Jan, uh, Guv Jan, this here economy stinks, and you and your fellow ‘publicans don’t even get along anymore, so here’s an idea taken from the page of Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry.
Today, Henry is expected to sign an executive order that names the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize?” as the official rock song of Oklahoma. There was a contest, and the Lips beat out The All-American Rejects, Leon Russell and The Call—although I can’t believe Leon Russell didn’t kick some ass.
And sure, those musicians come with their controversy. One Lips member wore a T-shirt with that there hammer-and-sickle communist symbol, and the state House of Representatives therefore rejected them. The OK guv vetoed the House vote, and now there’s a ceremony and the band is printing hammer-and-sickle shirts for the occasion. That’s got to be good for their economy.
So Guv Jan, why not have a contest of our own? It’s just what we need to get our minds off of border politics, swine flu and those pesky Democrats who make the budget process all too realistic. Rock ‘n’ roll, as they say, ma’am, can save our souls and maybe even save Rio Nuevo.
May I be so bold as to offer the first suggestion: Calexico. Yes, I know they are rooted in Pima County, that Southern Arizona domicile of all things hippie and crazy, as Antenori likes to say. But take a listen to “Alone Again Or.” And while I can’t promise there won’t be a little controversy—after all, Joey, John and the boys might wear plaid guayaberas for the occasion—you can’t go wrong right now with our own diversion.
Come on down and hear for yourself this Saturday, May 2 at the The Rialto.
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2009.
That’s gonna be a great show.
I’m not sure about “Alone Again Or” as Arizona’s official song, tho. Maybe “Across the Wire.” Or “Man Made Lake.”
Or Al Perry’s “We Got Cactus” might work.
Geez, Jim, “Alone Again Or” is a cover a song by LA band Love…buy local!
Do we have to have rules that it can’t be a cover? Geesh. Tedski what are you in for?
Ted, your argument is with Mari. I went with original numbers from Calexico. Although my alternative Al Perry suggestion is indeed a cover of a Bloodspasm song. But they are (were?) locals!
“Do You Realize” is a great song — I want it played at my funeral many years from now. (That was more than you needed to know, probably.)
Chorus:
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes – Let them know,
You realize that life goes fast
It’s hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn’t go down
It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
“Flood Plain” by the Phantom Limbs. There Mari…a constructive suggestion…sheesh.
I don’t trust the Lege on this one. Leave it up to them and the song will probably end up being something by Roger Cline, like The King of the Hill theme. Even worse, it might be something insipid by some American Idol also-ran from Scottsdale.
“It’s just what we need to get our minds off of border politics, swine flu and those pesky Democrats who make the budget process all too realistic…”
Strike “of.”