"Garden of Paradise" was the title Sallie Hume Douglas gave to her composition copyrighted in 1915. Over the years at least four people have taken credit for writing lyrics to that music. With various combinations of verse and chorus "Garden of Paradise" was called "Our Idaho," "Old Idaho," and finally "Here We Have Idaho," our state song. It's a song that has grown and changed, even going through a period of what you might call juvenile delinquency.
Before it became the state song, "Here We Have Idaho" was the school song of the University of Idaho. They called it "Our Idaho" or "Old Idaho." Even at that time, there was some question over which was the official version and who wrote the lyrics. No one knew who wrote the music. No one, that is, except the composer who discovered her song was being used without permission. She threatened to sue the University of Idaho, and in 1930, they reluctantly purchased rights to the song. In 1931, "Here We Have Idaho" became the state song.
Over the years there were many arguments over adaptations of the lyrics. The composer of the music threatened another lawsuit. And Idahoans just went on singing... singing of you, Ah, proudly, too, all our lives through, We'll go singing, singing of you, singing of Idaho.
Before it became the state song, "Here We Have Idaho" was the school song of the University of Idaho. They called it "Our Idaho" or "Old Idaho." Even at that time, there was some question over which was the official version and who wrote the lyrics. No one knew who wrote the music. No one, that is, except the composer who discovered her song was being used without permission. She threatened to sue the University of Idaho, and in 1930, they reluctantly purchased rights to the song. In 1931, "Here We Have Idaho" became the state song.
Over the years there were many arguments over adaptations of the lyrics. The composer of the music threatened another lawsuit. And Idahoans just went on singing... singing of you, Ah, proudly, too, all our lives through, We'll go singing, singing of you, singing of Idaho.
Sallie Hume Douglas penned Idaho's State Song.
