The song so widely sang these days; the one that nobody who grew up in the 70s can resist from singing after the first few notes, was not a Frank Sinatra number nor a well-known folk ditty from centuries past. It was, interestingly enough, a commercial jingle, made for a tourist promotional campaign that also produced the iconic “I (heart) NY” logo that is now emblazoned on so many t-shirts and bumper stickers.

On this day, February 7, in 1985, in a ceremony conducted by state’s governor Hugh Carey, “I Love New York” became the state’s official anthem.

Steven Karmen, who wrote the “New York” jingle, had a long history of producing other, perhaps equally well-known ones. His clients, among many others, included Hershey (“The Great American Chocolate Bar”), Wrigley (“Carry The Big Fresh Flavor”) and one for Nationwide Insurance that goes back to 1969 (“Call Nationwide, ‘Cause Nationwide Is On Your Side”).