Tulsa World: Henry signs executive order recognizing official state rock song

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Henry signs executive order recognizing official state rock song

Gov. Brad Henry, left, and Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne pose for a photo after Henry signed a proclamation making the Flaming Lips song "Do You Realize??" Oklahoma's official rock and roll song at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. CHRIS LANDSBERGER/The Oklahoman

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 4/28/2009 3:17 PM
Last Modified: 4/30/2009 2:22 PM

Correction
This story incorrectly identified Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs. The story has been corrected.

Gov. Brad Henry laid a contentious debate to rest Tuesday with the flourish of a pen, ending a politicized story that briefly brought Oklahoma to center stage of the rock world.

Henry publicly signed the executive order naming the Flaming Lips tune “Do You Realize??” as the official state rock song at a ceremony at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. He also proclaimed April 28 “Flaming Lips Day.”

Hundreds of fans, young and old, filled the foyer and balcony areas of the Oklahoma History Center to honor the longtime Oklahoma band.

After joking about changing his name to Brad “Yoshimi” Henry to honor the 2002 Flaming Lips album ``Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,’’ Henry said: “We’ve always known how cool Oklahoma really is.”

“The people voted for this … a song that most of all describes the people and the spirit of Oklahoma, and that best conveys the finite and sacred moments we have with those we love.”

After the song earned more than half of the 21,000 votes cast in an online vote involving 10 songs, a resolution naming “Do You Realize??” the state’s official rock song passed the Senate 46-0 in March.

However, the resolution became a politicized vote involving a T-shirt when it was killed by a small number of House members Thursday, bill sponsor Joe Dorman said Tuesday.

Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne said the hammer-and-sickle communist logo shirt worn by band bassist Michael Ivins in March was an “ironic” Christmas gift from Coyne’s wife. Ivins wore it to a band rehearsal earlier in the day in March when the Senate voted, and threw a blazer on over it without thought.

“As we’ve learned from this … sometimes a T-shirt is just a T-shirt,” Dorman said. The gallery of fans cheered loudly. The band members and their families, sitting in the front rows in front of Dorman, also clapped and cheered.

Coyne then greeted the crowd, which gave the Oklahoma City band a standing ovation.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Coyne said. “We really do have a great life here and hope it goes on forever. ... This is a classy thing you’re doing here.’’

Later, he added, “To have all of this to happen, and then to see everyone come to our rescue, it’s even better, you know?”

He then mentioned that fans stopped him this weekend when the band was at a tour stop in Arizona to raise money for school music programs in the state. Fans told him “Do You Realize??” had been played at weddings, funerals and births.

“Any song that can do that for so many people in the world – that song is bigger than me. I just stand back and say 'Look at it go!’ It’s taken on a life that’s bigger and better than we are.”

On Tuesday, Drozd wore a striped sweater and carried his young son; Ivins wore a gray blazer with a white T-shirt underneath that had a retro “Ghostbusters” movie logo and Coyne wore his trademark designer gray suit. Drummer Kliph Scurlock wore a gray suit with a pink button-up shirt and tie.

Tuesday’s signing was a lead-in to the grand opening of the Oklahoma History Center exhibit: “Another Hot Oklahoma Night: A Rock and Roll Exhibit,” which will take over four of the venue’s galleries and more than 8,000 feet of space in the Oklahoma History Center. It opens on Saturday with a free, public event featuring bands, family events and more.

“Rock and Roll is a 50-year expression of who we are as Oklahomans,” said Bob Blackburn, executive director of the center.

Josh Floyd, 25, of Oklahoma City, came with a friend to support Henry’s decision. “The whole T-shirt argument is crazy,” said Floyd. “There’s a huge mural of Woody Guthrie hanging in our capitol right now, and he had known communist ties. I don’t believe the people in the House who voted against this state song knew what they were doing. The whole thing was ridiculous.”

Rebekah Robinson, 26, of Oklahoma City, agreed.

“This isn’t about perceived communism. It’s about what we want. … The Flaming Lips deserve what Brad Henry’s doing today,” said Robinson.

Ivins, typically a soft-spoken and quiet person, stood to greet, shake hands and sign autographs after Henry signed the executive order.

“This is awesome,” he said as he took pictures with each in a long line of fans. A smile brightened his face.

“How did the Tulsa World vote go?” he asked, referring to an online Tulsa World poll held by political cartoonist Bruce Plante, which challenged readers to vote for Ivins or the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the official “State Doofus.”

When told that the majority of voters favored the House, he answered, “Not that it matters now, anyway.”

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By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Video: Henry pen ends flap over state rock song," which was published on 4/29/2009. So far, 93 comments have been made.