hey, wait a minute! How about Indiana’s state song, “Back Home Again in Indiana?” Sorry, if you placed a bet. Indiana’s state song is “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” adopted in 1913, written by Paul Dresser in 1897.
What about “Back Home Again in Indiana?” You know the one that we all sing and drink beer to during our 500 race party. You know, Gomer’s song. Well, that song was written by Ballard McDonald and composed by James Hanley in 1917. And by the way, you probably have never heard the first six lines.
I have always been a wand’rer
Over land and sea
Yet a moonbeam on the water
Casts a spell o’er me
A vision fair I see
Again I seem to be
and then comes Back Home Again, etc., etc.
And there is a second verse, as well. Look it up.
So you want to protest and declare “Back Home Again in Indiana” to be the Hoosier State’s song. Hold on now … Indiana is not officially the Hoosier State. Sorry, seems our lawmakers generally think it should be, but they can’t figure out how to word it because none of them know what Hoosier means. Oh well, I’m sorry if I ruined your party, but my friend, Connie, suggested it, so blame her.
Don Hill is a resident of Seymour and a longtime volunteer for Southern Indiana Center for the Arts. Send comments to [email protected].