Looking for some Georgia jams? These popular songs praise the Peach State

Looking for tunes that show Georgia some love? Several songs have been produced that name drop the state, describe certain parts of it, or paint a picture of the place many call home. Here are some of the more popular examples:

"Georgia Peaches": Lauren Alaina went the distance on the 10th season of "American Idol" and one of the songs she wowed viewers was "Georgia Peaches." Though she didn't write it, the Rossville native brought it to life, singing about a cowboy's paradise with honeysuckle on the vine. It was one of the top 100 songs on Billboard's 2011 "Hot Country Songs."

"Sweet Southern Comfort": One of Buddy Jewell's first two singles, this song could serve as a great promotion for Georgia as well as the larger South, highlighting the smell of jasmine and magnolia, the joy of catching catfish by the river, and other southern staples. When it released in 2003, it reached No. 3 on Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" list.

Looking for fireworks for the 4th? These Augusta-area stores can help light up the night

"Georgia on My Mind": Any list of Georgia songs is not complete without its official state song. It was written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell. While some have thought it refers to a person, Gorrell wrote in a 1961 column that they wrote it about the "pleasant Southland" to get their minds off the cold and stormy New York City where they were living. The song was popularized by renowned soul artist and Georgia native Ray Charles, whose version was made the state song in 1979.

"Watermelon Crawl": A 90s hit for Tracy Byrd, this song is a poppy story about stopping in Georgia for a fun day out at the Rhine County Watermelon Festival. Though the setting is explicitly Georgia, the music video was shot in McEwen, Tennessee. The song was released on Byrd's "No Ordinary Man" album which has gone double-platinum.

"Midnight Train to Georgia": This song has always been the story of a woman leaving Los Angeles to run away with the man she loves, but it hasn't always been Georgia. It was initially written and performed by pop and country musician Jim Weatherly as "Midnight Plain to Houston." He permitted Atlanta music producer Sonny Limbo to record it with soul and gospel artist Cissy Houston as "Midnight Train to Georgia." Gladys Knight and the Pips' version is the most popular today and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

"Meet in the Middle": One of Diamond Rio's most iconic love songs, it tells the tale of a couple who would spend their young "puppy love" days underneath the Georgia pine tree and how that pine would continue to be a major symbol of their relationship as they grew up. When it released in 1991, it held the top spot on Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" list for two weeks.

"Georgia": Not every song about Georgia is a country or soul tune. Though not among his mainstream hits, "Georgia" is a love letter to the state by the rock legend Elton John. He has called Atlanta home for about 30 years, and it's where he started the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992. The song was released in 1978 on John's platinum album "A Single Man."

"Highway 20 Ride": There are plenty of songs about Georgia, but not too many famous jams revolve around the Augusta area. Wyatte Durette of the Zac Brown Band was inspired to write "Highway 20 Ride" after spending a year constantly driving down I-20 between Atlanta and Augusta in order to spend time with his son after Durette's divorce. His ex-wife had moved back to South Carolina and Augusta was the midway point for them. After releasing in 2009, it spent a week at the top of Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" list.

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia": This is probably the Charlie Daniels Band's most famous song. It's known for its intense violin music as a boy and the devil compete in a fiddle-playing competition. But while the strings are really set to work, the vocals are not as the lyrics are mostly spoken not sung. The unique, high-energy single won a Grammy in 1980, went platinum in 1989 and gold in 2007.

"My Kinda Party": The lyrics and vibe of this song are all about throwing off the stresses of the day and partying the night away. It even includes illustrations of finding peace at the bottom of a cold drink and getting down in the Georgia clay. This was the lead song and namesake for Jason Aldean's 2010 album, which sold enough copies to go platinum four times.

R.O.C.K. in the USA: Here are some upcoming Augusta-area 4th of July festivities

"Walkin' Back to Georgia": While the song was a Jim Croce original, the version recorded by Butch Walker, Elizabeth Cook and Katie Pruitt is more centered on Georgia in that all three have local ties while Croce was from Pennsylvania. Plus, all proceeds from the song benefit the Georgia Music Foundation which supports music programming and education as well the state's musical heritage.

"Love Shack": Hailing from Athens, the B-52's provided some of the 1980s most fun, high-energy songs. Among them was "Love Shack," which frontman Fred Schneider has said was inspired by Hawaiian Ha-Le, an Athens club that Schneider described as both an unassuming shack and a fun place for shows. The single has landed on multiple charts including Billboard's Top 100 Hits of 1989.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Popular songs highlighting Georgia in lyrics, theme