Welcome to this occasional series where I am attempting a virtual journey around the 50 States of America in song. For anyone new to this place, I have a continuous route map where I enter and leave each state only once. Suggestions for the next leg always welcome!
Long term visitors to this place might remember this series from way back in 2017 when I started with great gusto then got stuck in Pennsylvania after finding no inspiration for songs that relate to Delaware (bar the obvious one), which was to be the next state on my route. I think it’s time to pick up on the Odyssey again as I never did reach the musically rich states and that’s just a sin.
But first a few fun facts about Delaware. It’s called The First State as after the American Revolution it was the first state to ratify the new Constitution. It is also the 2nd smallest state after Rhode Island. The north of the state is predominantly urban but the south of the state is mainly agrarian and has some fine beaches. The current president, Joe Biden, is from Delaware and he was governor of the state for many years.
Here’s something interesting for lovers of maps. As you might see from the map above, the northern border of Delaware was drawn with a compass centred on New Castle fanning out 12 miles. Early topography methods were flawed however and it was later discovered that a “wedge” remained between the Mason-Dixon line and the arc. Ownership was debated for many years and first it formed part of Pennsylvania but since 1921 has formed part of Delaware and is indeed called the Delaware Wedge. Just the kind of quirky facts I love.
As for a song for this state I have resisted for a long time now but yes, I’m going to go there. The novelty song Delaware was recorded by Perry Como in 1959 and mentions 15 states of the US in pun form. I get the puns for the first few verses but that last verse has me somewhat stumped – if anyone can help me out I’d be very grateful.
This is just the kind of song that would have popped up on Junior Choice, the radio show for kids, when I was growing up. The show was full of such songs but sadly I think the era of the novelty song is over which is a shame really as some have stayed with me for life.
I have been a bit mean about the song Delaware but it is the obvious contender for a journey round the 50 states. Are there many songs out there that reference this small state? If there are I can’t find them. After re-watching my DVD boxset of Live Aid not that long ago, I did discover that George Thorogood and The Destroyers came from the state, but I was never a fan so didn’t include them here. Sorry George.
The next state I will enter and leave only once is Maryland. If anyone can help me out with that one, again I’d be most grateful.
Until next time…
Delaware Lyrics
(Song by Irving Gordon)
Oh, what did Delaware boy what did Della wear?
What did Delaware boy, what did Della wear?
She wore a brand New Jersey, she wore a brand New Jersey
She wore a brand New Jersey, that’s what she did wear
Oh, why did California, why did Cali phone?
Why did California, was she all alone?
She called to say Hawaii, she called to say How are ya
She called to say how are ya, that’s why she did phone
Oh, what did Mississip boy, what did Missis sip?
What did Missis sip boy, through her pretty lips
She sipped a Minnesota, she sipped a mini soda
She sipped a mini soda, that’s what she did sip
Oh, where has Oregon boy, where as Ora gone?
If you want Alaska, I’ll ask her where she’s gone
She went to pay her Texas, she went to pay her taxes
She went to pay her taxes, that’s where she has gone
Oh, how did Wisconsin boy, she stole a NeBras-ky
Too bad that Arkan-sas boy, and so did Tenne-see
It made poor Flora-di, it made poor Flora-di you see
She died in Missouri boy, she died in Misery
Oh, what did Delaware, boy what did Delaware
What did Delaware boy, what did Delaware
What's It All About? 
Fascinating! I then did a bit of reading up on the <a href=’https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Mile_Circle‘> Twelve-Mile Circle.</a> I love stuff like that.
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There are a few quirky situations like this with other states as well. There’s a part of Washington state cut off from the rest of the state. You have to drive through a bit of Canada to get to it!
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In the last verse Arkansas and Tennessee aren’t proper puns, they are just there for ‘saw’ and ‘see’ to make sure that Wiscon’s theft of a new brass key was known about. Why that led poor Flora to die is misery I don’t know, perhaps she was Wiscon’s mother and disappointed that her child was a wrong ‘un.
