Oklahoma Former State Rock Song

"Do You Realize?? "

By the Flaming Lips

Adopted on 2009 to April 2013.

In March 2009 "Do You Realize??" was announced as the official state rock song of Oklahoma, after winning an on-line vote among ten finalists as authorized by the Oklahoma state legislature: out of 21,000 votes cast, nearly 51% were for "Do You Realize??" The Oklahoma Senate approved this choice unanimously. However, on 23 April 2009, a vote in the Oklahoma House of Representatives fell three votes short of the 51 votes necessary to ratify the resolution: one Republican state legislator attacked the band for its use of offensive language, while another said he opposed the song because band member Michael Ivins had worn a red T-shirt with a yellow sickle and hammer during a previous appearance by the band. Democratic Governor Brad Henry subsequently announced that he would issue an executive order in lieu of the resolution rejected by the Oklahoma House. It was revealed in 2013 that Republican Governor Mary Fallin removed the song's designation as the Official Rock Song of Oklahoma by not renewing Brad Henry's executive order upon taking office in 2011

Oklahoma Former State Rock Song:
"Do You Realize?? "

"Do You Realize?? "

One, two, three, four

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 don't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning 'round

Do you realize, ohh?
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 don'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?

Origin of Song: "Do You Realize?? "

"Do You Realize??" is a song by The Flaming Lips, released as the first single from their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. It is widely considered to be one of the group's most accessible and popular songs.It reached #32 in the UK Singles Chart and was adopted as the Official Rock Song of Oklahoma from 2009 to April 2013. The song was ranked #31 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of the 2000s..

 The Flaming Lips' 'Do You Realize??' Pulled As State's Official Rock Song

By SEAN MURPHY 04/12/13 08:24 PM ET EDT AP

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma's governor has taken The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??" out of rotation, pulling the tune as the state's official rock song in a move her office says has more to do with priorities than musical taste.

Republican Mary Fallin passed on renewing an executive order that gave the Oklahoma rockers' song the designation when taking office in January 2011, the governor's office confirmed Friday. Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz said the governor had other more pressing priorities.

"When the governor was elected to office, we had a $500 million budget shortfall, we were in the middle of a recession, and we had a huge number of pardon and parole cases left over from the (former Gov. Brad) Henry administration," Weintz said. "As we were clearing our backlog, renewing executive orders and pursuing our priorities, addressing the state rock `n' roll song did not make the cut."

Fallin renewed dozens of executive orders when she took office, including some dating back to the 1950s.

Her predecessor, Henry, a Democrat, signed an executive order proclaiming "Do You Realize??" the official rock song for the state in 2009 after the Republican-controlled Oklahoma House rejected a resolution to do it.

At least one lawmaker at the time complained that a member of the band wore a T-shirt bearing a hammer and sickle, a symbol of communism, while visiting the state Capitol. Another said he was offended by lead singer Wayne Coyne's foul language when the rockers were honored at an event sponsored by Oklahoma City officials.

Telephone messages left Friday for The Flaming Lips' manager and agent were not immediately returned.

Almost 11,000 people picked "Do You Realize??" as their choice in a survey in which more than 21,000 people voted from a list of 10 songs selected by a panel of experts.

Rep. Joe Dorman said the move by Fallin, which he called a political one, was disappointing.

"I'm sure it's politically motivated to make her look more conservative," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs, who sponsored the resolution for the rock song three years ago. "The sad thing is it was done in fun to bring attention to Oklahoma's history of rock `n' roll.

"It's just a shame, because so many people voted in that survey, and it was just fun and lighthearted."



State Songs
US State Songs
Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state legislature as a symbol of the state.