Singing Lips' Praise Despite Opposition From Oklahoma House

I heard about this first on Twitter:

Oklahoma House members, upset by what some said were inappropriate attire and a filthy mouth, rejected a tune by The Flaming Lips as the state’s official rock song only to be trumped by the governor.

The House rejected a resolution Thursday to name "Do You Realize??” — which won by more than a 2-1 margin in an online contest as the state’s official rock song — because one of the band members wore a T-shirt bearing a symbol associated with the Communist Party while at the state Capitol on March 2 when the resolution was passed by the Senate.

Soon after Thursday’s vote, Gov. Brad Henry said he would issue an executive order that would declare the song as the state’s official rock song.

Good for Governor Henry. Sure, the hammer and sickle t-shirt is in bad taste but most rockers dress in bad taste. At least it wasn't a Che t-shirt.

I doubt the group endorses communism; they showed up at the Capitol, for goodness' sake, and though they dropped the F-bomb at the dedication of the street named after them, they showed up at the dedication to the street named after them. So they seem pretty okay to me.

The song? Here are the lyrics:

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

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

Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die -

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

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize

No, it's not Inna Godda Da Vida but it's not bad. Quite pleasant, actually. And you've heard snippets of it on a car commercial on television so it's already entered the mainstream through other venues besides radio airplay.

Not an earth shattering occurrence down at the Capitol but a bone-headed move to be sure.