We should go with "The Gold Finch and the Red Oak Tree" by Ted Leo + the Pharmacists.

Fail: None of them are by Bon Jovi or Springsteen


Springsteen, maybe. But Bon Jovi? fail? Really?

New Jersey, New Jersey,
The first "New" state to ratify
The Constitution.

New Jersey, New Jersey,
The one "New" state with two NFL
Franchises.

oldebayer: New Jersey, New Jersey,
The one "New" state with two NFL
Franchises.

That STILL identify themselves as New York. Too bad we can't toss them back over the river.

Jersey has a bunch of clowns in Trenton that can't seem to pass meaningful ethics reform, they can't seem to pass meaningful campaign finance reform, they WON'T finance the printers that will verify that the voting machines used in all elections recorded people's votes correctly. Yet these corrupt assclowns have time for crap like this. Why not? The retards that vote them back in time after time don't seem to care.
When the housing market gets back on it's feet again I'm out of here.

/Moving out, Billy Joel
//Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, Steam

There is really only one choice.

submitter: Fail: None of them are by Bon Jovi or Springsteen

That's a good thing.

Wow ... they aren't even half way there. They must be living on a prayer. Maybe they were blinded by the lights on someone's pink Cadillac.

It should either be "Livin' on a Prayer" or "I'm from New Jersey" by John Gorka.

I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much.
If the world ended today, I would adjust.

I'm from New Jersey, no, I don't talk that way.
I watched too much TV when I was young.

I'm from New Jersey, my mom's Italian,
I've read those Mafia books, we don't belong.

Girls from New Jersey who have that great big hair,
They're found in shopping malls, I will take you there.

I'm from New Jersey, it's not like Texas,
There is no mystery, I can't pretend.
I'm from New Jersey, it's like Ohio,
But even more so, imagine that.

I know which exit, and where I'm bound,
Tolls on the parkway, they will slow you down.

New Jersey people, they will surprise you,
'Cause they're not expected to do too much.
They will try harder, they may go further,
'Cause they never think that they are good enough.

I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much,
If the world ended today I would adjust.

I would adjust.
I would adjust.

"Get the fark Out" by Skid Row seems appropriate.

Apparently sometime in the past, there was a movement to make "Born to Run" the NJ state song, but then somebody noticed that the song was about trying to get out of NJ.

They already have an unofficial one: "I'm From New Jersey". Not the John Gorka one (even though I would approve - I've actually performed that song at open mic's).

It was written by Red Mascara(!), who continues to lobby for its inception. I have a 1961 recording of it by The Chordblenders. It's an awful ditty, with the pomp and feel of a 1920's vaudeville intro. So it's as execrable as all the other state songs. Here's the lyrics:

I know of a state that's a perfect playland with white sandy beaches by the sea;
With fun-filled mountains, lakes and parks, and folks with hospitality;
With historic towns where battles were fought, and presidents have made their home;
It's called New Jersey, and I toast and tout it wherever I may roam.

'Cause . . .

I'M FROM NEW JERSEY and I'm proud about it, I love the Garden State.
I'M FROM NEW JERSEY and I want to shout it, I think it's simply great.
All of the other states throughout the nation may mean a lot to some;
But I wouldn't want another, Jersey is like no other, I'm glad that's where I'm from.

If you want glamour, try Atlantic City or Wildwood by the sea;
Then there is Trenton, Princeton, and Fort Monmouth, they all made history.
Each little town has got that certain something, from High Point to Cape May;
And some place like Mantoloking, Phillipsburg, or Hoboken will steal your heart away.

/I'm from New Jersey.
//But I left years ago.
///Fark New Jersey.

Should be the classic Uncle Floyd song, "Deep in the Heart of Jersey" (new window)


Oh the factory smoke, will make you choke.
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The city rats run in big packs
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Oh the pizza man, says I no understand
Deep in the heart of Jersey

And route 17 the traffic there is mean
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The city skies ain't fit for flies
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The parkway man takes a quarter from your hand
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Oh the dumps in June ain't like perfume
Deep in the heart of Jersey
But it's my state, I think it's great
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Way out west in wild New Jersey, yippie yie yaaaayyyy

Sopranos theme song.

Robert Wuhl (I think) used to do a routine about a proposal to make a Springsteen song the state song. "It's a death trap... get out while we're young." Yeah, that's inspirational.

What about the Jersey Bounce?

It started on Journal Square
And somebody heard it there
He put it right on the air
And now you hear it everywhere

Tweeter and the Monkey man.

Donald_McRonald: Sopranos theme song.

Beat me to it dammit!

I thought they did this in the last campaign? They chose that new bon jovi song.

robsul82: ...or "I'm from New Jersey" by John Gorka.


Haven't heard that song in years... it's timeless

"That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynrd

My favorite Robert Wuhl bit was about the people who were trying to make "Born To Run" the state song back in the eighties.

"You know, you won't find many state songs with the word suicide in the lyrics."

There also was this guy from NJ named Sinatra who made music. He would probably be worth considering too.

onecanshort: Should be the classic Uncle Floyd song, "Deep in the Heart of Jersey" (new window)


Oh the factory smoke, will make you choke.
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The city rats run in big packs
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Oh the pizza man, says I no understand
Deep in the heart of Jersey

And route 17 the traffic there is mean
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The city skies ain't fit for flies
Deep in the heart of Jersey
The parkway man takes a quarter from your hand
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Oh the dumps in June ain't like perfume
Deep in the heart of Jersey
But it's my state, I think it's great
Deep in the heart of Jersey
Way out west in wild New Jersey, yippie yie yaaaayyyy


His shows from the 80's were the best thing on NJ public television. I wish someone would release them on dvd but the show was so low budget they probably weren't saved or archived.

Any state that would choose a Bon Jovi song as a state song deserves to be the laughing stock of the United States, if not the world.

Incredible that Sinatra isn't even considered, either. I could see a Bruce song, too. He's the only reason many people know New Jersey even exists.

/born in Elizabeth NJ

Remember when they tried to name "Born To Run" as the state song and then they remembered that it's about getting the fark out of a shiathole town

We wrote one in 4th grade (1978) because NJ didnt have one.... dont remember the verses, but the chorus went like this..

New Jersey, New Jersey
You're our favorite state
You're not the biggest
But your the best
New Jersey we think your GREAT!

/Guess they didnt choose ours either...

robsul82: It should either be "Livin' on a Prayer" or "I'm from New Jersey" by John Gorka.

I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much.
If the world ended today, I would adjust.

I'm from New Jersey, no, I don't talk that way.
I watched too much TV when I was young.

I'm from New Jersey, my mom's Italian,
I've read those Mafia books, we don't belong.

Girls from New Jersey who have that great big hair,
They're found in shopping malls, I will take you there.

I'm from New Jersey, it's not like Texas,
There is no mystery, I can't pretend.
I'm from New Jersey, it's like Ohio,
But even more so, imagine that.

I know which exit, and where I'm bound,
Tolls on the parkway, they will slow you down.

New Jersey people, they will surprise you,
'Cause they're not expected to do too much.
They will try harder, they may go further,
'Cause they never think that they are good enough.

I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much,
If the world ended today I would adjust.

I would adjust.
I would adjust.


Agreed.

And I forgot to strike the "or." I fail.