The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. I)

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Following ‘An Unorthodox Soundtrack to the United States,’ we deconstruct the huge list by region, focusing on The South Region (Pt. I).

On July 3, 2020, I published a gargantuan list, An Unorthodox Soundtrack to the United States. This list featured one song representing each state, and some ‘extras’ you might say. Even with the entire list being robust, more individual facts and commentary could’ve been included. Honestly, as I spent a couple of days assembling An Unorthodox Soundtrack to the United States, part of me wanted to release it in parts, say by regions. The five regions of the United States, of course, are Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, and West. However, at the same time, I wanted the list to be released for the 4^th of July 2020, a goal I made.

But still, there’s so much more that can be said about individual states, so, why not go for a deconstruction of the gargantuan list? Since 4^th of July 2020 is past, there’s no rush to publish – we only have time on our hands! Since I’ve never done this before, I’ll be breaking down a playlist into sections, releasing those sections as separate, more in-depth, more insightful playlists – or something like that. Since An Unorthodox Soundtrack to the United States is already divided by regions, that’s how the deconstructions will be divided. After dropping

The Northeast Region: Deconstructed and The Midwest Region: Deconstructed, we move on to the South! For our purposes, the South will also include both the Southeast and Southwest, and this section will be divided into two slightly uneven parts – The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. I) (8 states) and The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. II) (10 states).

The South Region – again, including the Southwest – is comprised of 18 states. The Southeast (14) states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Southwest (4) states are Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. For THE SOUTH REGION: DECONSTRUCTED (PT. I), we’ll focus on the South Atlantic division which includes Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. So, if you’re feeling as nerdy as I am, and you’re ready to tackle some geography, trivia, and random AF commentary, join me on this ride with THE SOUTH REGION: DECONSTRUCTED (PT. I)!

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1. Delaware: City and Colour, “Hello, I’m in Delaware”

Sometimes • Dine Alone • 2005

Canadian singer/songwriter City and Colour (Dallas Green) provides the soundtrack with its Delaware song, “Hello, I’m in Delaware.” Worth noting, however, is the fact that the song title never appears as a song lyric…

“But I will see you again
I will see you again
A long time from now.”

3 Facts about DELAWARE:

Delaware is “home to three state forests, several sandy beaches, and swampland near its southern border.” (Cool Kid Facts)

Delaware has only three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. (Delaware Historical Society)

This one should come as no surprise, but Delaware is the second-smallest state in the country. (Mental Floss)

3 more DELAWARE songs:

Arbour Season, “Delaware”

“Delaware,” 2018 [Shane & Emily]

Dom Money, “DELAWARE”

“DELAWARE,” 2020 [Dom Money]

Perry Como, “Delaware”

Today & Yesterday, 1993 [BMG Music]

✓ Good Beat: Ryan Phillippe – need I say more? Sure, he’s not exactly ‘big’ anymore, but the stud had a run. Also, Vice President Joe Biden represented the state as a senator. It’s reliably democratic as well!

✗ Bad Beat: Did I mention this was the second smallest state in the country? Also, only 3 electoral votes, ugh!

Follow City and Colour:

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2. Florida: Jaheim, “Florida”

Appreciation Day • Atlantic • 2013

“Florida,” which previously appeared on the playlist, 13 Songs Where Black Lives DO Indeed Matter, follows the controversial Trayvon Martin case, whose verdict caused outrage. Grammy-nominated R&B singer Jaheim expresses his displeasure, while sympathizing with the pain Martin’s parents must feel.

“Oh, Florida something’s very wrong
Need to know, what’s going on?
Can we make this house a home
Oh, Florida can I talk to you?
Can we walk and have an interview?
Florida, this land is overdue.”

5 Facts about FLORIDA:

Florida has 663 miles of beach. (Florida Department of State)

“Key West is the southernmost point in the continental United States.” (Visit Florida)

Florida is also “the southernmost state in the continental United States,” as well as being “22^nd largest and 3^rd most populous.” (Cool Kid Facts)

We’ll keep it simple here. The capital city is… TALLAHASSEE! (State of Florida)

Continuing to keep it simple, the nickname is The Sunshine State. (National Geographic Kids)

5 more FLORIDA songs:

Lana Del Rey, “Florida Kilos”

Ultraviolence (Deluxe), 2014 [Interscope]

Neil Young, “Florida”

Homegrown, 2020 [Silver Bow Productions, Inc.]

T-Pain, “Tallahassee Love”

Epiphany, 2007 [Zomba Recording LLC]

“I've been there, and I've been back
But somethin’ here, always brings me back
So when I'm here, I get that (Tallahassee love).”

