Senate Bill 2712

AN ACT AUTHORIZING MISSISSIPPI TO HAVE TWO OFFICIAL STATE SONGS CONSISTING OF THE PRESENT OFFICIAL STATE SONG "GO, MISSISSIPPI" AND "MY HOME MISSISSIPPI"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, the GREAT STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, her government officials, and all her people celebrated her BICENTENNIAL in the year 2017; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature further desires that all Mississippians have the opportunity to join together in a second official state song; a song that vividly describes Mississippi and her people; a song that will instill pride and joy in the hearts of every Mississippian; a song that expresses joy and love that Mississippians have for their state, for one another, and for everyone visiting Mississippi; a song that will draw all Mississippians together with love and respect for one another and for their state; and a special song that is easy to sing with lyrics and melody suitable for all occasions, public and private, formal and informal; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that many states of the United States have two or more official state songs, namely, Tennessee has six official state songs, West Virginia has three official state songs, and Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Montana have two official state songs each; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi presently has an official state song, "Go, Mississippi" by Houston Davis, which was adopted by the Legislature in House Concurrent Resolution No. 67 (1962 Regular Session), which is sometimes used for special occasions and specific events; however, it is not a song with lyrics and melody that lend themselves for Mississippians to sing at informal gatherings and by Mississippians individually as they go about their daily lives; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature further desires to provide Mississippians with two official state songs whereby Mississippians will have official state songs appropriate for all occasions, events and daily activities; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature further desires to recognize the words and music of "My Home Mississippi" as a second official song of the State of Mississippi; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The lyrics and music in the song entitled "My Home Mississippi" by Delma Furniss, set to the modified music of a 19th Century American folk song, are hereby designated as an official state song of the State of Mississippi to join the present official state song "Go, Mississippi" by Houston Davis. The lyrics of "My Home Mississippi" consist of five (5) verses and chorus, as follows:

MY HOME MISSISSIPPI

VERSE 1:

O my heart is filled with joy ev-'ry morning as I rise,

Just to have another day beneath your warm and friendly skies,

And to share with friend and neighbor all your bountiful supplies;

You are so good to me!

VERSE 2:

From your northern hills a'rolling to your

dazzling great gulf sand;

From your eastern pines so stately to your fertile Delta land;

With your fields and streams connecting - it is all so very grand!

O what a sight to see!

VERSE 3:

All your people, nice and pleasant, like a melody in tune,

With a charm and loving beauty, like a new-sprung rose in June,

And a welcome, big and glowing, like the golden harvest moon;

O hospitality!

VERSE 4:

Your mind - more fresh and ever clean than the driven winter snow;

Your heart - more pure and O more fine

than the richest gold, I know;

Your soul - more filled with holiness

than an angel's saintly glow;

O what a trinity!

VERSE 5:

When my final bell comes ringing - be it morning, noon or night;

When He raps upon my portal, and my spirit takes its flight;

As they lay me in your bosom, ev-'ry thing will be all right;

You've been so good to me!

CHORUS

Warm and friendly, Mississippi,

One and only, Mississippi,

I do love you, Mississippi,

My home you'll always be!

(2) The Division of Tourism of the Mississippi Development Authority and all other agencies of the state interested in promoting the welfare of the State of Mississippi are hereby encouraged to make use of the state song "My Home Mississippi" in promoting and advancing the State of Mississippi and its citizens, and are hereby granted copyright permission by its author to use this song in pursuing and accomplishing these endeavors.

SECTION 2. This act shall be codified as Section 3-3-57, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.