The state song of Maine is "The Maine Song," written by Roger Vinton Snow. The song is one of Maine's many state emblems inspiring pride and honor for the beautiful northeastern state in the United States. Maine's state song lyrics lively boast about the state's abundant forests, streams and salty seas with the words, "The scent of the fragrant pines, the tang of the salty sea will call us home." Maine's state motto, another important state symbol, is mentioned in the second stanza: "Oh, Pine Tree State, your woods, fields and hills . . . will ever fill our hearts with thrills."
Roger Vinton Snow's song was chosen from a pool of songs submitted for the state song of Maine. In 1931, Maine's state publicity bureau held a contest. Within three months, 116 songs were submitted, and judges honed the finalists down to four songs for the final vote. Radio audiences and a judging committee made the final selection on a public broadcast on Sunday, 5 November 1931. Vinton's "The Maine Song" was selected as the winner.
Maine's song was officially adopted by the Maine State Legislature on 5 April 1937. Roger Vinton Snow assigned the copyright of the song to the State of Maine. He also donated the original manuscript of the song where it was placed in the State Library of Maine. The spirited state song of Maine is reminiscent of a marching song, lauding the beauties of the Maine landscape and the residents's great pride.
Maine became the 23rd state of the United States on 15 March 1820. The territory had once been a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1652. Disagreements regarding land boundaries and settlements led a secession attempt in 1807, but the resolution failed to pass. After the War of 1812 against Great Britain and a boom in population, Maine again sought independence from Massachusetts. The proud patriots received their statehood as part of the Missouri Compromise, and this pride is aptly depicted in the state song.
The state song of Maine proudly exults the state's bountiful natural resources and proclaims it as the Pine Tree State. Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the United States, with nearly 90 percent of land populated by evergreen and deciduous trees. Nearly 17,000,000 acres (roughly 7,000,000 hectares) of forest cover the state of Maine. Its rocky coasts and seaports as mentioned in the state song of Maine make the state a hub for shipbuilding and fishing the cold Atlantic waters.