Will Smith, “Miami”

Big Willie Style, 1997 [Sony Music Entertainment]

Rick Ross, “Florida Boy”

Ft. T-Pain & Kodak Black

“Florida Boy”, 2018 [Epic]

✓ Good Beat: The beaches! Miami! Plenty of affluent college and pro sports, particularly basketball and football . The Miami Heat have won three NBA championships (2006, 2012, and 2013) – quite impressive considering the youth of the franchise . Miami (FL) ranked among the most prestigious college football programs, with 5 national titles (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001) . The University of Florida has won three national championships in football (1996, 2006, and 2008) , and two national championships in basketball (2006 and 2007) . Like arch rivals Florida, Florida State has won three national championships in football (1993, 1999, and 2013) , and has had incredible success in basketball during the 2010s especially. The 2019-20 team was one of veteran coach Leonard Hamilton’s very best .

✗ Bad Beats: Where does one begin – a lot of has gone wrong in The Sunshine State. The Election of 2000 – whoa! I mean, do you remember those “hanging chads”?

Then, there’s no shortage of senseless violence, including the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, the Pulse Nightclub Shooting of 2016, and Stoneman Douglas High School shooting of 2018. Then, keeping it 2020, what about the ridiculously high number of coronavirus cases… NOT GOOD to quote Anthony Fantano.

Follow Jaheim:

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3. Georgia: 6LACK, “ATL Freestyle”

6pc Hot EP • LVRN/Interscope • 2020

Yes, I’m sure “Georgia on My Mind” was expected, particularly Ray Charles’ version. Instead, I opted for a song keyed-in on the city of Atlanta by Grammy-nominated R&B/hip-hop artist, 6LACK. “ATL Freestyle” appears on 6LACK’s 2020 EP, 6pc Hot.

“Ridin' through Atlanta on a off-day
Hopin' that nobody double-cross me
Hit up Keisha, "Have you seen PARLAY?"
'Cause he ain't make it to the afterparty, ayy...”

3 Facts about GEORGIA:

Georgia’s nickname is The Peach State . (National Geographic Kids)

Georgia’s state motto is “Wisdom, justice, and moderation.” (Georgia Encyclopedia)

Per GPB, “Georgia has 159 counties, more than any other state east of the Mississippi.”

5 more GEORGIA songs:

The Charlie Daniels Band, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”

Million Mile Reflections, 1979 [Sony Music Entertainment Inc.]

Gladys Knight & The Pips, “Midnight Train to Georgia”

Imagination, 1973 [RCA]

“He’s leaving (leavin’)
On that midnight train to Georgia
(Leavin’ on a midnight train)
Said he’s goin’ back (Goin’ back to find)
To a simpler place and time
(Whenever he takes that ride, guess who's gonna be right by his side).”

Ludacris, “Georgia”

Ft. Field Mob & Jamie Foxx

Ludacris Presents…Disturbing Tha Peace, 2005 [The Island Def Jam Music Group]

Phoebe Bridgers, “Georgia”

Stranger in the Alps, 2017 [Dead Oceans]

Ray Charles, “Georgia on My Mind”

Live at l’Olympia, 2014 [Sun / Infernal Entertainment]

✓ Good Beat: I loved Atlanta the one time I vacationed there… it’s been far too long ago, sigh. Also, definitely worth mentioning are late civil rights leaders Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born in Atlanta, and John Lewis, who represented Georgia’s 5^th District up until his death, July 17, 2020.

✗ Bad Beat: Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, and a history of racism. Some of the troubling happenings in the Peach State including lynching, The second Ku Klux Klan, and Jim Crow Laws.

Follow 6LACK:

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4. Maryland: Tennessee Ernie Ford, “Maryland, My Maryland”

Sings Civil War Songs of the South • Capitol Records Nashville • 1961

I really debated whether or not to include this particular Maryland song – it’s a polarizing choice. That said, “Maryland, My Maryland” is the state song, and the late Tennessee Ernie Ford sings it beautifully. Worth noting, Ford released two distinct Civil War albums in 1961: Sings Civil War Songs of the North and Sings Civil War Songs of the South. Of course, the album song of Sings Civil War Songs of the South features the controversial confederate flag, which far too many southerners still characterize as a sense of southern pride… I’ll stop there before I got off into a rant you didn’t ask for…

5 Facts about MARYLAND:

Per Visit Maryland, the state “has been called ‘American in Miniature’ because so much is packed into its 10,460 land and water.”

Key cities in Maryland are Baltimore, Annapolis (the capital city), Ocean City, and Columbia. (Cool Kid Facts)

The Maryland Agriculture College eventually became the University of Maryland (Maryland Kids)

The state bird is the Baltimore oriole. (National Geographic Kids)

Per U.S. State Facts, “Maryland is one of the smallest states…but it is one of the most densely populated.”

