State Song Of Missouri

“The Missouri Waltz” Is The Official State Song Of Missouri. Missouri Adopted the “The Missouri Waltz” as the official Missouri State Song in 1949. The National State Song Of Missouri Came from a melody John Valentine Eppel heard Lee Edgar Settle play. Mr. Settle was a well-known ragtime piano player and the song he wrote and played, The Graveyard Waltz, was the actual melody for the Missouri Waltz. John V. Eppel claimed he wrote it but it was well known at the time that the melody was actually written by Lee Edgar Settle. The Missouri Waltz was arranged by Frederic Knight Logan, using lyrics written by James Royce Shannon. After a very slow start, the State Song Of Missouri started to become popular, selling six million copies by 1939. Missouri State Song was played in 1944 at the Democratic National Convention during the nomination of Harry Truman for vice-president.

 

“Missouri Waltz“

 

Lyrics: James Royce Shannon

Music: John Valentine Eppel

Arrangement: Frederic Knight Logan

Adoption: 1949

 

LYRICS

Hush-a-bye, ma baby, slumbertime is comin’ soon;

Rest yo’ head upon my breast while Mommy hums a tune;

The sandman is callin’ where shadows are fallin’,

While the soft breezes sigh as in days long gone by.

 

Way down in Missouri where I heard this melody,

When I was a little child upon my Mommy’s knee;

The old folks were hummin’; their banjos were strummin’;

So sweet and low.

 

Strum, strum, strum, strum, strum,

Seems I hear those banjos playin’ once again,

Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum,

That same old plaintive strain.

 

Hear that mournful melody,

It just haunts you the whole day long,

And you wander in dreams back to Dixie, it seems,

When you hear that old time song.

 

Hush-a-bye ma baby, go to sleep on Mommy’s knee,

Journey back to Dixieland in dreams again with me;

It seems like your Mommy is there once again,

And the old folks were strummin’ that same old refrain.

 

Way down in Missouri where I learned this lullaby,

When the stars were blinkin’ and the moon was climbin’ high,

Seems I hear voices low, as in days long ago,

Singin’ hush-a-bye.