Weekend reading: The Flaming Lips; Phil Spector; Susan Boyle

House Republicans in the Oklahoma state Legislature tried to head off an effort to make a Flaming Lips track the official state rock song this week, only to be trumped by the Democratic governor.

The oddest part about the whole thing: the reasons the Republicans gave for opposing the song. One said he was offended by a t-shirt bearing a symbol for the USSR worn by the group, while another said the guys in the band cursed at an outdoor event.

The representatives could have at least put a little effort into their complaint. A quick google search would have turned up the time Steven Drozd shot heroin on film.

Or they could have mentioned some other songs by the group: “Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus With Needles,” “Placebo Headwound,” “Jesus Shootin’ Heroin.” Through a dart already.

But really, the whole effort to nix the song was silly. “Do You Realize??” is the type of track you can play for your grandmother without an ounce of shame. It’s sentimental and catchy and entirely inoffensive. A typical lyric? “Do you realize that happiness makes you cry.”

Anyway. Read about that debate and more below.

• Oklahoma’s Democratic governor is letting the will of the people be known: The Flaming Lips song “Do You Realize??” will become the state’s official rock song, despite some trash talk against the pinko rock stars by House Republicans. (The Oklahoman)
• Phil Spector’s going to be sentenced on May 29 for murder. With that in mind, let’s take a look back at the superstar producer who always loved making gun threats, sometimes in private, sometimes in public while drunk. (Esquire)
• Susan Boyle wasn’t exactly plucked from obscurity, what with the talent scouts from “Britain’s Got Talent” recruiting her for the show. (Time)
• When Rick Ross says he’s a drug boss MC, he means he’s a former corrections officer. (New York Times)
• Chris Cornell is a strange beast. (Seattle Times)
• Kelly Clarkson is not looking for a guy, but she’s also not not looking for a guy. (Rolling Stone)
• Sasha Frere-Jones busts out the fancy talk to argue that Lady Gaga isn’t dumb: “Exceptional pop creates a precedent precisely by abrogating the presumptive rules.” OK then. (New Yorker)