The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. II) | Playlist 🎧

1. Alabama: Brent Cobb, “King of Alabama”

Providence Canyon • Elektra • 2018

The most famous Alabama (the state) song is undoubtedly “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.  We buck the trend on this SOUNDTRACK TO THE UNITED STATES with “King of Alabama,” via Grammy-nominated Americana singer/songwriter, Brent Cobb.  FYI, Brent is the younger cousin of famous producer Dave Cobb. AllMusic had awesome things to say regarding Providence Canyon, the 2018 album in which “King of Alabama” appears.

“From Alabama ‘cross the Rio Grande
He beat the blacktop down with a five-piece band
Not because he loved it – he did that too –
But he did it man ‘cause that’s what he was born to do.”

3 Facts about ALABAMA: 

💡 According to Cool Kid Facts, the key cities in Alabama are Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery (the capital), and Huntsville.

💡 More unfortunate, slavery was a lucrative industry in the state during the 1800s… Alabama was part of the confederacy that ultimately succeeded from the union during the Civil War.

💡 Per Encycopædia Britannica, “Alabamians of African descent (black) comprise about one-fourth of the population and largely trace their ancestry in the state to the days of slavery.”

5 more ALABAMA songs: 

🎵 Bishop Gunn, “Alabama”

Natchez, 2018 [Farm2Turntable]

🎵 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, “Alabama Pines”

Here We Rest, 2011 [Southeastern]

🌟🎵 Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”

Second Helping, Geffen [1974]

“Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you.”

🎵 Neil Young, “Alabama”

Harvest, 1972 [Reprise]

🎵 Jim Croce, “Alabama Rain”

Life & Times, 1973 [BMG Rights Management]

💭 ✓ Good Beat: Alabama football 🏈.  Roll Tide! The Alabama Crimson Tide football team has won 15 national titles with its latest championship arriving in 2018 (2017 season) in a narrow 26-23 OT defeat of fellow SEC team, Georgia.

✓ Auburn has a historic program as well with two championship seasons (1957 and 2010), but Alabama is more consistent.  That said, the Kick-six game where the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide on a trick play 34-28 is a certified classic.

✓ Worth noting, the Auburn Men’s Basketball team 🏀, which has had a spotty history regarding success, has been on the upswing in the late 10s, including three straight victories over the king of the SEC (Kentucky), including a painful 77-71 Elite 8 victory – for me, a diehard Kentucky fan – to earn the school’s first trip to the Final Four.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat: First, a couple of bad beats when it comes to sports.  Clemson handed Alabama its ass in the 2018 College Football Playoff 🏈, oh, to the tune of 44-16.  Also, Auburn, had a horrid 3-9 season in 2012, not to mention narrowly losing the 2013 BCS National Championship to Florida state 34-31 (that was ‘The Kick Six’ season btw). Also, after Jared Harper and company upset my Kentucky Wildcats (men’s basketball 🏀), they committed a dumb foul against eventual national champions Virginia, losing in dramatic fashion in the semifinal, 63-62.

✗ Beyond sports, the biggest stain against this state is its illustrious history or racism. Some infamous happenings include Rosa Parks (1955), 16^th Street Baptist Church bombing (1963), Bloody Tuesday (1964), and of course, the Selma to Montgomery March (1965).  That doesn’t include lynching, murder, slavery…

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2. Arkansas: Collin Raye, “Little Rock”

Extremes • Sony • 1993

On this Collin Raye gem, the country musician seeks to atone for and escape his troubles (alcoholism) by moving to Little Rock, Arkansas.  And yes, he gets in a Wal-Mart reference for good measure ;).

“...I needed a new town for my new start
Selling VCRs in Arkansas at a Wal-Mart
I haven’t had a drink in nineteen days
My eyes are clear and bright without that haze
I like the preacher from the Church of Christ...”

3 Facts about ARKANSAS: 

💡 The nickname for Arkansas is The Natural State (National Geographic Kids).  According to Movoto, “the Magnet Cove region contains 102 varieties of minerals.”

💡 Arkansas, like Alabama, succeeded from the Union during the Civil War, but many fought for the Union as opposed to the Confederacy (National Geographic Kids).

💡 Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, opened the first store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 (Movoto).

