Mississippi is a place where music isn't just a hobby; it’s the literal atmosphere. You can’t drive five miles without hitting a marker for the Blues Trail or passing a spot where some legend like Muddy Waters or Elvis once stood. So, you’d think the state song of Mississippi would be this straightforward, universally loved anthem that everyone hums at baseball games.
It’s not.
Actually, Mississippi has a bit of a complicated relationship with its official music. If you ask ten people on the street in Jackson to sing the state song, most of them will probably look at you blankly or maybe start singing "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" from that old catchy ragtime tune. But the actual official song? It’s called "Go, Mississippi," and it has a history that is—to put it mildly—entangled with the state's most turbulent era.
The Adoption of Go, Mississippi
Back in 1962, the state was looking for an official anthem. This wasn't some long-pondered artistic quest. It happened fast. The song "Go, Mississippi" was written and composed by William Houston Davis. He didn't just write a poem and hope for the best; he created a march. It’s upbeat. It’s bouncy. It sounds exactly like what you’d expect from a 1960s pep rally.
The legislature didn't mess around. On May 17, 1962, they officially designated it as the state song. But here is the kicker: the song was actually a repurposed campaign jingle. Davis had originally written it for Ross Barnett’s gubernatorial campaign. If you know your Southern history, that name carries a lot of weight. Barnett was a staunch segregationist, and the song’s association with his political brand meant it was born into a period of intense social friction.
It’s weirdly short.
The lyrics are simple. "Go, Mississippi, keep on rolling. Go, Mississippi, you cannot stop." It feels more like a football fight song than a soulful tribute to the Magnolia State. Honestly, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher when you consider that Mississippi is the birthplace of the blues, the cradle of rock and roll, and a powerhouse of gospel. Out of all that rich, soulful heritage, the state ended up with a march that sounds like it belongs in a black-and-white newsreel.
Why the 1960s Context Matters
You have to understand the vibe of 1962. This was the same year as the Ole Miss riot. The state was digging its heels in against the Civil Rights Movement. Selecting a song that was essentially a "rah-rah" anthem for the current administration wasn't a coincidence. It was a statement of identity at a time when that identity was being challenged globally.
Some people love it for the nostalgia. They remember hearing it at school functions or official ceremonies. To them, it’s just a piece of history. But for others, the song represents a specific, exclusionary era of Mississippi politics that they'd rather leave in the rearview mirror.
The "Other" State Song: One Mississippi
For a long time, there’s been this quiet—and sometimes loud—push to change things up. People felt that "Go, Mississippi" just didn't represent the modern state. It didn't capture the heat, the humidity, the literary genius of Faulkner or Welty, or the grit of the Delta.
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Enter Steve Azar.
In 2017, during the state’s bicentennial, a new song started gaining traction. Steve Azar, a Delta native and country music artist, wrote "One Mississippi." It’s a completely different animal. While Davis’s song is a formal march, Azar’s track is a soulful, mid-tempo ballad that name-checks real places. It talks about the "piney woods," the "mighty river," and the "red clay hills."
In 2022, the Mississippi Legislature actually did something about it. They didn't replace the old song—Mississippi loves its layers of history—but they designated "One Mississippi" as the official contemporary state song.
So, technically, Mississippi has two.
It’s a classic Mississippi move. Instead of erasing the old, they just added something new on top of it. Now you have a "traditional" song and a "contemporary" one. It reflects a state that is constantly trying to reconcile its past with its future. "One Mississippi" feels much more like the Mississippi people actually live in today. It’s got that rootsy, Americana feel that resonates with both the rural farmers and the folks in the city.
Misconceptions About the Music
You’ll often hear people say that "Mississippi Mud" or "Moonlight and Magnolias" are the state songs. They aren't. There’s also a common myth that the state song is "Mississippi," written by Sacha Distel, which was a huge hit in the UK and Europe. It’s a great song, very catchy, but it has zero official status in the state.
Another big one: "Dixie." While "Dixie" is deeply associated with the South and certainly has roots in the region's history, it has never been the official state song of Mississippi. The confusion usually stems from the fact that it was played so frequently at state events for decades.
Then there’s the blues.
It’s almost criminal to some that a Robert Johnson tune or something by B.B. King isn't the official anthem. Can you imagine? An official state song with a distorted guitar riff? It would be the coolest thing in the country. But official state business usually leans toward the conservative and the choral, which is why we ended up with a march and a country ballad instead of a twelve-bar blues.
