"Back Home Again in Indiana" was originally composed by Ballard MacDonald and James Hanley in 1917. While it is not the official state song of the U.S. state of Indiana (that honor belongs to "On the Banks of the Wabash"), it is perhaps the best-known song that pays tribute to the Hoosier State. 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal republic George... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 38th 94,321 km² 225 km 435 km 1. ... On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away is the state of Indianas official state song. ... A Hoosier is a resident or native of the U.S. state of Indiana. ...

It is a tradition at the yearly Indianapolis 500 automobile race for actor and singer Jim Nabors to perform "Back Home Again in Indiana" with backing from the Purdue University Marching Band. It is usually performed immediately following the Star-Spangled Banner. Indianapolis 500, 1994 An Indianapolis 500 racecar depicted on the Indiana state quarter The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, frequently shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American automobile race held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. ... Jim Nabors on the Muppet Show Season 1, episode 6 Jim Nabors (born June 12, 1930) is an American actor, singer, and comedian. ... See also Purdue University System. ... Nicholson took the copy Key gave him to a printer, where it was published as a broadside on September 17 under the title The Defence of Fort McHenry, with an explanatory note explaining the circumstances of its writing. ...

The lyrics to the chorus are as follows (links provided to other Wikipedia articles where appropriate):

Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see
The gleaming candlelight, still burning bright,
Through the sycamores for me.
The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance
Through the fields I used to roam.
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,
How I long for my Indiana home. Binomial name Platanus occidentalis The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), also known as American plane and Buttonwood, is one of the species of Platanus native to North America, where it is rather confusingly very often just called Sycamore, which can refer to other types of tree. ... The Wabash River is a 475 mi (765 km) long river in the eastern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near St. ...