5 more ARKANSAS songs:

🎵 Damien Jurado, “Arkansas”

Saint Bartlett, 2010 [Secretly Canadian]

🌟🎵 Glen Campbell, “Arkansas Farmboy”

Adiós, 2017 [Universal Music Enterprises]

“Oh, the weeds have grown high on the farm back in Dixie
Where cotton and corn used to grow
And the memories run wild in this Arkansas farm boy
Who'd give all he owns just to go.” 

🎵 George Strait, “Arkansas Dave”

Strait Out of the Box: Part 2, 2017 [UMG]

🎵 John Oates, “Arkansas”

Arkansas, 2018 [PS]

🎵 Lil Squo, “Arkansas Frame of Mind”

“Arkansas Frame of Mind,” 2020 [PNP] 

💭 ✓ Good Beat:  Malik Monk (from Arkansas) and his famous 47-point performance in the UK-UNC game.  Walmart is definitely a big deal in the state. Not only was it founded in Arkansas, it’s among the largest employers in the state.  The University of Arkansas Razorbacks have some basketball history 🏀, including a National Championship in 1994, defeating Duke 76-72.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat:  According to the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center), there are 15 active hate groups in the state including Act for America (anti-Muslim), Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (founded in Arkansas specifically), and League of the South (Neo-Confederate).  Also, the defending national champs 🏀 would fall to UCLA in the 1995 Men’s basketball championship game 89-78. Since being hot in the 90s, the Razorbacks have been fighting for relevancy in the 00s. And let’s not even mention the “boring-ass, bad football” 🏈, or that Bobby Petrino incident…

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3. Kentucky: John Prine, “My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight”

“My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight” • Oh Boy / Thirty Tigers • 2019

Just to reiterate, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter John Prine was truly special – may he rest in peace after succumbing to that devastating, SOB known as COVID-19.  Prine earned two spots on the original list, AN UNORTHODOX SOUNDTRACK TO THE UNITED STATES.  After representing Wisconsin, he finishes off with Kentucky. Hmm, how interesting… I won’t mention that utterly devastating college basketball game again… Anyways, Prine sings a gorgeous rendition of the beloved state song, “My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight.”

5 Facts about KENTUCKY:

💡 College basketball 🏀 is everything here – 💯 (Brent Faulkner).

💡 Horse racing 🏇 and The Kentucky Derby – definitely a big deal in My Old Kentucky Home (also, Brent Faulkner).

💡 Key cities within the state include Bowling Green, Danville (my hometown, so I must shout it out), Elizabethtown, Frankfort (the capital), Lexington, Louisville (my current residence), and Richmond (my alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University is here) …

💡 There are lots of churches… lots and lots of churches. ✝

💡 Going back to my hometown, Danville, KY, it’s hosted the Vice-Presidential Debate a couple of times (2000 and 2012) – exciting times! 🇺🇸

 5 more KENTUCKY songs:

🎵 Billie Joe Armstrong & Norah Jones, “Kentucky”

Foreverly, 2013 [Reprise]

🌟🎵 Brad Paisley, “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”

Part II, 2001 [Arista Nashville]

“In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
You will never leave Harlan alive.”

🎵 Elvis Presley, “Kentucky Rain”

From Elvis in Memphis, 1969 [Sony Music Entertainment]

🎵 Hippo Campus, “Kentucky – Demo”

Demos II, 2019 [Grand Jury Music]

🎵 Wheeler Walker Jr., “Summers in Kentucky”

Ol’ Wheeler, 2017 [Pepperhill Music]

💭 ✓ Good Beat:  Brent Faulkner and his awesome site, The Musical Hype – you know it’s true!  Also, Kentucky Wildcats, 8x national champions in men’s college basketball 🏀 (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012).  Did I mention, UK has the winningest men’s basketball program in D-1 history? The Kentucky football team 🏈 had one of its best seasons in 2018 going 10-3 and defeating Penn State in the Citrus Bowl 27-24.

✓ Also, worth mentioning, The University of Louisville (U of L) is also has successful sports programs in men and women’s basketball 🏀, baseball ⚾, and football 🏈.  The Louisville Cardinals’ Men’s basketball team has won three national titles 🏀 (1980, 1986, and 2013).

