Being middle-aged now (if you go on the 0-100 scale)you tend to forget some things that might have crossed your path a couple of years ago. In a Hastings music store. In Waco.
It was there one Saturday morning that I heard this peppy, new-wave-sounding band singing how Willie Nelson and NASA and the Bush twins all wanted someone back. The song is called “Ohio” or subtitled (“Come Back to Texas”) by the self-described “punk” or “drunk rock” band originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, called Bowling for Soup. Living in recent years, first in Waco and then in Beaumont, and not a devotee to MTV I heard little about this group. But the other night I was fooling around listening to videos through the Yahoo Video feature and found an MTV live version of Ohio. And I am fully convinced we need to change Ohio to the state song of the Lone Star State.
One reason is, our present state song was probably fine for a lot of old church ladies and Daughters of the Republic of Texas to stand up and sing along. If you can stomach it, I give you a midi version here. I’m sure the lady who wrote it had her heart in the right place. But even people who have their hearts in the right place turn out material that sucks.
Now I give you the Bowling for Soup Live version on MTV that should be our state song. It’s a bit tricky getting to that video as I found out in trying to pass this along to my friend Sally in Massachusetts. But trust me. If you click here and watch the quick commercial you’ve got a better than even chance of hearing it. Be sure to follow the instructions.
It should be the state song if for no other reasons than telling the truth:
“Besides the Mexican food sucks north of here any way.”
That and the Bush twins want you back. Perhaps you can all go drinking together at Chuy’s in Austin and end up on the police blotter. Oh me oh my. I just love Texas.