TALLAHASSEE – When it comes to the state song, it looks like Florida lawmakers and Floridians will still be singing the same tune. Gov. Charlie Crist won’t be humming along, however.
After spending over a year trying to come up with a new song to replace the Stephen Foster classic “Swanee River,” which had lyrics some found racist, Florida politicians are expected to keep the song but update its lyrics — if they do anything at all.
The song, also known as “Old Folks at Home,” would remain the state’s official song. As a compromise, a song chosen in a statewide contest — “Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)” — will be added as the state’s anthem.
Tallahassee attorney Pace Allen lobbied to keep Foster’s famous song, saying that throwing it out was “excessive.”