The United States of Songs: Indiana

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Each week I find a song to celebrate a state. The song's got to have the state name in the title, and it's got to celebrate the entirety of the state, not just one spot. I had no idea how much of a grind I was signing up for when I sort-of-arbitrarily proposed the idea, but we're in too deep to stop now. Indiana, you're up!

The state: Indiana
The song: "I'm Going Back to Indiana" by The Jackson 5

 

 

Hot damn! Do you have any idea how refreshing a Jackson 5 tune is after weeks of listening to droning, melancholy folk songs about having strength in the face of the depressing circumstances that have left the singer in whatever state they're lamenting? It's been tough coming up with some winners. But finally, someone EXCITED about their state! Sure, it makes no sense in this context, because I've been to Indiana and I don't really know what the big deal is, but at least it's got a groove.

Side note: the "hoosier" thing always interested me. Wikipedia says it comes from the frontier greeting "Who's here?" I guess it just stuck, but only in Indiana? It was always funny to me because growing up in the Illinois suburbs, calling someone a hoosier was the closest equivalent we had to the N word for each other. You didn't call someone a hoosier unless you REALLY wanted to insult them, and you did so knowing the next escalation was likely to be punching.

But Indiana - smallest state West of the Appalachians, manufacturing hub for products like steel, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and coal products, and employer of the flat rate state income tax - is often overlooked in the national consciousness. Politically they're pretty much a constant red with little to no digression, so their politics aren't too exciting to watch. The only cities people can name off the top of their heads are Indianapolis and maybe Gary, which is basically Chicago's vestigial tail. They have the Colts, the Pacers, and the rapidly-diminishing-in-popularity Indianapolis 500.

They do a heck of a job on "mournful sunsets," though.

But you know what? The Jackson 5 are happy to be heading back, anyway. By their own admission there are greener pastures out there. Hell, they're coming back from one. But there's just something about home that can't be replaced in your heart. And that's how I feel about Indiana: I would probably like it a lot more if I had grown up there or something. Which isn't to say it's a BAD place, it's just a bit of a blank slate. All I've ever seen is along the I-70 corridor. So I can totally picture myself bopping down the road to this song while on my way through the state to somewhere else.

You've got a great song, Indiana! I look forward to your citizens correcting me on all the cool stuff about you in the comments!

Runner-Up: "Indiana" by Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer
Most Laughable Suggestion: Anything by John Mellencamp

Speaking of comments, let us know if you've got a better pick for Indiana's song, or a suggestion for next week's take on Iowa!




Flickr photo Indiana Sunrise number 2 by MCA/Mike Allyn used under a Creative Commons License

 



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