3 more MARYLAND songs:

All Time Low, “For Baltimore”

Don’t Panic, 2012 [Hopeless]

Prince, “Baltimore”

HITNRUN Phase Two, 2015 [NPG]

Randy Newman, “Baltimore”

Little Criminals, 1977 [Warner]

“Oh, Baltimore
Man, it's hard just to live
Oh, Baltimore
Man, it's hard just to live, just to live.”

✓ Good Beat: Well, Maryland won the 2002 NCAA Tournament, defeating Indiana 64-52 . Worth noting, it’s the sole time IU made a title game and didn’t come out victorious. It should also be noted, this edition of the Hoosiers was a 5-seed.

✗ Bad Beat: Freddie Gray, 2015… ugh. Also, unsurprisingly, a history of racism…another ugh. Such racism includes lynching, culturally insensitive names including Negro Mountain, certain statues, and of course, slavery. Also, a strong case can be made against the state song, with its confederate sympathies…

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5. North Carolina: Little Chief, “North Carolina”

Lion’s Den • Yellow Stone • 2014

As a Kentucky basketball fan, I can’t say that I’m too fond of North Carolina… basketball teams . I actually haven’t had the opportunity to visit the state itself, but I’ll leave it to Little Chief to sing me a little tune about the South Atlantic state. I could write more, but I’ll just let you listen to the song from Lion’s Den on your own.

“So, take me to North Carolina
Where my baby lives
I won’t be there by tomorrow
But heaven knows I’m on my way
So take me to North Carolina.”

3 Facts about NORTH CAROLINA:

North Carolina “boasts 300 species of trees” and “3,000 types of flowering plants.” (National Geographic Kids)

Nicknamed the Tar Heel State, Mental Floss asserts historians are unaware how the state received this moniker, but “they think it might stem from the state’s legacy as a leading producer of tar, pitch, rosin, and turpentine.”

Also via Mental Floss, legendary jazz musicians John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Billy Taylor, and Nina Simone were born in North Carolina.

3 more NORTH CAROLINA songs:

The Devil Makes Three, “North Carolina”

Longjohns, Boots and a Belt, 2004 [Kahn]

Poor Remy, “North Carolina”

Bitters, 2013 [Poor Remy]

Memphis May Fire, “North Atlantic Vs North Carolina”

Sleepwalking, 2009 [Trustkill]

✓ Good Beat: Basketball rules here, as much as I hate to say it . North Carolina has won six men’s basketball titles (1957, 1982, 1993, 205, 2009, and 2017) . Duke has won five men’s basketball titles (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015) . NC State has won two men’s basketball titles (1974 and 1983) . The 1983 title by NC State was one of the bigger upsets in NCAA Tournament History, as Jim Valvano and company slowed down a potent Houston Tigers squad 54-52 . From a political standpoint, the state isn’t a red stronghold anymore – it’s purple!

✗ Bad Beat: For us Kentucky fans, it’s always Duke (104-103 and 118-84 come to mind), but North Carolina doesn’t get a pass either, especially with that Luke Maye shot from 2017 in that 75-73 loss. UGH!

Follow Little Chief:

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6. South Carolina: Josh Turner, “South Carolina Low Country”

Everything is Fine • MCA Nashville • 2007

Josh Turner has an absolutely amazing voice – understatement. He uses that deep bass/baritone to sing a pretty rad song about that reminisces on his times in the other Carolina, South Carolina.

“I grew up in South Carolina
Singing all them bluegrass and country songs
I’d sing from Hannah down to Charles town
Getting all the people to sing along to what I call.”

3 Facts about SOUTH CAROLINA:

South Carolina is a smaller state when it comes to area, yet it is the 23^rd largest in population. (Cool Kid Facts)

South Carolina’s nickname is The Palmetto state, named after the trees used during the Revolutionary War (National Geographic Kids)

Columbia is the city with the largest population (SCIWAY)

3 more SOUTH CAROLINA songs:

Black Girls, “South Carolina”

Hell Dragon, 2012 [Flex Willard]

Dan + Shay, “19 You + Me”

Where it All Began, 2014 [Warner Music Nashville]

Tennis, “South Carolina”

Cape Dory, 2011 [Fat Possum]

✓ Good Beat: Myrtle Beach and Clemson football are two awesome things that come to mind. Clemson has won three national titles (1981, 2016, and 2018).

✗ Bad Beat: The Charleston Church shooting of 2015, perpetrated by white supremacist Dylann Roof. Like many southern states, SC has a history of racism too.

Follow Josh Turner:

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7. Virginia: Roxy Music, “Virginia Plain”

Roxy Music • Virgin • 1972

“Make me a deal and make it straight / All signed and sealed, I’ll take it / To Robert E. Lee I’ll show it…” Roxy Music handle coverage of Virginia, which should be obvious by the Robert E. Lee reference. Louder Sound does a fine job of telling the story behind this chorus-less song, and the beginnings of Roxy Music.

