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The state song remains the same

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By NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007 - 09:27:23 am CST

The state song controversy is over. Hours after Monday’s public hearing on the measure, senators killed a bill that would have given Nebraska a new state song.

The challenger — “I Love Nebraska” by Ginger ten Bensel — is a “great song,” General Affairs Committee Chairman Vickie McDonald said.

“But we are not going to rewrite the history books,” she said after the committee voted unanimously to kill the bill (LB345) that would have made “I Love Nebraska” the state song.

Story Photo
Ginger ten Bensel talks about writing her song "I Love Nebraska" while testifying in support of a LB 345 in front of the General Affairs Committee at the state Capitol on Monday. (Eric Gregory)

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So “Beautiful Nebraska” — selected 40 years ago during a statewide competition — remains.

Committee members responded to the history behind “Beautiful Nebraska,” McDonald said.

It was written by two friends, whose relatives came to Monday’s hearing to defend the work.

Russian immigrant Jim Fras wrote the music and collaborated on the lyrics with Guy G. Miller, a World War II vet and part-time poet, relatives said.

“It is a well-known and respected song,” McDonald said.

But Sen. Carroll Burling of Kenesaw, who sponsored the bill, succeeded in one goal: He got people talking about the state song.

His bill spawned a debate on Web sites and in letters to newspapers and state senators.

Senators spent almost two hours Monday listening to passionate supporters on both sides. And they heard CDs of both songs.

Ten Bensel sang her song, which she wrote while riding her horse near Cambridge and performed in early January at Gov. Dave Heineman’s inaugural ball.

Schoolteacher Julie Baker-Anderson sang “Beautiful Nebraska” on the CD brought by Fras’ sons, Nick and Wally.

Many have had strong opinions on the songs.

Omaha Monroe Middle School students picked the traditional ballad over the country western upstart. The vote was 134 to 39 for “Beautiful Nebraska,” said Omaha Sen. Don Preister.

But Halsey fourth-graders were partial to ten Bensel’s and sent letters to senators expressing how the song made them feel “happy inside” and made them “feel free and want to sing it over and over.”

Senators were also offered a couple of compromises during the hearing.

Several states have more than one song, said ten Bensel: Tennessee has five state songs, for instance, and New Hampshire has nine.

“I Love Nebraska” works well at the emotional and intellectual levels, said Christopher Amundson, owner and publisher of Nebraska Life magazine.

“It gave me goose bumps,” said Marge Lauer of the Kearney Area Ag Producers Alliance. “It talks about the quality of life. It speaks to the values (of Nebraskans).”

But supporters of the traditional song were equally adamant as they urged senators to preserve history.

“‘Beautiful Nebraska’ is a timeless classic ballad that children can sing and can enjoy,” said Kristin Lukow, an elementary school teacher from Holstein. “It is a song that unites and inspires.”

And several supporters of tradition had a traditional adage for senators:

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Reach Nancy Hicks at nhicks@journalstar.com or 473-7250.


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Chazz wrote on February 26, 2007 11:07 pm:
" Thank goodness "

 Greg wrote on February 26, 2007 11:13 pm:
" Thank God our state song is still Beautiful Nebraska! Just because ten Bensel couldn't make it through the first round of American Idol doesn't mean we have to choke down her pop song. "

 ha wrote on February 26, 2007 11:52 pm:
" It gave Marge goose bumps...and gave me dry heaves. Yes ginger other states have more then one state song but I doubt any of them are as horrid as yours. Thanks for wasting our time. "

 big D wrote on February 27, 2007 12:19 am:
" I am glad they got this very important issue settled. Now maybe they can get down to some of the less substansive issues. No wonder our young people and retired folks are leaving this state in droves. This ranks right up there with the elephant bill from last year. "

 Mike wrote on February 27, 2007 1:10 am:
" From the article: "“I Love Nebraska” works well at the emotional and intellectual levels, said Christopher Amundson, owner and publisher of Nebraska Life magazine." If the intellectual level reached by Nebraska Life magazine is similar to that of Ginger ten Bensel's lyrics, I fear for the children of this state. "