💭 ✗ Bad Beat:  Let’s start with U of L Men’s basketball, shall we?  The 2013 championship was vacated, thanks to the infamous Katina Powell stripper scandal, revealed in the book 📚, Breaking Cardinal Rules.  Rick Pitino and Tom Jurich, both highly successful, were both fired due to the scandal.  Also, there was the FBI recruiting boo-boo.  Holy 💩! That’s a lot…

✗ Kentucky men’s basketball also has had some scandals: the 1951 point shaving scandal and the 80s entrance exams/improper benefit scandal.  Also, Adolph Rupp has received criticism for the lack of black athletes on the men’s basketball team until Tom Payne became the first black player during the 1971-72 season.  Worth noting, UK began recruiting black players earlier in the mid-60s.  While 59-57, 71-64, 118-84, 77-71, 67-64, and 81-73 bug me (all bad UK losses), more importantly, there are ‘bigger fish to fry’ including the hyper conservatism of the state as a whole, voting against interests, and racial injustice.

✗ RIP Breonna Taylor.

📚 Read these:

🎧 15 Songs with Lyrics that Reference Kentucky (written by yours truly)

📚 Weird Kentucky by Jeffrey Scott Holland

📚 Mitch Please by Matt Jones with Chris Tomlin

📚 What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell

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4. Louisiana: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Louisiana Rain”

Damn the Torpedoes • Geffen • 1979

Tom Petty – yet another legendary musician that is no longer with us. Sure, Petty lived 66 years, but that just feels far too short.  Like legends do, Petty left us with plenty of rock classics, including “Louisiana Rain” from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1979 album, Damn the Torpedoes.  Sure, “Louisiana 1927” is the crowning achievement of songs from the West South Central state, but I’ve covered it a couple of times, including 10 Thoughtful Songs Arriving in the Aftermath of Tragedy and, of course, 50 Songs About the 50 States, published in 2018.

“Louisiana rain is falling at my feet
Baby, I’m noticing the change as I move down the street
Louisiana rain is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same when I reach Baton Rouge.”

3 Facts about LOUISIANA:

💡 Let’s start morbid, shall we? 💀 People in Northern and Southern Louisiana tend to have two different customs when it comes to burial.  In the North, burial in graves is more common while in the south, burial above ground (mausoleums) is more common due to flooding (The Advocate)

💡 New Orleans has a poppin’ LGBTQ scene 🌈, which may be a bit surprising considering how conservative the state is overall.  While I haven’t personally seen the city mentioned among the top 10 gay-friendly cities, it made the top-15 here.

💡 New Orleans may have its fair share of socially progressive citizens, but the state and its 8 electoral votes are more than likely voting republican these days. That said, in three elections since 1972 the good citizens of Louisiana voted democratic.  It should be noted, those votes were cast for southern democrats who tended to be a bit more conservative – Jimmy Carter (1976) and Bill Clinton (1992, 1996) – than say, Barack Obama (270 to Win).

5 more LOUISIANA songs:

🎵 August Alsina, “NOLA”

The Product III: stateofEMERGEncy, 2020 [Shake the World / EMPIRE]

🌟🎵 Aaron Neville, “Louisiana 1927” (cover of Randy Newman)

Warm Your Heart, A&M [1991]

“Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away.”

🎵 Chuck Berry, “Oh Louisiana”

San Francisco Dues, 1971 [Geffen]

🎵 Mel McDaniel, “Louisiana Saturday Night”

I’m Countryfied, 1980 [Capitol Nashville]

🎵 Randy Newman, “Louisiana 1927”

Good Old Boys, 1974 [Warner]

💭 ✓ Good Beat:  LSU Tigers football 🏈 had a beast 2019-20 season. Joe Burrow was the man! The Tigers defeated the defending champs, the Clemson Tigers, 42-25.  Burrow was selected at the no. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.  LSU has now won 4 championships.  In college basketball 🏀, while LSU has no titles, they’ve had some notable Final Four runs including a shocking 1986 upset of Kentucky 59-57, who’d beaten them three times previously! Quite a way to avenge a loss! Besides sports, Louisiana has given us incredible culture including a popping music scene (Connick, Neville, Marsalis…).

