15 Best Songs About Nebraska: The Cornhusker State

There are a lot of tracks about Nebraska across many genres of music that talk about things such as the beauty and serenity found in what is known as The Cornhusker State. We’ve compiled a list of the 15 best songs about Nebraska, so keep reading to find out what they are! 

1. Little Nebraska Town – Rachel Price 

Little Nebraska Town

First on our list is Rachel Price with the song Little Nebraska Town. This tune is all about a young woman growing up in a very small rural town in the state and how she is content and happy to spend her weekends going to football games. The beauty and wonder of nature are all around, and she is proud to be from this small quaint town. Released on Dawn, which was her first album, this tune mixes both pop and country to create a perfect track that sums up living there. 

2. Omaha Stylee – 311

Rock band 311 makes our list with Omaha Style, which was released in 1994 on the album Grassroots. It’s one of the rock songs on our list, and this is a special track because they were actually formed in Omaha, Nebraska. However, this is not a song about how wonderful the state is, but it’s about the time when they were on tour in 1993 and their RV caught fire and exploded. While the members all made it out with minor injuries, all of their equipment was ruined. 

3. Yoü and I – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga - Yoü And I

Lady Gaga had a hit with Yoü And I in 2011 on her album Born This Way. This song is great because she’s talking about a guy from Nebraska whom she happened to fall in love with. She has come back home to this small town, and it brings back so many wonderful memories for her.

She talks about how she loves life in the Midwest including how this guy would play his guitar and sing to her and how she’d watch him play at a local bar where she would show up in her high heels for him. What’s even better is that it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance and is one of her most beloved tracks from that album. 

4. Nebraska – Bruce Springsteen 

The Boss aka Bruce Springsteen released Nebraska on his album of the same name in 1982. This song is one of those tunes that is chilling while also being introspective and very folk-like. It’s all about a guy who is running from the cops because he killed someone. However, he does get caught and then is given the death penalty as a sentence.

The singer has very emotional and captivating vocals in this track, and he’s singing from the point of view of the guy on the run for murder, where he is filled with angst and fear as he tries to outrun the law. The guy is running from the cops in Nebraska and the nothingness that surrounds him. 

5. Plains of Nebrasky-O – Eric Anderson 

Plains Of Nebrasky-O

On the list is Plains Of Nebrasky-O by Eric Anderson, which was released on the album Today Is The Highway in 1965. This is a country-like song where you hear a harmonica every now and again, and it’s all about the beauty of the state. He sings about how the corn is very tall there and about how enchanting Nebraska is to live in. If you live in this state, you’d consider this track to be an anthem of sorts for everything that’s found not only there, but in the Midwest in general. 

6. Omaha, Nebraska – Groucho Marx 

Groucho Marx is next with Omaha, Nebraska, which was released in 1951. It’s all about how peaceful and serene life is in Nebraska and how much he loves the state. In this song, the guy is thinking about his girlfriend and all of the promises that he made to her, and how love is one of the best things in life, and it’s also free to give it to someone. He makes it clear how much he loves his girlfriend and living in such a majestic state as this. 

7. There Is No Place Like Nebraska – Harry Pecha 

University of Nebraska Fight Song- "Hail Varsity" with "There is No Place Like Nebraska"

Harry Pecha makes the list with There’s No Place Like Nebraska, which is also known as Dear Old Nebraska U. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1942, and this track has since become the fight song for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It’s an energetic track that is played by the marching band and is found at their football games. There are cheers, clapping, and brass all throughout it, so it’s perfect for any sporting event held within the state. 

8. Beautiful Nebraska – Guy G. Miller and Jim Fras 

State Song of Nebraska - Beautiful Nebraska

Next is Beautiful Nebraska by Guy G. Miller and Jim Fras, which is considered to be the official state song. In the track, there is mention of all of the beauty within Nebraska such as the rainbows, valleys, rivers, and prairies, and it’s just one of those songs that’ll make you proud to live in The Cornhusker State. When you listen to this track, you’re going to feel hopeful, happy, and optimistic because it tells you of all of the good that you’ll find there and how special it is to live there.

9. Omaha – Counting Crows 

The Counting Crows are next with the song Omaha from August And Everything After, which was their album released back in 1993. This track is a classic Counting Crows song, and it features an accordion and fiddle to make it feel more Midwestern. It’s all about living in the prairie and how there isn’t a lot to do, so it’s pretty dreary and bleak.

However, there is mention of the fields in the track and how pretty they are, which is about the only good thing about the prairie according to the narrator. If you lived a life where you had to farm, then you’ll understand everything he’s talking about, including the depressing nature of it all. 

10. Nebraska Sunrise – Buddy Knox 

Buddy Knox released the song Nebraska Sunrise, which is a country track about living in the state and how much different it is from living within the big cities. In the song, the narrator leaves the city life behind for the quaint country life offered by Nebraska, and it talks about the scenery and beauty.

It references all of the policies that the government has made which are weakening and taking away from this beauty, but also names many references of things within the state that they love. If you’re someone who lives within the state or a Midwestern state, this track is definitely one to check out.

11. North Platte, Nebra-katte – Harry Partch And Kronos Quartet

North Platte, Nebras-katte

North Platte, Nebra-katte by Harry Partch and the Kronos Quartet was released on U.S. Highball, which was their album from 2003. It’s a song that features a cello, violin, and viola, so it’s going to give you chills when you hear just how good the string quartet is.

In the track, he sings about a particular location within the state called North Platte. He also talks about other states including Wyoming and California. There are a lot of historical and cultural references in this tune, so it’s one you should definitely check out. 

12. Omaha! – Stan Freberg

Omaha! (Remastered)

Stan Freberg makes the list with Omaha!, which was released in 1958. What’s interesting about this tune is that it’s not a real song, but a parody, and it’s all about saying Nebraska is the best and everything that you can imagine. From having the best food to the prettiest women, he jokingly talks about how the state is just so much better than everywhere else. 

13. The Nebraska Song – Sawyer Brown 

Next up is Sawyer Brown who released The Nebraska Song also known as Tribute To Brook Berringer, and it’s one of the most popular songs about the state on our list. This track is about Brook Berringer, who was a quarterback for The Cornhuskers, and a friend of the guys in the band. When you hear this song, it’ll make you want to cry with its poignant lyrics and beautiful homage to a man who tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 22.

14. Omaha Blues – Big Joe Williams 

Big Joe Williams had a hit with Omaha Blues in 1958, which is all about how he plans to visit his lover in Omaha, Nebraska, and what it means to him. While the song doesn’t get into too much detail about the state itself, he talks about his love of going to the city to visit her. 

15. Nebraska – The Cash Brothers 

Last on our list is The Cash Brothers with Nebraska, which was released in 1999 on the album Raceway. This song is all about how a girl just dumped a guy and ripped his heart out, and he’s waiting for the light to turn green. He talks about he will still be there listening to Nebraska either way so it doesn’t matter to him.

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