Bet you didn’t know: Cedar Rapids has a city flag — and a city song, too

CEDAR RAPIDS - Unless you're a music aficionado, or serious history buff, you probably didn't know Cedar Rapids has an official city song.

Called the 'Song of Dedication.” local historians said it dates back to 1962. Ironically, it was created by an Iowa City man, Larry Barrett.

Barrett won a Cedar Rapids competition that challenged people to write a song about the city. Besides getting his music to become an official part of the city, he also won $500.

The song, about a minute long, was originally played in schools and other venues.

These days, it survives through the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band. The band's director, Steve Shanley, said the group has been playing it at their concerts since the song was composed.

Originally the band hired vocalists to sing the lyrics. That died with time, but recently, Shanley brought the tradition back by using high schoolers.

'When I started conducting the band five years ago, one of my missions was to showcase all of the great natural talent we have in the area,” Shanley said. 'We have wonderful high school choir programs.”

Historians at The History Center said the 'Song of Dedication” isn't the only tune about Cedar Rapids out there. Others, like the 'Song of the Cedar” were composed first. Historian Mark Stoffer Hunter said there's some contention over whether they're the city's designated melody.

However, Stoffer Hunter said 'Song of Dedication” has one thing the others don't.

'This is the only one that got the official seal of the city stamped right on the lyrics,” he said. 'This is the official one.”

The Cedar Rapids Municipal Band plays Sundays and Wednesdays throughout the summer. If you want to catch a concert, the next show is this Sunday at Bever Park, starting at 7:30 p.m.