President's Rally Recalls Ten Song Titles About Oklahoma
Merle Haggard Had The Most Famous Oklahoma Song
Thousands gathered to hear Donald Trump over the weekend, when he staged a controversial rally in Oklahoma. His message was less controversial than the event itself, which posed great health risks to those who attended as well as those they will subsequently infect.
Nevertheless, the event did bring much publicity to Oklahoma, a state that has been often mentioned in some great popular songs. My favorite can be found on Pete Townshend's Empty Glass album, where he screams Oklahoma as the fade out of the song "Jools and Jim."
A more well-known reference occurs in a song by Three Dog Night, a cover version of a Hoyt Axton tune that they turned into a Top Twenty hit. "I've never been to Spain, but I've been to Oklahoma" the band admits in the refrain.
Here are ten other tunes with titles that refer to Oklahoma or one of its towns.
1. Oklahoma Hills by Woody Guthrie
Bob Dylan's early folk idol wrote this number from his childhood, which was spent in the Sooner State.
2. Okie from Muskogee by Merle Haggard
Neither Roman sandals nor beads could be found in this small town, made famous by the country legend who had spent many years in prison.
3. Tulsa Time by Don Williams
Anyone who attended the rally, and bothered to check his watch, would have been looking at this title.
4. Oklahoma Nights by Arlo Guthrie
Like father like son, as Woody's boy himself composed an ode to his home state.
5. My Oklahoma Home by Bruce Springsteen
The Boss covered this song as part of We Shall Overcome, a tribute album to Pete Seeger.
6. Oklahoma Swing by Vince Gill
Long before fronting Pure Prairie League and enjoying superstardom as a solo artist, Gill was born right there in Norman, Oklahoma.
7. Shawnee Town by Martin Simpson
Sad or High Kicking, the songwriter's 1985 album, is where this hit can be found.
8. Broken Arrow by Rod Stewart
Former Face Stewart was likely referring to a piece of archery ammunition here, but it also serves an unusual name for a town.
9. Enid by Barenaked Ladies
Steven Page and Ed Robertson reportedly wrote this Gordon tune about a waitress in New Brunswick, finding it amusing that her name spelled backward is dine. Nevertheless, BNL could certainly locate a similar place to sup in the town of Enid.
10. Still Water by the Four Tops
You have to lose the space between the two title words in order to exactly match the city name, where you can still enjoy some Motown.
