You can say what you want about Delaware's official state bird, the Blue Hen chicken. Or Utah's official state firearm, the Browning M1911 pistol. Or even New York state's recently appointed official state snack, yogurt. 

But only the most outspoken state advocates would likely defend songs such as "All Hail To Massachusetts," "Hail! Minnesota," "Hail! South Dakota," and "Hail, Vermont!"  

Let's face it, Massachusetts could find much more to brag about then: "All hail to grand old Bay State, the home of the bean and the cod." 

And then there's "Maryland, My Maryland," which contains lyrics that are downright scary: "She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb/Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum!" 

On the state level, there have been numerous legislative efforts to replace what some consider outdated anthems, but nearly all have failed. And federal intervention is, for the moment at least, off the table. 

But this is, after all, the electoral season, a time to keep hope alive. With that, here are five ideas for proposed official state song replacements.

State: Alabama
Official Song: "Alabama" (Julia S. Tutwiler/Edna Gockel-Gussen)
Proposed Replacement: "Shout Bamalama" (Otis Redding & The Pinetoppers)

It's tough to beat Tutwiler and Gockel-Gussen's 1931 lyrics, particularly the Jabberwocky-worthy "Broad the stream whose name thou bearest/Grand thy Bigbee rolls along/Fair thy Coosa-Tallapoosa/Bold thy warrior, dark and strong." But Otis Redding's first 45 rpm single (backed with his less-remembered "Fat Gal") is arguably more catchy and concise. And while Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and the Doors' "Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)" are both better known, neither can claim a chorus as fine as "I love a chicken, baby/Shoutin' Bamalama." 

State: Colorado
Official Songs: "Where The Columbines Grow" (A.J. Fynn) and "Rocky Mountain High" (John Denver)
Proposed Replacement: "Lucky Old Colorado" (Merle Haggard)

Yes, two state songs for the price of one. In 2007, before Colorado legalized marijuana, the state's legislature faced off on a measure to replace A.J. Flynn's ode to one plant with John Denver's alleged ode to another. The debate focused on a single line in "Rocky Mountain High" — "Friends around the campfire and everybody's high" — and whether it was a reference to elevation or drug use. One of the bill's co-sponsors suggested that it's really about "a bunch of guys who spent the day hunting or fishing and are having a couple six-packs." The easy way out was to adopt two separate-but-equal official songs, neither of which can compete with The Hag's beloved weeper about the state that stole the girl of his dreams.

State: New York
Official Song: "I Love New York (Steve Karmen)
Proposed Replacement: "New York State Of Mind" (Billy Joel)

While Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" may be the gold standard, "New York State Of Mind" acknowledges the fact that there's more to the Empire State than five boroughs. Plus, Billy Joel was born in the Bronx, not Hoboken, N.J., where Ol' Blue Eyes got his start.

State: Ohio
Official Song: "Beautiful Ohio" (Ballard MacDonald/Mary Earl/Wilbert McBride)
Proposed Replacement: "Dayton, Ohio — 1903" (Randy Newman)

Ohio's official state song marvels at how "freedom is supreme in this majestic land" and "mighty factories seem to hum in tune, so grand," which was no doubt true when "Beautiful Ohio" was written in 1918. Subsequent songs about the Buckeye State, such as the Pretenders' "My City Was Gone," with its derisive refrain "Way to go, Ohio," have become a little less starry-eyed. Why not just go with Randy Newman's ode to pastoral nostalgia? "Sing a song of long ago/When things were green and movin' slow/And people stopped to say hello." All you'll need to do is get someone other than Newman to sing it, so that it will actually sound sincere. 

State: Wyoming
Official Song: "Wyoming" (C.E. Winter/G.E. Knapp)
Proposed Replacement: "Song Of Wyoming" (John Denver)

A consolation prize for Denver after he loses Colorado.

Can you name your state's official song?

(Bill Forman is a writer and music editor for the Colorado Springs Independent and the former publications director for The Recording Academy.)