You Are My Sunshine
You Are My Sunshine is a popular song. It is one of the state songs of Louisiana, due to its association with former state governor and country music star Jimmie Davis.
Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell are the credited songwriters of You Are My Sunshine. According to many sources, Davis bought the song and rights to put his own name on it from Paul Rice, not an uncommon practice in the pre-World War II music business. Some early versions of the song do credit the Rice Brothers. According to some versions, clarinetist Pud Brown had a hand with the Rice Brothers in the song's origin or first arrangement.
Davis said he tried to convince record companies to record this tune that he was enthusiastic about for some time before making his 1940 record of the song. Davis's record was popular, and was followed by cover records of the song by Bing Crosby and Gene Autry that made You Are My Sunshine a big hit.
Davis played up his association with the song when running for governor, singing it at all his campaign rallies and riding on a horse named "Sunshine". Jimmie Davis's authorized biography You Are My Sunshine: The Jimmie Davis Story was published in 1987.
You Are My Sunshine has been recorded hundereds of times since, remains a widely recognized song, and a standard with traditional country music and traditional jazz bands. It has been featured in numerous films, television shows, and commercials. The song was prominently featured in the Coen Brothers movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou.