I have wanted to learn “Rhode Island is Famous for You” for the longest time.  Working on the book of states for “Fifty Nifty States,” I realized that many of the same pages would work great for “Rhode Island is Famous for You” and that way kids could get more exposure to and learn more about state names, learn one of the great songs of the Great American Songbook, and I’d get to learn the song in the process.  Perfect Fun.

I will be so, so excited to share this with children and their caregivers in classroom and libraries.

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Rhode Island is Famous for You
Words by Howard Dietz
Music by Arthur Schwartz
Book Assembled by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus

This item is for classroom, home, or library use only.

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Rhode Island is Famous for You
Words Howard Dietz
Music by Arthur Schwartz

Every state in the USA
Has something it can boast of,
A product that the state
Produces the most of.
Rhode Island is little, but, oh my,
They have a product
Anyone would buy…

Copper comes from Arizona
Peaches come from Georgia
And lobsters come from Maine
The wheat fields are the sweet fields of Nebraska
And Kansas gets bonanzas from the grain

Old whiskey comes from old Kentucky
Ain’t the country lucky
New Jersey gives us glue
And you, you come from Rhode Island
And little old Rhode Island is famous for you

Cotton comes from Lou-siana
Gophers from Montana
And spuds from Idaho
They plow land in the cow land of Missour-a
Where most beef meant for roast beef seems to grow

Grand canyons come from Colorad-a
Gold comes from Nevada
[Marriages do, too]
And you, you come from Rhode Island
Little old Rhode Island is famous for you

Pencils come from Pennsylvania
Vest from Vest Virginia
and Tents from Tent-esee
They know mink where they grow mink in Wyo-mink
A camp chair in New Hamp-chair, that’s for me

And minnows come Minnesota
Coats come from Dakota
But why should you be blue?
For you, you come from Rhode Island
Don’t let them ride Rhode Island
It’s famous for you.

Possible tag at end:
We’ll sing about Rhode Island
And dance it, you enhance it,
More than Providence, Newport, Narragansett
Rhode Island is famous for you.

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A video of the great Blossom Dearie singing “Rhode Island is Famous for You,” (lyrics included with video)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig2daWp-Pls

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“Rhode Island is Famous for You,” was written for the musical revue, “Inside U.S.A.”

More info on “Inside U.S.A.” here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_U.S.A.

The musical “Inside USA” was based on a book by John Gunther, with the same name:

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