31. DuBose Porter says Georgia is on my Mind

 We hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve. We are thinking many of you are taking the day off to relax. What better way to begin the day, than with one of the best songs ever, sung by one of best ever, famous Georgian, Ray Charles. Have a great day, enjoy your family and friends, say a prayer for the new year and join us as we continue to work to become your voice in Georgia's government.

Have a Happy New Year

Georgia on my Mind
the lyrics and a short history

Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

Talkin' 'bout Georgia
I'm in Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear as moonlight through the pines

Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you

Georgia, sweet Georgia, no peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back
It always leads back to you

 

 

From Wikipedia

On March 7, 1979, in a mutual symbol of reconciliation after conflict over civil rights issues, Ray Charles performed Georgia on my Mind before the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature). After this performance, the connection to the state was firmly made, and then the Assembly adopted it as the state song on April 24.

 

More From the Charles Sheffield novelette, see Georgia on My Mind (novelette).

"Georgia on My Mind"
Single by Ray Charles
from the album The Genius Hits the Road
B-side	"What'd I Say"
Released	1960 (1960)
Recorded	1960
Genre	Blues
Writer(s)	Hoagy Carmichael (music) Stuart Gorrell (lyrics)

"Georgia on My Mind" is a song written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). It is the official state song of the U.S. state of Georgia. Gorrell wrote the lyrics for Hoagy's sister, Georgia Carmichael ^[1]. However, the lyrics of the song are ambiguous enough to refer either to the state or to a woman named "Georgia". Carmichael's 1965 autobiography, Sometimes I Wonder, records the origin: a friend, saxophonist and bandleader Frankie Trumbauer, suggested: "Why don't you write a song called 'Georgia?' Nobody lost much writing about the South." Thus, the song is universally believed to have been written about the state.
The song was first recorded on September 15, 1930 in New York by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra with Bix Beiderbecke on muted cornet and Hoagy Carmichael on vocals. The recording was part of Bix Beiderbecke's last recording session. The recording was released as Victor 23013 with "One Night in Havana".
Frankie Trumbauer had the first major hit recording in 1931 when his recording made the top ten on the charts. Trumbauer had suggested that Carmichael compose the song.
The song is perhaps best known as sung by Ray Charles, who recorded it in 1960 on the album The Genius Hits the Road. It became Georgia's state song in 1979. Inspired by this blues version, Willie Nelson formally introduced the song to country audiences in 1978 as a #1 Country/Western hit.