💭 ✗ Bad Beat:  Louisiana doesn’t do particularly well when it comes to flooding historically.  Of course, out of Hurricane Katrina, we also found out how ‘outspoken’ Kanye West can be… that’s been pretty 💩-ty as well TBH.

✗ Also, Louisiana has 21 active hate groups, per SPLC.  Among those hate groups, are two chapters of Faith Baptist Church and Ruth Institute (Lake Charles), both of which are Anti-LGBTQ.

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5. Mississippi: Nina Simone, “Mississippi Goddam”

In Concert • Verve • 1964

“Mississippi Goddam” does not serve up a flattering view of Mississippi (sorry Mississippians), but definitely ranks among icon Nina Simone’s most famous and beloved classics.  It’s ‘real talk’ and doesn’t solely point the finger at Mississippi, though Mississippi gets the brunt of it, intensified by the expletive. Of course, Mississippi has quite the checkered past regarding racism, including the assassination of black civil rights activist, Medgar Evers.

“Alabama’s gotten me so upset
Tennessee’s made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Mississippi goddam.”

3 Facts about MISSISSIPPI:

💡 Mississippi is a red state through and through.  Those 6 electoral votes are reserved for Republicans, with the last time the state changed course being in favor of Jimmy Carter in 1976.  As I said earlier, Carter was a southern democrat, quite religious, and more conservative than progressive.  They didn’t even vote for him again in 1980…

💡 Yes, Mississippi is safely in the red column for most republican presidential candidates, but it should be noted, there’s a sizable, black population, particularly compared to other states, per the census.

💡 According to Mental Floss, Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, was born and bred in the state.  That, my friends, is pretty awesome. Kermit’s from the deep south!

5 more MISSISSIPPI songs:

🌟🎵 Faith Hill, “Mississippi Girl”

Fireflies, 2005 [Warner]

“‘Cause a Mississippi girl don’t change her ways
Just ‘cause everybody knows her name
Ain’t big-headed from a little bit of fame
I still like wearing my old ball cap
Ride my kids around piggy back
They might know me all around the world
But y’all, I’m still a Mississippi girl.”

🎵 Five Horse Johnson, “Mississippi King”

The No. 6 Dance, 2001 [Small Stone]

🎵 Mountain, “Mississippi Queen”

Climbing!, 1970 [Sony]

🎵 Leon Bridges, “Mississippi Kisses”

Coming Home (Deluxe), 2015 [Columbia]

🎵 Big K.R.I.T., “M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I.”

K.R.I.T. IZ HERE, 2019 [Multi Alumni, LLC / BMG Rights Management]

💭 ✓ Good Beat:  Root beer was invented in Biloxi, and root beer is delicious! Also, more pertinent to an online blog/publication like The Musical Hype, Mississippi gave us the blues, and specifically, the legendary B.B. King, who passed away in 2015.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat(s):  Nina Simone truly said it best… “Mississippi GODDAM!” There may be no more checkered past than this southern state, which has an history of racism that’s extensive AF.

✗ A classic article from the NY Times in 1964 characterized Mississippi as the ‘Nation’s Most Segregated State’. Jesmyn Ward writes that Racism is ‘Built into the Very Bones’ of Mississippi’ in her article – yikes! Some specific happenings in Mississippi: The brutal murder of Emmett Till, segregation well beyond the U.S. Supreme Court ruling it unconstitutional, and of course, the infamous Ku Klux Klan (Encyclopædia Britannica). Speaking of the Klan, there are 12 hate groups characterized as follows: Ku Klux Klan (5), Black Separatist (4), Anti-LGBTQ (1), Neo-Confederate (1), and Neo-Volkisch (1).

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6. Tennessee: King Curtis, “Memphis Soul Stew”

King Size Soul • Atlantic • 1967

There are plenty of songs about Tennessee, so choosing just one is an arduous task.  For  AN UNORTHODOX SOUNDTRACK TO THE UNITED STATES, I settled on the late, great King Curtis and his incredibly funky “Memphis Soul Stew.” Sadly, the gifted Fort Worth, Texas-bred saxophonist was murdered in 1971 at the age of 37.  King Curtis was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame posthumously in 2000.

