I couldn’t invent this story. Apparently, the Flaming Lips and the governor of Oklahoma will be saving democracy this afternoon.
You see, after winning an online vote, The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” was named the official rock song of Oklahoma…
… and this caused a giant controversy. And not just because “Fight Test,” a vastly superior Flaming Lips song, wasn’t chosen.
No, Oklahoma’s house of representatives rejected “Do You Realize??” as the state’s official jam because band member Michael Ivins once wore a t-shirt with a hammer and sickle on it. Which obviously means he’s a dirty pinko commie.
Today, however, Oklahoma governor Brad Henry is signing an executive order overturning the house’s decision. The Sooners will not be denied their anthem. All is right with the world.
I’d say this story distills the culture war. When future generations ask us what the fuss was about, we can just send them a link.
In closing, here’s a sentence from Billboard.com’s report on the uproar (emphasis mine):
Over the course of a month the act watched as its popular track, from 2002′s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, won an Internet contest for best Sooner State rock song – over All-American Rejects, Leon Russell and The Call.
C’mon, Oklahoma! Didn’t anyone vote for Oklahoma natives Color Me Badd?!?! They rock way harder than damn Leon Russell.






9 responses so far ↓
1 jkc // Apr 28, 2009 at 10:23 am
Yet again, my state is in the news for the totally ridiculous…there a lot of us here screaming, “We’re not like that….we swear!!!!” You’ll be happy to know I was over at the Capital yesterday and got to ride in an elevator with Sally Kern ::shudder::
I would have voted for “Pilot Can at the Queer of God.”
2 Mark Blankenship // Apr 28, 2009 at 11:33 am
I feel your pain, jkc. I’m from Tennessee, land of embarrassing news items.
3 JennyM // Apr 28, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Hi, I’m from South Carolina — come on in, the water’s fine!
Whatever happened to Color Me Badd, anyway?
4 Mark Blankenship // Apr 28, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Oh, SO much happened to Color Me Badd. Sam Watters (the guy with curly hair) married Tamyra Gray from “American Idol,” and he’s become a prolific songwriter. He wrote a few tracks on Kelly Clarkson’s latest album and wrote Fantasia’s song “When I See U.”
Lead singer Bryan Abrams, however, has taken a less glamorous path. Did you hear about the VH-1 show “Mission: Man Band,” that united four former boyband stars into a hellish super group? Abrams was one of the guys. He leads a respectable “normal life,” working a regular job at a tire place if I remember, but he’s clearly got the ole “I wanna be famous again” blues.
5 Russ Jackson // Apr 28, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I’ll have to agree that Flight Test is a superior song from the same album.
6 Beth // Apr 28, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Dude! Say what you will about our idiot legislators, but do not be dogging on Leon Russell.
7 JennyM // Apr 28, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Dream on, dream away…. I cannot believe I missed a show called “Mission: Man Band.”
8 jkc // Apr 28, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Yep, Bryan worked at the tire place near my apartment. I’ve had my tires changed by a D-list celebrity. Holla!
9 ferretrick // Apr 29, 2009 at 8:55 am
Heh. “Basic Auto Maintenance With the Stars”
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