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VOICE ONE:

Almost every state in America has an official song. However,songwriters have written many beautiful, un-official songs todescribe the state they love best.

I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. We play songs about American states on ourreport today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

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VOICE ONE:

One of the most famous songs about an American state is from thebroadway musical play "Oklahoma!" Richard Rodgers and OscarHammerstein wrote it in nineteen-forty-three. The play is aboutfarmers and cowboys living in a territory in the American west inthe early nineteen-hundreds. At the end of the play, they celebratewhen their territory becomes a state. Here, Nelson Eddy sings"Oklahoma."

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VOICE TWO:

Texas is America's second largeststate in land area. It is famous for oil wells, cattle, and cowboys.Many people believe that everything is bigger, better, and brighterin Texas. Songwriters have written more songs about Texas than aboutany other state. Bob Wills sings one of them here. It is called"Deep In The Heart of Texas."

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VOICE ONE:

Many people think America's southern states have a special beautyand history. And there are more songs about southern states thanabout states in any other part of the country. One of the mostbeautiful is about the state of Georgia. It is called "Georgia On MyMind." Hoagy Carmichael wrote it. Ray Charles made it famous.

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VOICE TWO:

In the early nineteen-seventies, John Denver wrote and performedmany popular songs. Two were about the states he liked best. Bothhave tall mountains. One state is West Virginia, which is actuallyin the eastern part of the country.

John Denver said West Virginia is so beautiful that it is "almostheaven." Here he sings "Take Me Home, Country Roads."

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VOICE ONE:

John Denver also loved the western state of Colorado, because ofthe Rocky Mountains there. He sings about a young man who discoversthe mountains of Colorado. The experience changes his life. The songis called "Rocky Mountain High."

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VOICE TWO:

Many people love the states in the northeastern United States.This is the area called New England. These states are especiallybeautiful in autumn when the leaves on the trees change fromgreen...to yellow...red...and orange. They also are beautiful inwinter when the land is covered with snow.

Here Billie Holiday sings about the beauty of one New Englandstate in the song, "Moonlight in Vermont":

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VOICE ONE:

Some people love the state of NewYork best. Of course, many people want to live in the nation'sbiggest and most exciting city, New York. Yet others love the restof the state, too, better than any other place. Carmen McRae singsabout this in the song, "New York State of Mind."

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VOICE TWO:

We do not want to forget America's middle western states, eventhough there are not as many songs about them. There is one popularsong about the middle western state of Indiana. It is called "BackHome Again In Indiana." Errol Garner plays it.

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VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Shelley Gollust. It was produced anddirected by Lawan Davis. I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another reportabout life in the United States on the VOA Special English program,THIS IS AMERICA.