3 Facts about TENNESSEE:

💡 Like the majority of the south, Republicans know they have an ‘ace in the hole’ with Tennessee’s 11 electoral votes.  Rocky top has voted only thrice for democratic presidents, in 1976, 1992, and 1996.

💡 Country music… All music really, but country music especially. No explanation necessary.

💡 How about an athletic nugget? While sports are huge in the state, the most prestigious sport comes from the Lady Vols of the University of Tennessee. The late, great Pat Summit (1952 – 2016) won 8 national championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008)

5 more TENNESSEE songs: 

🌟🎵 Conway Twitty, “Rocky Top”

Hello Darlin’, 1970 [UMG Recordings, Inc.]

“Rocky Top you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.”

🎵 Chris Stapleton, “Midnight Train to Memphis”

From a Room: Volume 2, 2017 [UMG Recordings, Inc.]

🎵 Chris Stapleton, “Tennessee Whiskey”

Traveller, 2015 [Mercury]

🎵 Marc Cohn, “Walking in Memphis”

Marc Cohn, 1991 [Atlantic]

🎵 Yelawolf, “Tennessee Love”

Love Story, 2015 [Interscope]

 💭 ✓ Good Beat:  The music scene is 🔥, period. Dolly Parton – enough said!

💭 ✗ Bad Beat:  Personally, Those pesky Tennessee Vols (Men’s Basketball 🏀), UGH!!! 🤢 Rick Barnes has UK’s number apparently! I guess that’s actually a good beat for the state, particularly that 2020 upset win at Rupp Arena (81-73).

✗ Of course, like many of the states on this list, Tennessee still has some work to do when it comes to moving beyond a racist past. It’s not Mississippi, so, that’s a plus 🤷.

7. Arizona: Kings of Leon, “Arizona”

Because of the Times • RCA • 2007

Perhaps “Arizona” by Grammy-winning rock band Kings of Leon isn’t the most flattering view of the state of Arizona, considering it is a story about a visit to a brothel … YIKES! “Arizona” is the 13^th and final track off of the band’s 2007 album, Because of the Times.

“The lamp
Flickers in the bedroom
She must feel as awkward
Whorehouse Arizona
Now go
Stand up to a giant
Say that I’m a fighter
Too drunk to remember
Too drunk to...”

3 Facts about ARIZONA:

💡 Arizona would be one of the final states admitted to the Union (1912).  (Cool Kid Facts)

💡 Arizona, which has 11 electoral votes, has voted republican in the presidential election 19 times since becoming a state in 1912.  The last time the state voted democratic was in 1996 (Bill Clinton).  In 2016, the margin was close, with Hilary Clinton earning a respectable 45.1% of the vote.

💡 The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World – the only Natural Wonder in the U.S. (Visit Arizona).

5 more ARIZONA songs:

🎵 Highly Suspect, “Arizona”

MCID, 2019 [300 Entertainment]

🎵 Josh Kerr, “Arizona”

“Arizona,” 2020 [716 Management Inc / Black River Entertainment]

🌟🎵 Kevin McHale, “Arizona”

Boy (EP), 2019 [Kevin McHale]

“I feel myself hesitatin’
Feel your skin on my skin
Grab your hand, we both just freeze
And I was stuck in the desert
Road goes on forever
Honestly, it's fine by me.”

🎵 Mark Lindsay, “Arizona”

Arizona, 1970 [Columbia]

🎵 Rich Brian Ft. AUGUST 08, “Arizona”

Amen, 2018 [88rising Music / EMPIRE]

💭✓ Good Beat: Arizona is a state rich with sports, with the Arizona Men’s Basketball program 🏀 shining especially bright. Lute Olsen won the program’s sole championship in 1997, upsetting three no. 1 seeds in the process: Kansas in the Sweet 16 (85-82); North Carolina in the Semifinal (66-58); Kentucky in the Final (84-79 OT).  For non-sports enthusiasts, there’s the Grand Canyon – it’s pretty epic, I’ve heard.  Also, cacti 🌵🌵🌵.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat: The snakes 🐍 – I hate snakes 🐍. Also, Arizona hasn’t been to the final four since finishing as the Runner up in 2001… Also, there was a bad surge in COVID-19.  Also, there are 21 hate groups in the state which unsurprising includes some anti-immigrant groups – yikes!

