Florida · The Sunshine State · By Ismail Farooq, founder · Updated
Florida state song: the official anthem's story, and a new song to hear
Florida's official state song is “Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)”, the first adopted in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem. Below is the story of that song, the state's symbols, and “Sunshine State of Mind”: a brand-new anthem SongUp AI wrote and sang for Florida, with its full lyrics.
An original song for Florida
Tropical pop with Latin percussion, steel drums, bright brass, a reggaeton-tinged beat and a feel-good chorus
“Sunshine State of Mind” lyrics
Original words by SongUp AI, 2026. Male and female duet · Tropical pop with Latin percussion.
Verse 1
Orange blossoms in the morning, the mockingbird awake
Sawgrass running to the sky across the Everglades
A rocket on the Cape tonight is climbing through the blue
Florida, you're summer every single day of the year through
Chorus
Sunshine State of mind, from Pensacola to Key West
Palm trees and a warm Gulf breeze, you put my heart to rest
Miami in the neon, Tallahassee in the pines
Florida, you're the paradise where every road still shines
Verse 2
Shrimp boats out of Apalach, the oysters on the ice
Tampa in the Cuban bread and the cafe con leche spice
Manatees in Crystal River, dolphins off the shore
The springs are blue as glass and I keep coming back for more
Chorus
Sunshine State of mind, from Pensacola to Key West
Palm trees and a warm Gulf breeze, you put my heart to rest
Miami in the neon, Tallahassee in the pines
Florida, you're the paradise where every road still shines
Bridge
Hurricanes may come and go, we build it back again
Florida, you're sunshine after rain
Chorus
Sunshine State of mind, from Pensacola to Key West
Palm trees and a warm Gulf breeze, you put my heart to rest
Miami in the neon, Tallahassee in the pines
Florida, you're the paradise where every road still shines
About “Sunshine State of Mind”
Florida's song is tropical pop with steel drums and brass: Miami neon, Key West, the Everglades, Cape Canaveral rocket launches and the springs of Crystal River all appear. The chorus runs the state end to end, Pensacola to Key West.
The orange blossom (state flower) and the mockingbird (state bird) open the first verse. Florida kept Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home" as its state song, with revised words, when it named "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)" the state anthem in 2008.
Places and symbols in the song
- the Everglades
- Miami
- Key West
- orange groves
- the Kennedy Space Center
- Northern mockingbird
- Orange blossom
SongUp AI composed and sang this song from the lyrics above and the style line under the title, the same way it makes songs for its users. It is not the official state song and it is not a cover.
The official state song of Florida
- Title
- “Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)”
- Written by
- Stephen Foster (1851); Jan Hinton (2008)
- Status
- the first adopted in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem
Foster never saw the Suwannee River; his song was kept as the state song in 2008 with updated words, and Jan Hinton's "Florida" was named the official state anthem the same year.
Many official state songs are still in copyright, so their lyrics are not printed here. The state's own website or legislature publishes the official text.
Florida at a glance
- Nickname
- The Sunshine State
- Capital
- Tallahassee
- Largest city
- Jacksonville
- Statehood
- March 3, 1845 (27th state)
- Motto
- In God We Trust
- State bird
- Northern mockingbird
- State flower
- Orange blossom
- Official state song
- "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)" (in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem)
Questions about Florida's state song
What is the official state song of Florida?
The official state song of Florida is "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)", Stephen Foster (1851); Jan Hinton (2008), the first adopted in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem. Foster never saw the Suwannee River; his song was kept as the state song in 2008 with updated words, and Jan Hinton's "Florida" was named the official state anthem the same year.
Is "Sunshine State of Mind" the official state song of Florida?
No. "Sunshine State of Mind" is an original song written and sung by SongUp AI in 2026 as a new anthem for Florida. The official state song is "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)", the first adopted in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem. The official lyrics are not reproduced here; this page is about the facts of that song and about our own.
What is "Sunshine State of Mind" about?
Florida's song is tropical pop with steel drums and brass: Miami neon, Key West, the Everglades, Cape Canaveral rocket launches and the springs of Crystal River all appear. The chorus runs the state end to end, Pensacola to Key West. It names the Everglades, Miami, Key West, orange groves and the Kennedy Space Center, with the state bird (northern mockingbird) and state flower (orange blossom) in the lyrics.
Who wrote "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)" and when was it adopted?
"Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) and Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)" is credited to Stephen Foster (1851); Jan Hinton (2008); it was the first adopted in 1935 with revised lyrics approved in 2008, when the second became the state anthem. Foster never saw the Suwannee River; his song was kept as the state song in 2008 with updated words, and Jan Hinton's "Florida" was named the official state anthem the same year.
What are Florida's state symbols?
Florida is nicknamed The Sunshine State. Its capital is Tallahassee and its largest city is Jacksonville. It joined the Union on March 3, 1845 (27th state). The state motto is "In God We Trust", the state bird is the northern mockingbird and the state flower is the orange blossom.
Can I play or share "Sunshine State of Mind"?
Yes. Listen here as often as you like and share the page link. For a song of your own about Florida, your town, your school or your family, with the names and places you choose, describe it on the Create page: a free account hears a 30-second preview of its own lyrics sung, and a full song comes with a Pro plan.
How do I make my own song about Florida?
Open the Create page, describe the song (for example "an upbeat country song about growing up in Jacksonville, FL") or paste your own lyrics, pick a voice, and SongUp AI writes, sings and mixes it in a few minutes. Every song comes with a lyric video, stems and a gift page.