“Where has Oregon?” (pun)

“Where has Oregon?” is a pun on the state’s name. “Where has Ore-gon?” was printed in The Idaho Avalanche (Silver City, ID) on July 5, 1879. “Where has Oregon?” was printed in “More Questions in Geography” in The Sun (New York, NY) on June 21, 1903. “Where has Oregon? He’s gone to see Virginia” was printed in the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman on August 18, 1922.
 
A “State Song,” popular in the 1920s and of unknown authorship, asked, “Where has Oregon? He’s gone to see Virginia.” The popular song “Delaware” (1959) by Irving Gordon, performed by Perry Como, contains the lyrics:
   
“Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
If you want Alaska,
(I’ll-ask-a) where she’s gone.”
     
     
Wikipedia: Delaware (song)
“Delaware” is a popular song, written by Irving Gordon. The song was published in 1959 and has references to 15 states of the United States. The states were portrayed, in the form of puns, as: Della wear, new jersey, Calla ‘phone ya, how ar’ ya, Mrs sip, mini-soda, Ore gone, I’ll ask ‘er, taxes, Wiscon sin, new brass key, Arkan saw, Tenne see, Flora die and misery.
   
Gordon was apparently inspired to write the song after the success of another song that he wrote punning on the name of States of the United States of America: “Mister and Mississippi.”
 
5 July 1879, The Idaho Avalanche (Silver City, ID), pg. 1, col. 4:
Where has Ore-gon?—Standard.
     
Chronicling America 
21 June 1903, The Sun (New York, NY), “More Questions in Geography,” pg. 7, col. 5:
Where has Oregon?
(...)
C.
 
Google Books
1 December 1904, The Independent (New York, NY), pg. 1274:
STATELY VERSE.
(...)
I looked out of the window and
Saw Orry 0n the lawn:
He’s not there now, and who can tell
Just where has Oregon?
         
22 December 1912, Omaha (NE) Sunday Bee, “Home-Grown Daffydils,” pg. 4-C, col. 6:
If a certain man went to Europe, where has Oregon (Ore-gone)?
 
17 November 1921, Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock, AR), “Along Life’s Detour” by Sam Hill, pg. 6, col. 3:
There’s No End to These!
You talk of funny notions,
‘Tis debated off and on
Just where did Port Land
And where has Ore-Gone?—R. M.
 
18 August 1922, Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman, “Ye Editor Sees Wild West Shows,” pg. 11, col. 2:
We learned a new song at Bozeman. It ran
 
What did Delaware boys
What did Delaware
(Repeat twice)
 
I ask you agen
As a personal frien’
She wore a New Jersey, boys,
(repeat twice)
 
I tell you then
As a pers’nal frien’
What did Delaware?
She wore a New Jersey.
 
There is a lot more, and anyone can add to it. For instance, What did Tennessee? She saw what Arkansaw. Where has Oregon? He’s gone to see Virginia. This might not catch the fancy of the director of a Mendelssohn concert, but it is good on a trip.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Delaware
Author: Irving Gordon; Perry Como
Publisher: London : Leeds Music, ©1959.
Edition/Format:   Musical score : English
 
5 July 1969, Minneapolis (MN) Tribune, “Mr. Fixit, The Tribune’s Ombudsman,” pg. 13, col. 7:
Q. IN THE OLD SONG, “What did Delaware,” what is the answer to the question?
A. “SHE WORE HERE New Jersey, boys.”
 
Other questions and answers, same song: “How did Flori-die, boys? She died in Missouri…What did Ioway? She weighed a Washington-ton…What did Idaho? She hoed her Maryland…How did Wiscon-sin? She stole a New-bras-key…What did Tennessee? She saw what Arkansas…Where has Oregon? To Oklahoma…What did Massachew? Here Connecti-cud.” Enough?
 
Google Groups: net.jokes
STATE NAME JOKES
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
2/1/85
————
> I am apologizing for these jokes in advance.
>
>
> Q:  What did Delaware?
> A:  A brand New Jersey.
>
> Q:  What did Tennessee?
> A:  The same thing Arkansas.
 
Back in the early 60’s there was a song, called “The 50 States Song” or some such, whose lyrics were puns like this.  I don’t remember the whole song, here are a few verses (the best I can remember).
 
Oh, what did Missis-sip, boy,  Oh, how did Wiscon-sin, boy,
what did Missis-sip?          how did Wiscon-sin?
She sipped a Minni-soda;    He stole a New-brass-key;
that’s what Missis-sipped.    that’s how Wiscon-sinned.
 
Oh, how did Flori-die, boy,  Oh, where has Ore-gone, boy,
how did Flori-die?          where has Ore-gone?
She died in Missouri;        I don’t know, but Al-ask-ya,
that’s how Flori-died.      “Where has Ore-gone?”
       
Google Groups: alt.fifty-plus.friends
Geography puns
Anne Jackson
10/27/04
(...)
This one…..
 
What did Delaware, boys?
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys?
What did Delaware?
She wore a brand New Jersey,
She wore a brand New Jersey,
She wore a brand New Jersey,
That’s what she did wear.
 
Why did California,
Why did Cali-phone?
Why did Cali-phone ya,
Was she all alone?
She phoned to say “Hawaii”
She phoned to say (“How-ah-yee”)
She phoned to say “Hawaii”
That’s why she did phone.
 
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
If you want Alaska,
(I’ll-ask-a) where she’s gone.
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas,
That’s where she has gone.
 
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
Through her pretty lips?
She sipped a Minna-soda,
She sipped a Minna-soda,
She sipped a Minna-soda,
That’s what she did sip.
 
How did Wiscon-sin, boys?
She stole a New-brass-key,
Too bad that Arkan-saw, boys,
And so did Tenna-see.
It made poor Flori-die, boys,
It made poor Flori-die, you see,
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri!
 
YouTube
Delaware - Perry Como.
jmanmoonwalk4
Published on Aug 19, 2008
I Think this song is really funny.
   
Google Groups: pun-ctilious
US states song
shreevatsa
6/18/09
[Disclaimer: perhaps not as entertraining as the other threads, do not be dismaid.]
 
I was watching ‘Stephen Fry in America’ and he pointed out this silly song by Perry Como, popular with kids from ‘my mother’s generation’. Oh well…
 
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NztfOSyCCFM
 
[What did Delaware? She wore a brand New Jersey, ...
 
Why did Cali-phone ya, Was she all alone?
She phoned to say “How-ah-ya”, That’s why she did phone.
 
What did Mississip, boys, Through her pretty lips?
She sipped a Minna-soda, That’s what she did sip.
 
Where has Oregon?
If you want Alaska, I’ll-ask-a where she’s gone.
She went to pay her Texas, That’s where she has gone.
 
How did Wiscon-sin, boys? She stole a New-brass-key,
Too bad that Arkan-saw, boys, And so did Tenna-see.
It made poor Flori-die, boys, It made poor Flori-die, you see,
She died in Missouri, boys, She died in Missouri ]
 
Apparently there are other songs, with lines like “what does io-way? She weighs a Washington”(?) and “what did Massa-chew? She chewed her Connecti-cud.”
 
Twitter
Marshal Graham
@marshalgraham
Where has Oregon, boy?
If you want Al ask a where she’s gone.
She went to pay her Texas.
3:11 PM - 16 Mar 2019