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8. New Mexico: “Weird Al” Yankovic, “Albuquerque”

Running with Scissors • Volcano Entertainment III • 1999

I’m not going to spend a lot of time analyzing this one.  Any opportunity to feature “Weird Al” Yankovic is a good opportunity.  New Mexico should be proud, even if he’s Straight Outta Lynwood as opposed to Albuquerque. By the way, please tell me I’m not the only person that struggles to spell Albuquerque.  This would definitely be the type of word that disqualifies me from a spelling bee, sigh.

3 Facts about NEW MEXICO:

💡 Culture is a keyword when it comes to New Mexico. Cool Kid Facts informs us that the southwestern state is “influenced by Hispanic and Native American culture” with “many national parks, monuments, unique cuisine, and vibrant arts scene.”

💡 Key cities within the state are Albuquerque, Santa Fe (the capital), Las Cruces, and Roswell.

💡 New Mexico, which has 5 electoral votes, has solidified itself as part of the democratic map when it comes to presidential elections.  That said, since 1972 (and prior to 2020), it’s voted republican six times (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, and 2004) and democratic six times (1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016).

5 more NEW MEXICO songs:

🎵 Iron & Wine, “New Mexico’s No Breeze”

Ghost on Ghost, 2013 [Nonesuch]

🎵 Johnny Cash, “New Mexico”

Johnny Cash at Sun, 2014 [Sony Music Entertainment]

🎵 Kate Vogel, “New Mexico Sunrise”

“New Mexico Sunrise,” 2020 [Laurel Street]

🌟🎵 Neil Young, “Albuquerque”

Tonight’s the Night, 1975 [Warner]

“Well, they say that Santa Fe
Is less than ninety miles away
And I got time to roll a number and rent a car
Oh, Albuquerque.”

🎵 Gin Blossoms, “New Mexico Trouble”

Mixed Reality, 2018 [Cleopatra]

💭✓ Good Beat: So, I had to research this because I know very little about New Mexico… No need in lying.  From what I’ve read, the cost of living, unique cultures and traditions, nature, and recreation are, well, good.  Thank you California Movers USA for that information.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat: I didn’t really have to research the first bad beat, but honestly, this isn’t the first state that comes to mind when I envision moving somewhere else to live – sorry NM.  California Movers USA also provides disadvantages that are indeed ‘bad beats’ in my mind with low job opportunities, low quality education, bad roads and traffic, higher crime rate compared nationwide… I’m sure the state is perfect for somebody other than me though…

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9. Oklahoma: Zach Bryan, “Moon in Oklahoma”

DeAnn • Zach Bryan • 2019

“Cause you look like Oklahoma / And I’ll keep you like I stole ya / I thank God when I hold ya / ‘Cause it feels right.” Zach Bryan seems to be complimentary of a particular lady, not to mention a particular state.  The country singer hails from Oklahoma, so, naturally, it makes sense he’d feel some type of way.

“You’re the moon in Oklahoma
And I’m the night
You’re the moon in Oklahoma
And I'm the night.”

3 Facts about OKLAHOMA:

💡 Oklahoma is nicknamed The Sooner State.  The Sooner is the college mascot for the University of Oklahoma (National Geographic Kids).

💡 Per The Oklahoman, Cimarron County is the only in the U.S. that touches four states: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Kansas.

💡 Democrats are eaten alive in presidential elections in Oklahoma.  Those 7 electoral votes are firmly planted in the republican camp.  Donald Trump earned a whopping 65.3% of the vote in 2016, with republicans earning similar numbers consistently.

5 more OKLAHOMA songs:

🌟🎵 Carrie Underwood, “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore”

Some Hearts, 2005 [19 Recordings Limited]

“My hotel in Manhattan
Holds more people than our town
And what I just paid for dinner
Would be a down payment on a house
I'd rather be tipping cows in Tulsa
Than hailing cabs here in New York
But I ain’t in Checotah anymore.”

🎵 Various Artists, “Oklahoma!”

Oklahoma! (1998 Royal National Theatre Cast Recording), 1998 [Exallshow Ltd.]

