Oklahoma! (song)

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"Oklahoma!" is the title song from the musical (by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) This song appears after Curly and Laurey's wedding. It is also reprised in some performances at the end or directly following the song.

Of all the tunes in the musical this is the most rousing and cheerful, employing the entire cast as a chorus. Before the familiar melody, various characters sing of the fruits of the land "gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters". It celebrates the beauty of the landscape and the joys of rural life:

They couldn't pick a better time to start in life

It ain't too early and it ain't too late

Starting as a farmer with a brand new wife

Soon be living in a brand new state!

Brand new state, gonna treat you great!

Gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters,

Pasture fer the cattle, spinach and termayters!

Flowers on the prairie where the Junebugs zoom,

Plen'y of air and plen'y of room,

Plen'y of room to swing a rope,

Plen'y of heart and plen'y of hope!

Oklahoma! Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain

And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet

When the wind comes right behind the rain.

Oklahoma! Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I

Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk

Makin' lazy circles in the sky.

We know we belong to the land

And the land we belong to is grand!

And when we say

"Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!"

We're only sayin'

"You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!"

Oklahoma O.K.

In 1953, under the leadership of then future Governor George Nigh (who authored the bill) "Oklahoma!" became the state song of the state of Oklahoma. After Governor Johnston Murray signed the bill into law, he gave Nigh the pen with which he used to sign the bill. Later that night, Nigh led the official first performance of "Oklahoma!" as the State Song.

The Oklahoma State University Cowboy Marching Band plays a version of the song at sporting events. It is tradition to yell "State!" at the end of the song to show school pride. The school has received permission from Rodgers and Hammerstein to change the ending of the song to include the word "state."

The University of Oklahoma Sooner Marching Band also has their unique version of the song, ending with the first chords to Boomer Sooner, the univeristies fight song, at the end of the tune.