For today’s Song Spotlight, we’re exploring Stephen Foster’s “Old Folks at Home,” which was first published in 1851. Often known as “Swanee River,” this song has cemented its place in the American songbook, even becoming Florida’s official state song.
The inclusion of the river in the lyrics stemmed from Foster’s desire to feature a two-syllable American river. According to the writings of his brother Morrison Foster, the name was chosen after the brothers consulted a U.S. atlas and noticed the Swanee River, which flows through southern Georgia, Florida, and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Beyond its status as Florida’s state song, “Old Folks at Home” has been covered by many notable artists, including Ray Charles, who recorded his interpretation, “Swanee River Rock (Talkin’ ‘Bout That River),” in 1957.