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Yes the first two work well, Delaware and New Jersey but it gets a bit less obvious as the song goes on. Thanks for the hypothesis on what led Flora to die. You could be right.
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Coincidentally, my wife and I were in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware for a few days this week. Friends of ours have a house there, and we stayed with them. The town’s beach is nice. It was crowded. The beach is backed with a boardwalk that has all kinds of stores and eateries on it and near it. We enjoyed our mini vacation. Even though Delaware is fairly close to where I live, I’d never been to that state before.
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Very timely of me to rejoin my odyssey. Can’t believe it’s the first time you’ve visited Delaware but then again there are loads of places I’ve not yet visited in the UK.
The beaches sound nice and an extension of the New Jersey beaches further north I suppose.
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Hi. Delaware and NJ don’t touch. They are separated by waters. The very bottom of NJ is Cape May. You can take a ferry from CM to Lewes, Delaware, across 30 or more miles of water.
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Thanks for resuming the road trip, Alyson, this was a very enjoyable (and educational) read, as always!
I can offer one more ‘Delaware; song. In 2001, I went with some work mates to see a gig by Airport Girl, mainly because one of my colleagues’ partner was in the band.
They were really good and I bought a 7″ single and their album, Honey, I’m An Artist, from the merch table after.
23 years later, it’s come in handy as track 8 on the album is Between Delta And Delaware.
For next month, I’ve only got one suggestion. To avoid spoiling with a video link here, try searching ‘The Divine Comedy’ and ‘Maryland’ on YouTube and you should find it easily…
Thanks!
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Thanks for dropping by Khayem. I really enjoyed this series when I started it but I put an awful lot of research into the individual states and the posts took a long time to write. This was an easy one but if I get contributions in terms of song titles/artists, they should get longer.
Thanks also for the additional Delaware song. I’ll include it here:
Between Delta And Delaware (youtube.com)
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Lovely to see you back and on your road trip again! Fascinating info too, although I couldn’t help thinking that a ‘Delaware Wedge’ might be something altogether different… Those lyrics are so clever, I do love a good pun – and bad ones aren’t so bad either.
I know you said you’re not a fan of George Thorogood & the Destroyers but, oh Alyson, there must surely be a teeny-tiny piece of room in a deep dark corner of your heart for ‘Bad To The Bone’?! Sorry I can’t offer any other Delaware songs to those already mentioned, though. And as for Maryland, will have to get thinking cap on!
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Yes, it’s been a long time rested this series but time to pick it up again.
What, between the puns in the song and talk of Delaware Wedges, this post elicited a bit of a snigger from me too (we are very childish!). The song Delaware was an obvious shoe-in for this series though so it had to be included.
Was it George and Co. that sang Bad to the Bone? I know the song but didn’t realise it was by them. My bad – I will include a link to it now. Thanks for the heads up.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Bad To The Bone (youtube.com)
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Baltimore is in Maryland and features in the title of a few songs
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Thanks for the heads up. I should cheat and look back at George’s series around the 50 states over at your place but I’ll try and be original.
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I’m not sure this counts but there is another less interesting Maryland here in east London. It is next to Stratford (again, the other one not the interesting one). The main claim to fame is the Cart & Horses pub aka “the birthplace of Iron Maiden”. You can find more details than you can possibly want at:
Iron Maiden | Cart & Horses, London – The Birthplace of Iron Maiden (cartandhorses.london)
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Thanks for all this extra info, Ernie, about the other Maryland and the connection the Cart & Horses has to Iron Maiden. More details than I could possibly want as you say.
As for Stratford in London, I think I’m right in thinking it’s not pronounced the same as the other one. But then again I could be wrong.
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I can’t help but think of this when I think of Delaware…
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Ha ha – I’d forgotten about that scene. Why I had such trouble rejoining my odyssey, I was drawing a blank for a long time. Poor Delaware.
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