 Terry wrote on February 27, 2007 6:16 am:
" At least one good thing has come out of this session of the legislature! "

 clint wrote on February 27, 2007 6:49 am:
" So this is why we pay taxes? This was such high priority that the state song had to be challanged? Give me a break no wonder the paid officals don't get anything done. Whats next people, so glad our tax dollars are so hard at work. "

 Taylor wrote on February 27, 2007 7:00 am:
" Surely, our State Senators have real problems to tackle such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Property Taxes, Child Endangerment, or Mental Illness to worry about instead of wasting time considering changing our State Song? "

 Relieved! wrote on February 27, 2007 8:21 am:
" Amazing. Kudos to the senators who voted this thing down. Although, it's unfortunate that "I Love Nebraska" was still considered a "great song" and it could unfortunately be brought in as a challenger in the future. It also disturbs me that teachers have fourth graders singing that mess of a song. Can't there be another bill requesting that the song be banished forever? "

 Ryan wrote on February 27, 2007 8:28 am:
" Thank god. That new song was horrible. "

 THANK GOD! wrote on February 27, 2007 8:43 am:
" That song was the worst thing I have ever heard...the state senate got this one right. "

 gov wrote on February 27, 2007 8:51 am:
" It's good to see that our state legislators are dealing with high-priority issues in a timely manner. I will definitely sleep better tonight knowing that all of the criminals that we haven't yet dealt with are roaming the streets singing our old state song. Thanks for all your hard work, Senators. "

 Karen wrote on February 27, 2007 9:11 am:
" Thank Goodness and Amen. Now get busy on some important stuff. Enough stupid things taking up government time. Besides I thought the Nebraska State song was "Go Huskers" Ok I am just kidding. I love the song "Beautiful Nebraska". That song says it all for us. We live in a beautiful state. "

 Ron wrote on February 27, 2007 12:02 pm:
" I think the senaters could have better spent their time on the important issues of the day. Then they wonder why it takes so much time to get anything substantive done. I like music but this song didn't do anything for me. Maybe they use it to call the hogs. "

 Nate wrote on February 27, 2007 12:06 pm:
" Calling the song a 'great song' is a judicious use of politeness. The parody done by that Omaha radio station is just as good, if not better. And it more accurately represents a majority of our population... "

 Pat wrote on February 27, 2007 12:11 pm:
" This is a classic case of a big fish in a small pond getting into a lawmakers ear (pardon the pun). Special interests should not be allowed special power in this state, and the other senators were right for knocking this one down. Now hopefully Ginger will burn all copies of that godforsaken song and we can get on with our lives. "

 Adam wrote on February 27, 2007 1:11 pm:
" Amen. "I Love Nebraska" is a horrible song, it's NOT a great song. The lyrics are poorly written and it sounds like a thousand other poorly written country western songs. If we are going to add to the state's song arsenal, make sure it's written well! This is Nebraska, not Nashville!! "

 Nina Rohlfs wrote on February 27, 2007 1:53 pm:
" Good choice! TenBensel's song is catchy, but of the type that will soon go the way of "Achy Breaky Heart." "Beautiful Nebraska" is classic folk music that will appeal for years and years. And even little kids can sing it. "

 Julie wrote on February 27, 2007 3:11 pm:
" Let's get back to real business. Glad the song is staying the same. The song was nice, but I'm not a country western songs fan. "

 ? wrote on February 27, 2007 3:32 pm:
" we have a state song? what a pointless waste of time. "

 Lindsay wrote on February 27, 2007 4:55 pm:
" Thank god! That song is the most terrible piece of music I've ever heard. If that song would have gone through it would have cemented this state's status as the butt of jokes throughout the US. "

 John B wrote on February 27, 2007 4:56 pm:
" What a waste of time. Don't the Senators have more important things to do? I always liked the old song and it's to bad it isn't sung very often. That new country song was worthless. "

