Posted on 04/24/2009 5:22:48 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Throughout their 25-plus-year career, the Flaming Lips have donned spacesuits and animal costumes on stage. But a T-shirt bearing the symbol of the Communist Party may have been over the line, at least according to some Oklahoma politicians.
The Oklahoman reported earlier today that Michael Ivins' decision to wear a shirt emblazoned with the symbol of the sickle and hammer of the Communist Party (picture here) almost derailed an effort to name the band's "Do You Realize?" as the official state rock song. Approved by the Oklahoma Senate last month 46-0, the resolution was shot down by the Oklahoma House today.
Reports the Oklahoman:
Rep. Corey Holland, R-Marlow, debated against the resolution, saying he was bothered one of the band members wore a red T-shirt with a yellow sickle and hammer on it when The Flaming Lips came last month to the Capitol when results of an online voting contest showed their song to be the clear-cut winner. "I was really offended by that," Holland said.
Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, also spoke against the measure, saying the band has a reputation for using obscene language, recalling band members used offensive language several years ago when the city of Oklahoma City named an alley after the band.
"Their lips ought to be on fire," Reynolds said.
But Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has apparently come to the band's rescue.
The paper has updated its story to note that Henry will "sign an executive order on Tuesday naming the Flaming Lips song as the official rock song." The Official Oklahoma Rock Song Advisory Panel organized the vote for the official state song, and the Lips' tune received more than 10,000 votes.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
Flaming lips = way overrated.
This will be Henry's last term. He vetoed a bill to ban embronic stem cell research.
Oklahoma should have gone with something by JJ Cale.
They must not have too many problems in Oklahoma.
I would think “Oklahoma” by Rogers and Hammerstein would be much more likely. Patti Page who is from Claremore could be the singer.
I can’t imagine that the legislators are being paid to spend their time on something like this. Is there a reason that the state must have a state rock song? What does that do for anyone?
It gives the state rocks something to sing.
Gov. Brad Henry is term limited out.
Well—there is that—and the do have plenty of rocks up there—LOL! I’ve spent some years of my life in Oklahoma. It’s certainly not a bad place to live, and the people are the best. I have a daughter and her family living in Bartlesville now. They really like it there, having been transferred from Sacramento CA!
"Oklahoma" was made the state song some years ago. I would think that the state rock song should be "Oakie Boogie" by Jack Guthrie & the Oklahomans (Capitol Records, 1947).
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