(Back Home Again in) Indiana

There are several times during the year I miss living in Indiana. This coming weekend is one of them.

I’ve been to the Indianapolis 500 twice (1986, 1987). Traditions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have changed a bit since my last pilgrimage 23 years ago. The start of the race changed from 11 AM EST to 1PM EDT (due to Indiana adopting Daylight Saving Time, one of the five pillars of evil), and this year, qualifying was only one weekend. However, my favorite tradition has survived…the singing of “(Back Home Again in) Indiana.”

Since 1972, Jim Nabors, backed by the Purdue All-American Marching Band, has belted out this traditional Hoosier-land tune. In my estimation, that performance is the official start of summer. Of course, Nabors’s annual performance isn’t the only one worthy of mention. For many years, Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars would open their shows with the song. Both interpretations are unique, and shouldn’t be duplicated.

Through the years, “Back Home Again” has been misidentified as the official Indiana state song. That honor goes to the song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” The song, written by Terre Haute native Paul Dresser, was originally published in 1897. Poor money management forced Dresser to sell the copyright to Maurice Richmond Music. In 1917, the new copyright owner gave up and coming songwriters Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley permission to use two bars of “On the Banks of the Wabash” for a their new song (which if you haven’t guessed, it’s “Back Home Again”). MacDonald and Hanley may have exceeded their permission.

“On the Banks of the Wabash”

Oh, the moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash,

From the fields there comes the breath of newmown hay.

Through the sycamores the candle lights are gleaming,

On the banks of the Wabash, far away.

“(Back Home Again in) Indiana”

Back home again in Indiana,

And it seems that I can see

The gleaming candlelight, still shining bright,

Through the sycamores for me.

The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance

From the fields I used to roam.

When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,

Then I long for my Indiana home.

This is flat out copyright infringement. The jury would take 12 minutes to deliberate, and Ballard and MacDonald would have lost all rights to the song. It would be in the same league as George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”, Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” and Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” (admit it you talentless hacks, you ripped off Satriani). However, the copyright laws in 1917 were a little vague, and threats made by the Dresser Estate to sue were never followed up.

Regardless of the history and the obvious theft, “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” is still the most beloved song about Indiana. While other songs written by proud Hoosiers such as “Going Back to Indiana” by the Jackson 5 and “Back to Indiana” by the Elms share the sentiment of missing their home state, they will never garner the same popularity as the song that was ironically written by a non-Hoosier (MacDonald was from Oregon).

When Gomer sings, and 33 engines simultaneously ignite on Sunday, I will once again get chills.

I will long for my Indiana home. 
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