New England (place)

...
See, I come from Boston.
I'm gonna tell you about how I love New England.
It's my favorite place.
I've been all around the world, but I love New England best.
I might be prejudiced.
But it's true, I love New England best.
-Jonathan Richman

Well, i was born in New England, from a New England family (at least partly!) I'd like to think i've got the New England traits: frugality, tenacity, ingenuity, eccentricity, a tendency toward ol'codgerdom..

It's got its own feel, not just like the postcards: granite and gneiss, small green cemeteries slowly burying themselves, tree-covered hills and stone walls. Cape Cod and the Maine coast and yeah, the Vermont hippies and New Hampshire yuppies, Boston of course; Connecticut, a bedroom state for New York City, full of McMansions. The White Mountains, the Berkshires, Quabbin Reservior, Revolutionary War re-enactments, Mount Katadin, the easy drawl of Mainers and parodied pronunciations of Bahstonians.

Technically, it's those six states mentioned above - but i'd include eastern New York state. It's got the feel down right. The hills. The green. The white clapboard churches, little holdout artist communities, little holdout hilltown native communities that call themselves hicks with pride. We've got the foliage tourists and ivy-covered schools, not that no one else does, but really. New England thinks it's something special. For the United States, it passes as old.

Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-da-dum-day
Oh, New England.
Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-da-dum-day
Oh, New England.
Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-da-dum-day
Oh, New England.
Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-da-dum-day
Oh, New England.

- Jonathan Richman -