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Fla. Singing Song Compromise

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By GRETCHEN PARKER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 10, 2008

Whether Floridians favor the old state song or the new, would-be state song, lawmakers have worked out an agreement that could have residents singing a happy tune.

The compromise, which still needs House and Senate approval, calls for Florida to keep its current state song, known as "Swanee River," and take out the mock slave dialect and references to "darkeys" and plantations.

In addition, Florida would adopt a state anthem. "Florida - Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" would become, in effect, a secondary state song. The tune, written by a Pompano Beach music teacher, won a statewide state song contest with 4,600 Internet votes after being picked as a finalist from 240 entries.

"The problem with 'Swanee River' was the offensive language and the dialect and all the other stuff in it. Now that has been cleaned up," said Sen. Anthony Hill, D-Jacksonville, who led the effort to retire the song, which is an old minstrel tune from 1851, and hold a contest to find a new one.

He hopes those who are offended by the old song, officially titled "Old Folks at Home," will "be able to tolerate" an edited version.

The new lyrics of "Swanee River," which was originally written by world-famous songwriter Stephen Foster, have the blessing of the experts at the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh, which runs a memorial for Foster.

The revamped version is included in a new publication this year of 60 Foster songs. Of those, 12 have revised lyrics. It's better to update the songs than to lose them, the center's leaders say.

Besides removing the old dialect, the new version of "Swanee River" replaces "darkeys" with "dear ones" and replaces "plantation" with "childhood station."

Although public performances of the Florida state song have shunned the offensive language for years, the original version is the one on record in Florida; the resolution by the Legislature in 1935 still stands.

Hill first was prompted to find a new song after Gov. Charlie Crist nixed "Swanee River" from his inauguration ceremony last year because of its lyrics. With this agreement, Hill says, Crist would have an alternative song with an official Florida endorsement.

"Now the governor won't have to be put in a precarious situation. He has an anthem, and he has a song," Hill said. "He won't have to sit there and cringe with the offensive words."

Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, wrote the House bill that first aimed to adopt "Florida - Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky."

He heartily endorsed the compromise that would adopt it, even if "Swanee River" stays on the books. Homan proposed the idea last week, after his wife suggested it. He says having an alternative song could be like choosing between a traditional and a contemporary church service.

"There are instances where people don't want to play 'Swanee River,' and we need an optional song," he said, referring to the state song contest winner. "And this is a beautiful song that represents all of Florida, and it's more modern."

It's not unusual for a state to adopt more than one song.

Tennessee has five official state songs; New Hampshire has one official state song and eight honorary ones; Massachusetts has a state song plus a state folk song, ceremonial march, patriotic song, glee club song, ode and polka.

Reporter Catherine Dolinski contributed to this report from Tallahassee. Reporter Gretchen Parker can be reached at gparker@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7562.

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