It’s the unofficial state song, and has been covered by Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, and Willie Nelson. There was never any way I could have picked anything else. Even if it’s actually not a song I particularly enjoy that much personally. It’s fine – and the conceit of each verse being a haiku is fun – but not one that I’d go out of my way to listen to.
Really, my favorite part is the instrumental break. It’s where Louis gets to play his trumpet, where Willie pulls out his harmonica, where Ray strolls up and down his piano keys, where Frank gets…some overly enthusiastic strings. Well, not all of them can be winners, I guess.