As most folks around here know, the state legislature has passed an amendment that names the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize" the Official State Rock Song.Tell me this...what the hell is an Official State Rock Song? Do other states have them? Maybe I'm wrong but I somehow doubt it. Looks to me like an obvious attempt to associate a hugely popular "alternative" band with a state that is trying desperately to gain an image as "a hip place to be".
Now don't get me wrong...I like the Flaming Lips enough. I think "The Soft Bulletin" is one of the very best albums I've ever heard. I'm proud to say I knew who they were years before anyone knew who they were (not that I'd heard them. though)...back when the state government would never have even imagined associating the band with the state FOR ANY REASON. Of course, now that they've been on the cover of practically every major music magazine and are world famous it's kind of amusing to see how quickly the big wigs have embraced them.
Not that everyone has jumped on the bandwagon...the Republicans were pissed off about the whole thing because one of the band members wore a shirt with a hammer and sickle to some important congregation...oooh, this pissed those GOPs off. "Are we really going to pass legislation that will promote communism? After all, that's apparently what these guys are all about, right? Just look at the dude's shirt!"
Ah, but they relented...somebody probably whispered in their ears that, despite their wardrobe choices, these rockers offered the state a hip credibility that was money in the bank. "Sometimes a shirt", one of them concedes, "is just a shirt".
And so the state has an "official rock song". One has to wonder, on what occasion should we break it out and sing it? Will it stick? After all, it's not nearly as catchy as "Oklahoma", our REAL state song. So it's not quite as hoaky, either, so what?
But here's the crazy thing, and it is, in my opinion, truly baffling. The GOPs were up in arms because one of the Lips wore a t-shirt that could logically be construed as promoting communism. But they backed down. Why? Why did they change their minds, as no one in the band was offering up any apologies? Did they think there was no hope in pursuing it any further?
Quitters! All they had to do, if they wanted to see this legislation fail, was go rent a copy of "The Fearless Freaks", a documentary about the Lips. The most disturbing scene in the film shows the drummer, an unrepentant heroin addict, fixing up a nice dose, sticking it in his arm and floating away to that nice place junkies like to visit as often as they can afford to.
They got all twisted at the prospect of a closet commie put on a pedastal. But what? It's okay if it's an out-of-the-closet heroin addict??? Don't you think they could have dragged out that information to use in furthering their cause?
Once again, I think the Lips are just fine. Over-rated, yes. But I have several of their CDs. They seem pretty cool (from what I can gather from the documentary)...I don't even care if any of them have issues with drugs or patriotism or anything of the sort. As ridiculous as the notion of a "state rock song" is, I'd just as soon it be them as anyone else.
What I don't like are politicians who want to stir shit, then back down when they wise up to the amount of money that would be lost if they stood firm. Maybe I haven't elucidated it clearly here, but if you check into it I think you will plainly see that this is exactly what happened in this case. One cannot help but wonder what their true motivation was in trying to derail this legislation that was passed because it was voted for by Oklahomans in an Internet poll. Or how weak that motivation must have been for them to abandon it when they had so much more fuel to add to the fire (the heroin scene).
Were they trying to protect the image of the state? Strike one.
Were they just wanting to give the Democrats some grief? Strike two.
Were they hoping to make themselves look like intelligent, reasonable adults with the best interests of Oklahoma first and foremost? Strike three.
Yer out.
Buffoons.
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