"Go, Mississippi" (copyrighted as "Go, Mis-sis-sip-pi") is the regional anthem of Mississippi, adopted as the official state song on May 17, 1962.
History
Adoption
"Go, Mississippi" was written and composed by William Houston Davis (1914–1987)[1][2] and copyrighted in 1962.[i] The copyright was assigned in 1962 to the Jackson Board of Realtors, who recommended it to the Legislature.
"Go Mississippi" is the same melody as "Roll with Ross," which Houston Davis[iii] composed under a commission by Ross Barnett (1898–1987) for use as a 1959 campaign theme song for governor.[8][9] The lyrics of "Roll with Ross" include the words:
Roll with Ross, roll with Ross, he's his own boss For segregation, one hundred percent He's not a moderate like some of the gents He'll fight integration with forceful intent.
The halftime was promoted,[Note 1] and is chronicled, as having been an anti-integration rally, led by Barnett, the day before the Ole Miss riot over the admission of an African American, James Meredith.[7][8][10][11] The riot was not directly connected to the revised song, but its commission by the Governor — who was leading an official resistance to Federally mandated integration for Ole Miss — clouded the song's heritage. Governor Barnett had prevailed as an enthusiastic advocate for adopting his own campaign song as the official Mississippi State Anthem.[7]
Proposals to change
Introduction
There have been proposals to adopt other songs for various reasons, namely because of the current song's direct connection to a staunch segregationist holdout.
1976 attempt
In 1976, Bill Alexander(né William Brooks Alexander, Jr.; 1921–2006), State Senator from 1960 to 1983, introduced a Senate Resolution to set-up a special committee of experts to receive compositions for consideration as a new official state song, including one titled "Mississippi" by William Shirley Haynie (1918–2003).[12] In 1994, Charlie Pride, whose identity as a performing artist is linked closely with Mississippi culture, publicly expressed support of a group wanting to change it.[13][14]
Attempts after 2000
In 2000, State Senator William Gardner Hewes introduced Senate Bill 2960 to replace the state song with "Mississippi" by Edward Owen Miller. However, the bill died in committee.[a] In 2003, State Senator Delma Furniss introduced Senate Bill 2217 to adopt "My Home Mississippi," by Delma Furniss, as the official state song. The bill died in committee.[b] In 2011, songwriters Carolyn Sue Woods of Amory and John Riggs of Nashville led a concerted campaign promoting "I Miss Mississippi" as a new state song for Mississippi.[15] In 2015, State Senator Robert L. Jackson, introduced 2 Senate Bills:
SB2177 to authorize two official state songs, keeping the existing song, "Go, Mississippi," and adding "My Home Mississippi"[c]
SB2178 to adopt "My Home Mississippi" as the official state song[d]
Both bills died in committee February 3, 2015.
The song was officially changed to One Mississippi by Steve Azar in April 2022. The bill was signed by Tate Reeves and went into effect on July 1, 2022.[16]
Lyrics
(Verse)
States may sing their songs of praise
With waving flags and hip-hoo-rays,
Let cymbals crash and let bells ring
'Cause here's one song I'm proud to sing.
(1st chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, keep rolling along,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you cannot go wrong,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, we're singing your song,
M-I-S,S-I-S,S-I-P-P-I.
(2nd chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you're on the right track,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, and this is a fact,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you'll never look back,
M-I-S,S-I-S,S-I-P-P-I.
(3rd chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, straight down the line,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, ev'rything's fine,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, it's your state and mine,
M-I-S,S-I-S,S-I-P-P-I.
(4th chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, continue to roll,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, the top is the goal,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, you'll have and you'll hold,
M-I-S,S-I-S,S-I-P-P-I.
(5th chorus)
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, get up and go,
GO, MIS-SIS-SIP-PI, let the world know,
That our Mississippi is leading the show,
M-I-S,S-I-S,S-I-P-P-I.[17]
Delta Recording Corp. recorded the original version of "Go, Mississippi" at its studio in Jackson, Mississippi, at 1653 Raymond Road. The label, which had an office in New York City in the early 1950s at 236 West 55th Street (Midtown Manhattan), was founded by Jim Bulleit (né James Albert Bulleit; 1908–1988) and Jimmie Ammons (né James Douglas Ammons; 1919–2001).[18][19] Ammons's main occupation was that of a machinist in Jackson, Mississippi. Delta was noted for its custom recording work, which included recording weddings, church choirs, and college choirs. Delta also produced recordings for the foreign language department of Ole Miss. Moreover, Delta produced a multitude of jingles for numerous radio stations. Delta recorded radio stations all over Mississippi for ASCAP. When Mississippi was searching for a state song, the Delta Recording Studio reportedly recorded all the state university bands in search of the song that would truly be representative of the state.[20][21][22]
† The copyright for "Little Carrol's Last Stand" was previously registered as "The Battle of New Orleans." "Little Carrol's Last Stand" was a political campaign attack song commissioned in 1959 by Ross Barnett, the prevailing 1960 gubernatorial candidate against Lieutenant Governor Carroll Gartin.
₳ The Maurice Thompson Singers were a small vocal ensemble from Jackson, Mississippi, founded and conducted by S. Maurice Thompson (1903–1973). Thompson, a radio broadcast pioneer, had moved to Jackson in 1935 to be an announcer at WJDX. In the 1960s, he was the station manager for WLBT.
Notes
^On September 28, 1962 — a day before the football game — the Jackson Daily News published the words and music to the song "Never, No, Never," by Tom Spengler, an advertising account executive, and Houston Davis. The sheet music ran in place of the usual cartoon on the editorial page and an editorial stated that the song expertly put the state's attitude to music and suggested that readers clip it for a possible mass rendition at the next day's football game. The song, an ode to segregation, declared that, at Ole Miss, "Never, never, never, shall our emblem go from Colonel Reb to Ole Black Joe." (Catsam 2009)
^"1959 Campaign Songs: Governor Ross R. Barnett Campaign," (45 rpm records), Wm. Clyde Stewart Collection 1959–2007,Ole Miss Special Collections OCLC875933309
"An Act To Designate New Official State Song 'Mississippi,' And To Repeal Chapter 654, General Laws, 1962, Which Designated The Song 'Go, Mississippi,' As The Official State Song,"