“Far beyond the pale horizon
Some place near the desert strand
And where my Studebaker takes me
That’s where I’ll make my stand, but wait!
Can’t you see her Holzer mane?
What’s her name?
Virginia Plain.”

5 Facts about VIRGINIA:

Virginia has multiple nicknames: Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents, Mother of States, Mother of Statesmen, and Cavalier State. (History)

Virginia has 13 electoral votes when it comes to presidential elections and the electoral college. (270toWin)

Why is one of Virginia’s nicknames ‘Mother of Presidents?’ Well, per History, the state was the birthplace to more presidents than any other state. Presidents include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Madison, and Woodrow Wilson among others.

The biggest city in Virginia is Virginia Beach, while the capital city is Richmond. (National Geographic Kids)

One of the ‘cute’ animals you might find in the state are opossums… (National Geographic Kids)

3 more VIRGINIA songs:

Clipse, “Virginia”

Lord Willin’, 2020 [Arista]

“I’m from Virginia, where ain’t shit to do but cook (talkin’ ‘bout what?)
Pack it up, sell it triple price, fuck the books (talkin’ ‘bout what?)
Where we re-up, re-locate, we off them rooks (talkin’ ‘bout what?)
So when we pull up, it ain’t shit to do but look (talkin’ ‘bout what?).”

Katie Noel, “Virginia Gang”

Rap the South, Diesel Gang [2019]

Various Artists, “The Virginia Company”

Pocahontas, 1995 [Walt Disney]

✓ Good Beat: The University of Virginia won the 2019 National Championship in Men’s Basketball. It wasn’t a pretty six games, but Tony Bennett (the basketball coach, not the iconic singer) and company proved their pack-line defense and slower pace of play could earn them a title. The state itself has an illustrious history. Also, after voting republican in the presidential elections from 1964 – 2004, Virginia voted democratic in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

✗ Bad Beat: Well, let’s start with sports, specifically college basketball. Virginia has experienced some massive upsets. I’d argue being the first (and only) 1-seed to a lose to a 16-seed in the NCAA Tournament is the most devastating upset of them all. Virginia entered the 2018 NCAA Tournament as the favorite, with a gaudy 31-2 record and the overall no. 1 seed, only to be routed by little known UMBC 74-54 in the first round of the tournament in a total shocker. Or course, in 1982, the Cavaliers had a historical regular season loss – as the AP No. 1 team – to Chaminade.

Besides a couple of bad ball games, Virginia has a history with racist laws, confederacy, and the truly unfortunate, Charlottesville hate crime of 2017.

Follow Roxy Music:

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8. West Virginia: The Front Bottoms, “West Virginia”

Back on Top • Fueled by Ramen • 2015

“This is for all my friends in West Virginia.” The Front Bottoms are NOT from West Virginia. Nonetheless, this New Jersey ‘folk punk’ collective (whatever that is), tackles the eighth and final South Atlantic on “West Virginia” from their 2015 album, Back on Top. According to AV Club, singer Brian Sella asserts the song was influenced by “fan appreciation.”

3 Facts about WEST VIRGINIA:

Per West Virginia Legislature, tourism is the state’s leading industry.

Mental Floss sheds light on thee divide between Virginia and West Virginia, calling the “split…in many ways, a microcosm of the Civil War divide between North and South” (WV sided with the union).

West Virginia Tourism informs us that West Virginia is the sole state “completely within the Appalachian Mountain range,” hence the nickname, The Mountain State.

3 more WEST VIRGINIA songs:

Amanda Cook, “West Virginia Coal”

“West Virginia Coal,” 2020 [Valley Beautiful Music]

John Denver, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”

The Essential John Denver, 2007 [RCA]

“Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma
Take me home, country roads.”

Rockwatcher, “West Virginia”

“West Virginia,” 2020 [Rocketwatcher]

✓ Good Beat: West Virginia has attend two Final Fours in the Men’s NCAA Tournament, including beating a poor shooting, John Wall-led Kentucky Wildcats team in the Elite 8, 73-66.

✗ Bad Beat: The infamous, tragic plane crash of Southern Airways Flight 932, where Marshall University lost 37 football players, the coach, doctors, university athletic director, and 25 team boosters. Also, West Virginia has an incredibly high poverty rate. Also, after some democratic voting trends here and there, West Virginia has voted republican the previous five elections (2020, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016).

Follow The Front Bottoms:

The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. I): Playlist [Photo Credits: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash; Icons made by https://www.flaticon.com/authors/freepik (Freepik); https://icons8.com/icons/set/domain]

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The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. I) | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on July 25, 2020July 25, 2020