Iowa's State Song Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The official state song, excitingly titled "The Song of Iowa," has a pretty wild backstory that starts behind enemy lines - Civil War enemy lines.

Major S.H.M. Byers was captured by the Confederates at the Battle of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, and thrown into the notorious Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. The prison was known for "overcrowding, food shortages, limited supplies and rampant disease." While he was stuck in a room there for seven months, the Rebs came up with all sorts of torture to inflict on their Bluebelly prisoners. This included starvation, limited access to recreation, deliberate cruelty and...the Brass Band (shudders).

Bands frequently marched past Byers' barred windows playing "Maryland, My Maryland" which had "bitter" anti-Union words and was set to the music of "O Tannenbaum" (WTF!?). Byers said to himself, "I would like some day to put that tune to loyal words." (Quote from interview - "Songs of Iowa").

Decades later, he finally fulfilled his promise by publishing "The Song of Iowa." Instead of a Civil War equivalent of a battle rap response, however, his lyrics praised Iowa's beautiful prairies, rich soil, and brave soldiers. The state government loved this ultimate act of historical soft revenge so much that they officially adopted it as the state anthem in 1911.

The final song is a bit of a hilarious contradiction. Because Byers used the same music his captors played, Iowa's grand state song is performed to a Christmas tune. This means when Iowans sing about humid Midwestern summer weather and giant cornfields, the music makes you feel like you should be drinking hot cocoa by a fireplace.