I Am Florida

Florida beach Honeymoon Island, Dunedin, Pinellas County. Photo by Trish Hartmann / Flickr (use permitted with attribution).

Official State Song of Florida

Florida designated the ballad "I Am Florida" as an official state song in 2013; not to replace, but to accompany Florida's other official song; The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home). All State Songs

The ballad was inspired by the poem “I Am Florida,” written by South Florida author Allen Autry, Sr. in 2010 (and recognized as Florida's official state poem in 2013). Written by Clyde Orange, Adrian Rezza, and Lucas Rezza, the ballad “I Am Florida” was produced and recorded by Walter “Clyde” Orange, a Grammy Award winning songwriter, vocalist, and founding member of "The Commodores" music group.

First Verse

I was born midst the eye of the hurricane

Beneath the cloudless blue sky amongst my Everglades

My spirit rises, through the joy and pain

From the Seminole struggle that was not in vain

Leave behind your broken dreams

Be guided by my ocean's breeze

through my untamed wilderness

Full of love and forgiveness

Then, stroll my streets of gold and silver

Along the banks of my St. Johns River

The Eagle flies and spreads its wings

We come together and sing

Where the young and the old

have the same common goal

To make me their home

I AM FLORIDA

With my tropical breeze

and my flowering trees

surrounded by love

I AM FLORIDA

From my deep blue oceans and their majestic waves ...

2013 Florida Senate Resolution 1894

By Senator Bean

A resolution recognizing the ballad “I Am Florida” as one of the official state songs of this state and as a companion piece to The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home).

WHEREAS, the ballad “I Am Florida” was produced and recorded by Walter “Clyde” Orange, a Grammy Award - winning songwriter, vocalist, and founding member of The Commodores, and

WHEREAS, Clyde Orange, Adrian Rezza, and Lucas Rezza wrote the ballad, which was inspired by the lyrics of the poem “I Am Florida,” written by South Florida author Allen Autry, Sr., in 2010, and

WHEREAS, Autry’s poem “I Am Florida” reflects Clyde Orange’s deep love and affection for his birthplace and home, and so he composed the ballad “I Am Florida” to lovingly reflect the beauty and history of this great state, and

WHEREAS, the ballad “I Am Florida” illustrates the reasons that millions of men and women, families, and retired persons have made the state their home and references historical milestones that have contributed to the growth of this state, and

WHEREAS, widely appealing throughout the country, the ballad “I Am Florida” is an outstanding example of what brings so many people to this culturally rich state, and

WHEREAS, recognition of “I Am Florida” as one of the official state songs of Florida is in no way intended to supplant “The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home)” as the official state song, but, instead, “I Am Florida” should be recognized as a companion piece, NOW, THEREFORE,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

That we recognize the ballad “I Am Florida,” written by Walter “Clyde” Orange, as one of the official state songs of this state and as a companion piece to “The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home).”

CONTRIBUTORS: Content for this article was submitted by Allen Autry Sr., co-owner of "I Am Florida" with Walter Orange of the COMMODORES. Permission was granted to print the first verse of the state song I AM FLORIDA.

Source

Florida Senate Resolution 1894 (pdf)

I Am Florida | The State Poem

Reference

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