Story Behind The Song

The song tells it all.

Song Description

Song about growing up in Idaho

Lyrics

How I love My Idaho
© 2002 Jeanna Gollihur
(I call this style Blue Camas, since we don't have blue grass around here)

I was raised in Idaho
On the quilted prairie where the Camas grows
On the 4th of July I was in the rodeo
In the Red River Hot Tub in the Snow
On down to White Bird where life was slow
To the Salmon River where the peaches grow
How I love my Idaho

My grand dad taught me how to milk a cow
He sat me in ole blue, he taught me how
To drive all the way to the creek
The alfalfa fields there sure smelled sweet
With Grandma's orchard & garden we had plenty to eat

We went through the tunnels in grandpa's black berry patch
With a stick in hand where the rattle snakes hatch
We found arrowheads in the pasture by the road
If fossils were treasures we'd found the mother load
Listen to the stories Auntie Kate told
Of Nez Perce horse races, and raids of old

We'd tube down the Salmon with our cooler afloat
We'd ride up the Snake in Uncle John's Jet boat
We hung out in the sand on the Clear Water bar
Selway, Lochsa, & Dworshak Reservoir
Ya wanna find a river you don't have to drive far


We'd go ride the pigs by the ole combine
We'd pick mul & gooseberries & grapes from the vine
Sit in our hide out under the pine
We couldn't swim in the pond cause of leaches in the mud
We'd hang out in the barn, the cows a chewin' their cud

We'd ski down the hill in back of the town
Cross country through the clearing where trees were down
Or ski up on the mountain near the lakeside town
We were rough and rowdies cruisin' on our snow cats
We'd sit & sing by the fire, out on the flats

Then Church came to office with a government plan
He went & took part of my Grandpa's land
Cause it was the place that the Nez Perce fought
And the land on the river that my daddy bought
They condemned it as useless & took it on the spot

I don't care if you think it was right to take the land
The sheepherders on the Snake they took a stand
They gave up the land with money in hand
Some say I'm a cynic cause I'm mad at the man
I am by no means a big government fan

I speak my mind because I can ...........for now

But there is one thing they can't take away
That's the memories I have to this day
Swingin' on the rope in the ole hay barn
Watchin' Grandpa bark with his cut off arm
Ridin' horses with my cousin in the battlefield
Throwing hay bales on the flatbed when we had a good yield
Swimmin' in creek to cool off from the day
Singin' at the piano while Grandma played
Idaho Idaho Idaho! How I love my Idaho