🎵 Miranda Lambert, “Oklahoma Sky”

Four the Record, 2011 [Sony Music Entertainment]

🎵 Reba McEntire, “No U in Oklahoma”

Stronger Than the Truth, 2019 [Big Machine Label Group]

🎵 Wild Child, “Oklahoma”

Fools, 2015 [Dualtone Music Group, Inc.]

💭✓ Good Beat:Those Oklahoma Sooners (🏈) always come to play! They won a championship in 2000 with Bob Stoops. Since then, they consistently remain the class of college football.

✓ Also, staying in the sports lane, the Oklahoma City Thunder (🏀) is a successful, very popular NBA franchise that was once the home of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. Also, Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State), has been to multiple Final Fours including two early NCAA Men’s basketball championships in 1945 and 1946 🏀.

✓ There are also plenty of sights to see and visit in Oklahoma.

💭 ✗ Bad Beat:  Lots actually. Joe Exotic counts, but much worse were the Tulsa race massacre of 1921 and of course the Oklahoma City Bombing of 1995.

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10. Texas: Slim Thug, “Houston”

Ft. Paul Wall & Chamillionaire

Houston • Slim Thug • 2007

“Texas tatted on my arm got Houston on my back / Cause I love the city I’m from hands up if you feel that…” Back in the early and mid-aughts, the Houston, Texas rap scene had a movement with the likes of Chamillionaire, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug.  The movement didn’t maintain momentum mind you, but it did happen.  Slim Thug brings two of the aforementioned H-town standouts on the song, “Houston,” which appears on his 2007 album, Houston.

“I’m from Houston, Texas home of the Texans
Texas Tatted on my arm, Houston on my back.” 

3 Facts about TEXAS:

💡 Previously, I highlighted that New Orleans, LA was gay-friendly 🌈. Apparently, Austin, TX is even gayer – or LGBTQ-friendly rather 🌈! There’s definitely a poppin’ LGBTQ scene, which is pretty rad… unless you’re not into that, I guess 🤷 .

💡 Texas has 38 electoral votes.  That’s a big deal… for Republicans.  The last time the state voted blue in a presidential election was 1976 for Jimmy Carter, whom, I’ve already stated WHY that was possible.  The past three elections, the closest the democratic candidate came (Obama) was about ~44% of the votes.

💡 The five largest cities by population in this massive state are Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth (El Paso is next in line).

5 more TEXAS songs:

🌟🎵 The Chicks, “Texas Man”

Gaslighter, 2020 [Columbia]

“I could use a Texas man
But one who can feel at home
Yeah, here in the California sand
Who holds me like he'll never let go”

🎵 DaBaby, “Walker Texas Ranger”

Baby on Baby, 2019 [Interscope]

🎵 The Charlie Daniels Band, “Texas”

The Ultimate Charlie Daniels Band, 2020 [Sony BMG Music Entertainment]

🎵 Khruangbin & Leon Bridges, “Texas Sun”

Texas Sun (EP), 2020 [Dead Oceans, Inc. / Columbia]

🎵 Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Texas Flood”

Texas Flood, 1983 [Sony Music Entertainment]

💭✓ Good Beat: Everything is bigger in Texas, or so they say.  Sports are huge particularly the likes of the Dallas Cowboys (🏈), Houston Texans (🏈), Dallas Mavericks (🏀), San Antonio Spurs (🏀), Houston Astros (⚾), Houston Rockets (🏀),  Texas Longhorns (🏈), Texas A&M Aggies (🏈), Texas Tech Long Raiders (🏀), Houston Cougars (🏀)… the list goes on.  Texas Western (now UTEP) became the first school to win the NCAA Men’s National Championship with an all-black starting five 🏀.  They defeated the University of Kentucky, which had an all-white starting five. I discussed the lack of black basketball players until the 1971-72 season as a ‘bad beat.’

💭 ✗ Bad Beat: Texas ranks as merely the 38^th best state to live in (in 2020) according to World Population Review.  Crime (33^rd), education (34^th), and healthcare (37^th) cause the large state to rank so low, with the economy (15^th) being its best quality. Also, given its size, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there’s plenty of hate… groups, according to the SLPC. Also, for us democrats, we continue to lament the fact that we can’t win the Longhorn State in a presidential election; it remains that elusive grand prize (38 electoral votes).

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The South Region: Deconstructed (Pt. II): 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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