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The Lyrics of "Go, Mississippi"
If you’ve never actually read the words to the traditional song, they go like this:
States may sing their songs of praise
With honeyed words and phrase
But let me shout the anthems loud
Mississippi states are proud
(Wait, "Mississippi states are proud"? It’s actually "Mississippi, state so proud," but it’s often misheard.)
Go, Mississippi, keep on rolling
Go, Mississippi, you cannot stop
Go, Mississippi, straight, strong, and true
Excel in everything you do
It’s very... motivational speaker-esque. It lacks the "blood and soil" feel of something like "Georgia on My Mind" or the haunting beauty of "My Old Kentucky Home." It’s a song about progress and momentum, which, ironically, was written at a time when the state was fighting tooth and nail against a specific kind of social progress.
How State Songs Actually Function Today
In reality, state songs don't get much play. They are mostly for:
- Inaugurations of Governors.
- High school honor choir performances.
- Very specific legislative sessions.
- Random trivia nights.
Most Mississippians couldn't recite the lyrics of "Go, Mississippi" if you offered them a plate of the best fried catfish in Belzoni. However, the designation of "One Mississippi" changed the energy. You actually hear that song on the radio. People play it at festivals. It has a life outside of a dusty government binder.
The move to have a contemporary song was a smart play by the legislature. It allowed them to acknowledge that the cultural output of the state didn't stop in 1962. By bringing in Steve Azar—who is a legitimate Nashville-adjacent success but deeply rooted in the Greenville area—they gave the state a musical identity that feels authentic to the 21st century.
The Cultural Tug-of-War
Why does any of this matter? Because music is how Mississippi explains itself to the world.
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The state has a heavy history. There’s no getting around that. For decades, the official symbols of the state—the flag, the song, the seals—were all tied to a very specific, exclusionary vision of what Mississippi was. Over the last decade, there’s been a massive shift. The flag was changed in 2020 to the New Magnolia flag. The addition of a new state song fits into that larger narrative of "New Mississippi."
It’s about rebranding. But more than that, it’s about accuracy. A state that produced Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Faith Hill, and Leontyne Price shouldn't have a state song that sounds like a generic jingle. While "One Mississippi" gets closer to that mark, there are still those who argue the state should have gone even further—maybe something that incorporates the Choctaw heritage or the deep gospel roots of the black church, which is arguably the most influential musical force in the state's history.
The Legend of "Mississippi Regionalism"
Every part of the state thinks they own the "real" music.
- The Delta claims the Blues.
- The Coast claims a sort of Jimmy Buffett, tropical escapism.
- The Hills claim the country and rockabilly of Elvis.
- The Pine Belt has its own folk traditions.
"Go, Mississippi" tries to ignore all those differences by being as generic as possible. "One Mississippi" tries to bridge them by listing them all out. That’s the fundamental difference between how we thought about "state pride" in the 60s versus how we think about it now. We used to want a monolith. Now, we want a mosaic.
Exploring Mississippi’s Musical Landscape Yourself
If you’re interested in the music of the state, don't just stop at the official songs. The state song of Mississippi is just the tip of a very large, very loud iceberg.
If you want to understand the vibe of the state song—or what it should be—you need to actually get on the ground. Go to the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. Drive down Highway 61. Listen to the way the wind hits the kudzu.
Here is what you should actually do to experience the "real" state music:
- Visit the Grammy Museum Mississippi: It’s in Cleveland. Most people don't realize there’s a Grammy museum outside of LA, but there is, and it’s there because Mississippi has more Grammy winners per capita than anywhere else.
- Hit a Juke Joint: If you want the antithesis of a formal state march, go to Red’s Lounge in Clarksdale. It’s loud, it’s cramped, and it’s the most honest music you’ll ever hear.
- The Mississippi Blues Trail: Follow the markers. They are all over the state and tell the stories of the people who actually created the sounds the world associates with Mississippi.
- Compare the Anthems: Sit down and listen to "Go, Mississippi" on YouTube, then immediately play "One Mississippi." You’ll feel the sixty-year gap in the state’s soul. It’s a wild trip.
Mississippi is a place of contradictions. It’s a place that can hold onto a 1962 campaign jingle and a 2017 country ballad at the same time and call them both "official." It’s messy, it’s rhythmic, and it’s never boring. Whether you like the old-school march or the new-school soul, the music tells you exactly where the state has been and where it’s trying to go.