During the last General Assembly a couple of Michael Stinziano’s colleagues were working on legislation pertaining to the section of the code where state designations appear and noticed Sloopy was not among them, he said.
“I called my father and said, ‘Did you not do that as a bill?’ We started our homework and realized it was just a resolution,” Stinziano said. “It has been a unique kind of family experience.”
Stinziano said there hasn’t been serious debate over the song this time around. He said that was all hashed out during his father’s time in the House.
“I really feel that discussion already happened three decades ago. It’s now just putting it in its proper place in Ohio law,” he said. “We’re trying to place it next to the state beverage: tomato juice; the state vegetable: the tomato; the state historic artifact: the Adena pipe.”
“Beautiful Ohio” remains the official state song, but “Sloopy” is a good, rocking representation of the state, Stinziano said.
“It has Ohio ties where the group is from and who the song is about. It grew in popularity with the Ohio State Marching Band. It’s one of those songs almost every Ohioan knows when they hear it,” he said.
The song was a 1965 number one hit by The McCoys. The group, fronted by Rick Derringer, was discovered in Dayton and cut their musical teeth in the area. “Hang on Sloopy,” It’s purported the song honors Dorothy Sloop, a Steubenville singer.
The popular song is played between the third and fourth quarters at every Ohio State football game as well as at many professional sports venues in the state.
Stinziano said the bill made it through committee with bipartisan support.
“I do think there is an element of levity that I think people enjoy about it,” Stinziano.
He said arrangements are under way for the floor vote on the song to coincide some time in May with the legislature’s recognition of Ohio State Marching Band achievements.
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