Welcome back to The United States of Songs, my weekly exercise to find a new state song for EVERY state, proceeding alphabetically. This week we're kicking off the "News," with New Hampshire. The Granite State actually has NINE state songs (unofficially), so you'd think picking one would be pretty easy. You'd be wrong.
The state: New Hampshire
The song: "Farm in New Hampshire" by Robert Sarazin Blake
New Hampshire is yet another state that presents the weird problem of someone seemingly erasing any trace of the state's songs online. Even trying to find a track of the state's OFFICIAL state song yielded only one terrible video. You guys are so hellbent on the stereotype of having nothing to do there, someone start writing some New Hampshire songs and putting videos up online! And make sure you write a song ABOUT the state, not some emo crap about a car crash that you just sort of arbitrarily titled "New Hampshire." I had hoped Nevada wasn't the start of a trend; now I'm worried I'll have a lack of videos the rest of the way through.
This isn't the perfect song for New Hampshire. I know that, and I own it. But because of the dearth of choices, I went with a Best Song Available approach, and this week that meant "Which of the three songs that actually have a YouTube video do I hate the least?" Yes, there's a Sonic Youth tune. Yes, it's a good song. But it mentions New Hampshire once, in passing, referring to two guys from there. This one at least talks about visiting.
But enough complaining, let's talk New Hampshire. I've never actually been, and all I've heard about it involves leaves in the fall and maple syrup. But there's a lot more to it than that! Right? I mean, New Hampshire's one of those old-timey colonial states, brimming with history and significance, right? And skiing! There's skiing. Ice fishing, too. Not really my thing, but you've got to try it at least once, right? Ooooh, says right here the first ever Crafts Fair in the nation was held in New Hampshire. That's something.
Also created in New Hampshire: insulting definitions of the word "cottage."
Do you guys up there not want anyone to come visit? It's cool if you don't; I'm just trying to figure out if it's a matter of "poor promotion" or "purposeful deception." I understand New York City's close enough that you might not want to give people reason to come in. Now make me feel ridiculous by spouting off all the New Hampshire songs I somehow missed.
Runner-up: "Granite State of Mind" by The Super Secret Project
Most Laughable Suggestion: "New Hampshire" by Wild Light
Surely you New Hampshirites can come up with better song suggestions than this! Let us know in the comments, or feel free to start suggesting for next week's state, New Jersey!
Flickr photo Hillsborough, New Hampshire by Doug Kerr used under a Creative Commons License.
