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Go, Mississippi
"Go, Mississippi" (copyrighted as "Go, Mis-sis-sip-pi") is the former regional anthem of Mississippi, and served as the official state song from May 17, 1962 until July 1, 2022 when it was replaced by “One Mississippi” by Steve Azar.
"Go, Mississippi" was written and composed by William Houston Davis (1914–1987) and copyrighted in 1962. The copyright was assigned in 1962 to the Jackson Board of Realtors, who recommended it to the Legislature.
It was adopted as the official state song by House Concurrent Resolution 67 on May 16, 1962, during the Regular Session as General Laws of Mississippi of 1962, Chapter 654. The Mississippi Legislature had selected it from two compositions, the other being "Mississippi, U.S.A." (© 1960), also composed by Houston Davis. The House members met with the Senate in a joint session to listen to both compositions performed by a professional dance orchestra with the composer on drums and the Hinds Junior College Hi-Steppers dancing. The band then swung into a chorus of "Dixie" and, according to the UPI, everyone rose.
The song was enthusiastically received in front of 41,000 fans at a formal dedication September 29, 1962, by Governor Barnett in Oxford, as performed by the Ole Miss Marching Band during a halftime of an Ole Miss–Kentucky football game.
"Go Mississippi" is the same melody as "Roll with Ross," which Houston Davis composed under a commission by Ross Barnett (1898–1987) for use as a 1959 campaign theme song for governor. 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.
— Lyrics to "Roll with Ross" (© 1959)
The same melody as "Go, Mississippi" (© 1962)
The halftime was promoted, 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. 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.
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Go, Mississippi
"Go, Mississippi" (copyrighted as "Go, Mis-sis-sip-pi") is the former regional anthem of Mississippi, and served as the official state song from May 17, 1962 until July 1, 2022 when it was replaced by “One Mississippi” by Steve Azar.
"Go, Mississippi" was written and composed by William Houston Davis (1914–1987) and copyrighted in 1962. The copyright was assigned in 1962 to the Jackson Board of Realtors, who recommended it to the Legislature.
It was adopted as the official state song by House Concurrent Resolution 67 on May 16, 1962, during the Regular Session as General Laws of Mississippi of 1962, Chapter 654. The Mississippi Legislature had selected it from two compositions, the other being "Mississippi, U.S.A." (© 1960), also composed by Houston Davis. The House members met with the Senate in a joint session to listen to both compositions performed by a professional dance orchestra with the composer on drums and the Hinds Junior College Hi-Steppers dancing. The band then swung into a chorus of "Dixie" and, according to the UPI, everyone rose.
The song was enthusiastically received in front of 41,000 fans at a formal dedication September 29, 1962, by Governor Barnett in Oxford, as performed by the Ole Miss Marching Band during a halftime of an Ole Miss–Kentucky football game.
"Go Mississippi" is the same melody as "Roll with Ross," which Houston Davis composed under a commission by Ross Barnett (1898–1987) for use as a 1959 campaign theme song for governor. 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.
— Lyrics to "Roll with Ross" (© 1959)
The same melody as "Go, Mississippi" (© 1962)
The halftime was promoted, 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. 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.