Home on the Range

Home on the Range is June 30, 1947, the official song (State song) of the U.S. state of Kansas and is a cowboy song. The text comes from a poem by Dr. Brewster M. Higleys from 1871 or 1872, which he wrote while he was in Smith County. Born in Ohio Higley was launched in 1871 to Kansas. The music was composed in 1873 by Daniel E. Kelly, who came to Kansas in 1872 and was previously in the U.S. Army.

History

Poem

After four failed marriages to Higley settled in Kansas to earn his own country after the Homestead Act. His poem, which became the basis of Home on the Range, initially bore the title Oh give me a home or Oh Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam and was probably written in 1872. Another name is Western Home.

Acceptance as a state song of Kansas

Despite the popularity of the song there was also controversy surrounding the adoption as the official song of Kansas. For the mentioned in the song buffalo had already been largely hunted and killed by whites, so that they no longer roam the land ( approximately equivalent to Engl. Roam ) could. Furthermore, the origin of the song was not very clear, other states proclaimed the song itself, because different versions of the song were used in several states. The origin could only be explained by further studies, also composer and lyricist were only found in the course of these investigations. However, the origin was clarified in 1935 and it took another 12 years before the song for the State song was.

Cover versions and use in movies

It has been interpreted by several popular singers, including, inter alia Sting, Frank Sinatra, Pete Seeger and Roy Rogers.

Also, there were interpretations of Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, David Allan Coe and the fictional music group Alvin and the Chipmunks.

In the film Lucky Luke with Terence Hill, the Daltons sing the song.

An interpretation of Neil Young 's soundtrack for the movie Blast - Where the Buffalo Roam.

Trivia

The song had known followers. It is considered a favorite song of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and polar explorer Richard Evelyn Byrd sang the song in order to escape the loneliness.

Three Versions in Comparison

Swell

• Article on Kansas History Online by John McCool (English )
• History of the song on kansasheritage.org (English )
• Article on the side of Emporia State University by Jim Hoy and Tom Isern (English )

• Country song
• Kansas