 Barbie wrote on February 27, 2007 5:05 pm:
" I don't want to hear from the legislators that they just don't have enough time to tackle all the important bills in front of them this year. If they are wasting time on bills like this, they don't deserve a pay raise. Hopefully the people in Senator Burling's voting district remember this incident at voting time. "

 Sandra Lab wrote on February 27, 2007 5:31 pm:
" I have a couple of comments about LB345 (change the state song). #1..What a waste of time #2...People in California already think we are hicks and rednecks back here, why open our mouth and remove ALL doubt? "

 humm wrote on February 27, 2007 5:39 pm:
" i didnt even know there was one "

 Caiman wrote on February 27, 2007 6:48 pm:
" Hey Ginger, if you think that your song is so great that it deserves to become the new state song, you better think again. What's wrong with tradition? Change CAN be good, that doesn't mean it's ALWAYS good. We got plenty of new things coming to us, and guess what: They're SHINY. "

 R. U. Kidding wrote on February 27, 2007 7:09 pm:
" If the state Senators really feel they deserve a raise, they have a lot of ground to make up after wasting money and time on this joke 'issue' "

 Who cares!!! wrote on February 27, 2007 7:50 pm:
" The fact that anybody gives a hoot about this is amazing! "

 Soylent Green wrote on February 28, 2007 8:49 am:
" I have heard worse songs, but not many that beat that! I still can't believe this bill even made it to the floor... What a waste of time! "

 Janie wrote on February 28, 2007 11:21 am:
" I was fortunate to have known Jim Fras when I was a child. The love that he had for Nebraska influenced me profoundly. To have replaced the beautiful song he wrote with the absolutely horrible "I Love Nebraska" would have been insulting to his legacy, as well as to all of us who love our state. "

 Thanks to the senators wrote on February 28, 2007 11:46 pm:
" I just wanted to comment on a couple prior posts... 1. For the post by Sandra Lab, you couldn't be more correct. I'm from Nebraska and live in California now, and I can tell you that the opinion of Nebraska that comes from people I have met from all over the US is not a good one. This "song" certainly wouldn't have helped. 2. For Caiman's post, I don't think it was the "song" writer's choice for the change to the state song. It was a state senator from her district. A completely misguided senator at that. Moving on, how could the senators think that "I Love Nebraska" was more of the culture of Nebraska? Have they seen the video that accompanies the song? I've never been to a rodeo and I lived in NE my whole life. Also, there are no minorities in the video and no clips of Omaha...two big parts of the state. "

 Confused wrote on February 28, 2007 11:53 pm:
" Marge Lauer's comments frighten me. I'm sure the song gave many people goose bumps, but not out of excitement and feelings of enjoyment...it was out of the sheer terror that people in the state have been subjected to this nonsensical ballad. What values does the song speak of? It's all just generic nonsense. I have never seen an eagle in the state and I'm sure you can hear church bells anywhere in the country on a Sunday. Also, what does "I believe that says it all" even mean? Absolutely nothing! More nonsense! Did anyone else notice in the video that the singer gave the upside down Longhorns symbol with her hand? Very clever. What kind of value is that? Tasteless. "

 Mr. B wrote on March 1, 2007 11:16 am:
" Nancy Hicks isn't asking the important questions that deserve answers. Such as, How does one write a song while riding a horse? Please find out. "

 Try Again wrote on March 8, 2007 2:22 am:
" "Beautiful Nebraska" has such timeless, simple and inspiring imagery. Thank goodness KHAS-TV didn't produce a low-rent music video for it. Look, Ginger's song is heartfelt and while I hate the song and the video, at least she tried. Well, Ginger, try again. Isn't that what Nebraska values and spirit are? To get up after you've been knocked down and come back with more resolve and determination? If Ginger made another song, I'd give her a lot of credit. Just please, please put more thought and effort into the lyrics and the video. If anything, this whole mess should spark the creativity of talented Nebraska musicians and songwriters to give us a medley of new music to take pride in. Out of all that, there will be some (a few) really good ones. "

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