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Louisiana State Song

You Are My Sunshine

words and music by former Governor Jimmie H. Davis and Charles Mitchell

    The other night, dear
    As I lay sleeping
    I dreamed I held you in my arms.
    When I awoke, dear
    I was mistaken
    And I hung my head and cried;

   CHORUS:
    You are my sunshine
    My only sunshine
    You make me happy
    When skies are grey
    You'll never know dear
    How much I love you
    Please don't take my sunshine away.

    I'll always love you
    And make you happy
    If you will only say the same
    But if you leave me
    To love another
    You'll regret it all some day;

   CHORUS

    You told me once, dear
    You really loved me
    And no one else could come between
    But now you've left me
    And love another
    You have shattered all my dreams;

   CHORUS

    Louisiana my Louisiana
    the place where I was borne.
    White fields of cotton
    -- green fields clover,
    the best fishing
    and long tall corn;

   CHORUS

    Crawfish gumbo and jambalaya
    the biggest shrimp and sugar cane,
    the finest oysters
    and sweet strawberries
    from Toledo Bend to New Orleans;

   CHORUS

Adoption of State Song

The song, "You Are My Sunshine", words and music by former Louisiana Governor Jimmie H. Davis and Charles Mitchell, was adopted as an official state song of Louisiana in 1977.

Louisiana Revised Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 49, Section 155. This section includes the designation for the two official Louisiana state songs; "Give Me Louisiana" and "You Are My Sunshine." "Give Me Louisiana" is documented in part A. and "You Are My Sunshine" is documented in part B. The words for both songs are included within the statute below.

TITLE 49. STATE ADMINISTRATION
PART VIII. STATE SYMBOLS AND DISPLAY OF FLAGS
SECTION 155.

§155. State song. A. The official state song for the State of Louisiana shall be a musical composition, with words and music by Doralice Fontane, entitled: "Give Me Louisiana"; the words and music reading as follows:

    Give me Louisiana,
    The state where I was born
    The state of snowy cotton,
    The best I've ever known;
    A state of sweet magnolias
    And creole melodies
    Oh give me Louisiana,
    The state where I was born
    Oh what sweet old mem'ries
    The mossy old oaks bring
    It brings us the story of our Evangeline
    A state of old tradition,
    Of old plantation days
    Makes good old Louisiana
    The sweetest of all states.

    Give me Louisiana,
    A state prepared to share
    That good old southern custom,
    Hospitality so rare;
    A state of fruit and flowers,
    Of sunshine and spring showers
    Oh give me Louisiana,
    The state where I was born
    Its woodlands, Its marshes
    Where humble trappers live
    Its rivers, Its valleys,
    A place to always give
    A state where work is pleasure,
    With blessings in full measure
    Makes good old Louisiana
    The dearest of all states.

    Give me Louisiana,
    Where love birds always sing
    In shady lanes or pastures,
    The cowbells softly ring;
    The softness of the sunset
    Brings peace and blissful rest
    Oh give me Louisiana,
    The state where I was born
    The smell of sweet clover
    Which blossoms ev'rywhere
    The fresh new mown hay
    Where children romp and play
    A state of love and laughter,
    A state for all here after
    Makes good old Louisiana
    The grandest of all states.

B. The official state song for the state of Louisiana shall also be the musical composition with words and music by Jimmy H. Davis and Charles Mitchell, entitled "You Are My Sunshine"; the words reading as follows:

   Verses:

    The other night, dear
    As I lay sleeping
    I dreamed I held you in my arms
    When I awoke, dear
    I was mistaken
    And I hung my head and cried;

    I'll always love you
    And make you happy
    If you will only say the same
    But if you leave me
    To love another
    You'll regret it all some day;

    You told me once, dear
    You really loved me
    And no one else could come between
    But now you've left me
    And love another
    You have shattered all my dreams;

    Louisiana my Louisiana
    the place where I was borne.  
    White fields of cotton
    --green fields of clover,
    the best fishing
    and long tall corn;

    Crawfish gumbo and jambalaya
    the biggest shrimp and sugar cane,
    the finest oysters
    and sweet strawberries
    from Toledo Bend to New Orleans;

   Chorus:

    YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
    My only sunshine
    You make me happy
    When skies are grey
    You'll never know dear
    How much I love you
    Please don't take my sunshine away.  

    Amended by Acts 1970, No. 431, §1; Acts 1977, No. 540, §1.

    On authority of R.S. 24:253, the music has been omitted from the Revised Statutes.

Source: Louisiana State Legislature, (http://legis.state.la.us), December 1, 2004
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Copyright 2002
Source: State Songs America, Edited by M.J. Bristow, Copyright 2000
Source: State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols by George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., Copyright 1938

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