OLD ROCKER: Georgia popular title in hit songs

What do Georgia, California, Texas and Hawaii have in common?

And what do New Orleans, New York City, Pasadena, Calif., Tallahassee, Fla., and Memphis, Tenn., have in common?

They are among the states and cities whose name appears in the title of songs.

There literally have been thousands of songs written with states and cities.

The Peach State, as an example, has had four charted songs written about it.

Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind,” the official state song, was No. 1 for two weeks in November1960 and was his first chart topper. The Albany native had 33 other Top 40 hits including two that reached the top – “Hit the Road Jack” in 1961 and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” in 1962.

Gladys Knight & The Pips had their only No. 1 hit in 1973 with “A Midnight Train to Georgia.” The group had 26 other Top 40 hits including two that reached No. 2 – “I Heard It through the Grapevine” in 1967 and “Neither One of Us” in 1973.

The Charlie Daniels Band had their biggest pop hit in 1979 when “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” peaked at No. 3. The country group had five other Top 40 pop hits.

One of the most underrated performers of his generation, Brook Benton had his final Top 40 hit in 1970 when a “Rainy Night in Georgia” reached No. 4. Benton had 24 other Top 40 hits, seven of which landed in the top 10. His biggest hit was “”The Boll Weevil Song,” which rose to No. 2 in 1961.

Although not written about the state of Georgia per se, “Sweet Georgia Brown” has strong ties to the state.

“Sweet Georgia Brown” is a jazz standard and pop tune written in 1925 by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard (music) and Kenneth Casey (lyrics).

Bernie reportedly developed the concept for the song’s lyrics after meeting Dr. George Thaddeus Brown in New York.

Dr. Brown, a longtime member of Georgia’s State House of Representatives, told Bernie about Dr. Brown’s daughter, Georgia Brown, and how subsequent to the baby girl’s birth on Aug. 11, 1911, the Georgia General Assembly had issued a declaration that she was to be named Georgia after the state, an anecdote which would be directly referenced by the song’s lyric: “Georgia claimed her — Georgia named her.”

The song was first recorded on March 19, 1925, by Bernie, a bandleader, and his entourage resulting in a five-week stay at No. 1.

The Harlem Globetrotters popularized the tune by using Brother Bones’ whistled version as their theme song beginning in1949.

There literally have been hundreds of songs written about New Orleans. Since the start of the modern rock ‘n’ roll era in 1955, five songs about the city have become Top 20 hits.

Johnny Horton had the biggest New Orleans hit when “The Battle of New Orleans” was No. 1 for six weeks in 1959. It was one of his three Top 40 hits.

Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon, who had seven Top 40 hits, struck gold when “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” climbed to No. 3 in 1959.

Fats Domino, a native of New Orleans, had a hit with “I’m Walkin’ to New Orleans,” which reached No. 6 in 1960. Enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Domino had 37 Top 40 hits.

Gary (U.S.) Bonds had his first Top 40- hit in 1960 when “New Orleans” rose to No. 6. He had nine other Top 40 hits.

Arlo Guthrie had his only Top 40 hit in 1972 with his No. 18 song “The City of New Orleans.”

This week in rock history — Peter, Paul & Mary had the two best-selling albums with “In the Wind” and “Peter, Paul and Mary” on Oct. 25, 1963. They later had nine more albums on the Top 25 list. … Elvis Presley attained his third straight No. 1 hit on Oct. 27, 1956, when “Love Me Tender” reached the top. … The Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, was the site of a get together when The Beatles and Little Richard appeared for a two-week engagement beginning on Oct. 28, 1962.

Bobby Helms recorded his version of “Jingle Bell Rock” on Oct. 29, 1957. By December, it was in the Top 10, eventually selling more than 1 million copies and becoming a Christmas standard. … Roy Orbison was awarded his ninth Gold record on Oct. 30, 1964, for “Oh! Pretty Woman. ” … Logan Airport officials in Boston arrested Ray Charles, an Albany native, and charged him with possession of heroin on Oct. 31, 1964. This was his third drug charge, following incidents in 1958 and 1961. He avoided prison time after kicking the habit in a clinic.

Barry Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].