Keeping with the spirit of the Worst of OKC, I give you the Worst Songs About Tulsa:
10. ”La Venganza de Tulsa” - Tulsa
This band isn’t from Tulsa. I’m not sure if this song is about Tulsa. They’re from Madrid. Since the translation of “La Venganza de Tulsa” is “the revenge of Tulsa,” I’m going to assume it’s about a hooker that stabs her pimp.
9. “Tulsa Time” - Don Williams
I would like to publicly apologize for Don Williams. Tulsa’s time is no more important than anyone else’s. I find it rude to announce that you intend to live on your own time. Have some respect for the person waiting for you.
8. “Tulsa” - Rufus Wainwright
In this loving tribute, Rufus Wainwright writes about meeting The Killers front man, Brandon Flowers, at a bar in Tulsa. Wainwright believes Flowers looks like Marlon Brando and tastes like potato chips. Wouldn’t “Pringles” have been a catchier name?
7. “Tell Me Something Bad about Tulsa” - George Strait
Roads. The smell in West Tulsa. Richard Roberts. Me.
George, you’re making this too easy. There’s no video, but here’s a link to the song.
6. “Tulsa Queen” - Emmylou Harris
A love song about cheatin’, I think. Since it’s country, there’s a 90 percent chance it’s about cheatin’ or beer drinkin’. Hallucinator Emmylou Harris hears a train call out her name. This train is the Tulsa Queen. I personally have not met the Tulsa Queen, but I’m sure Rufus Wainwright has.
5. “The Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll” - Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis believes the heart of rock ‘n’ roll beats through Tulsa and Oklahoma City. As soon as we replace Hanson, All American Rejects and Toby Keith with The Beatles, Elvis and Kurt Cobain; then I’ll buy his claim.
4. “Take Me Back to Tulsa” - Bob Wills
“Little bees suck the blossom. Big bees gets the honey. Dark man picks the cotton. White man makes the money. Take me back to Tulsa. I’m too young to marry.” First, I find this song horribly racist. Second, the song makes no sense. My friend believes the song is about a man who is in Las Vegas and doesn’t want to get married. He goes home to Tulsa. I told her she’s a moron.
3. “Last Trip to Tulsa” - Neil Young
Here is another song about Tulsa that makes little sense to me. Either I’m too dense, Tulsa is uninspiring or most of these songs were written by musicians that dropped acid. “The servicemem were yellow. The gasoline was green. Although I knew I couldn’t. I thought I was going to scream.” I’m leaning toward acid.
2. “Girls” - Dwight Twilley
Twilley recorded a song called “Tulsa,” but this video is more fun to watch. It’s a condensed 1980s teenage get laid movie. Girls in towels. Cheerleaders in locker rooms. Football players spying on the girls. Fun and classy.
1. “24 Hours from Tulsa” - Gene Pitney
A song about young love and a man who is only “24 Hours from Tulsa.” He doesn’t go home to his girlfriend because he met another girl at a diner and fell in love. The next day he woke up naked, chained to a radiator with a potato chip taste in his mouth. Pitney forgot to mention that part.
P.S. For more Awkward Tulsa Moments, check out Awkward Tulsa Moments. If you’re a chocolate fan, check out this week’s Mattatarian’s Food Offering of the Week.
I love the stuff you guys do, it’s funny stuff.
Although, you must not know much about Oklahoma music…
Oh, and Kurt Cobain and Elvis- both overrated. The same innovations in music would have happened without them, and I only give Cobain credit for paving the way for bands like Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd. Not something to be proud of.
In the context of Hanson and All American Rejects, Cobain and Elvis are brilliant.
I can’t believe there are ten songs that incorporate the word Tulsa into them. Our forefathers here should have picked a name that was more lyrical. Only a genius like Huey Lewis can figure out how to put “Oklahoma City” to music.
Does Roy Clark still live in Tulsa?
Yes he does. My late grandfather was friends with him.
“Tampa to Tulsa” by The Jayhawks is actually a good song about Tulsa.
Didn’t Eric Clapton make Tulsa Time hit the charts? I think it was a guy in Don Williams’ band that wrote it, but Clapton sang it because his band was from Oklahoma.
Clapton covered it too. I like Clapton. That’s why Don Williams version is listed.
There is nothing racist in Bob Will’s song. It’s, “Little man picks the cotton, big man makes the money.” Nothing is sung about black or white. Your lack of historical prospective around that song is profound.
george strait always sings his version of “take me back to tulsa” in concert. very good song.
Here is the story about how that Rufus Wainwright song came to be.
With Tulsa so gol’durned hot about Toby Keith, why hasn’t he written us a song? He wants us to eat in his restaurant, but can’t sing about us! Here I was gonna trim my mullet and wear my new tank shirt and visit that fancy casino its at. But fergit it!
I have to agree with Hellbound. Those lyrics seem to be about the injustices of society at how the rich benefit from the toils of the working class. Now I’m not sure what that has to do with Tulsa and the age of consent for getting hitched…
That should reand “VeNganza.” Verga is a vulgar word for peniz in Spanish so veganza could mean “dickishness.”
Now I wanna write a song called The Dickishness of Tulsa.
I could have jumped the gun on the racist comment. Maybe they’re very tan from working outdoors.
Landon: I knew that. I was testing you.
Dude, you don’t know how many bong hits we enjoyed back in Lincoln House(OU) listening to Neil Young’s Last Trip to Tulsa.
“there were two men eating pennies and three young girls who cried, the West Coast is falling, I see rocks in the sky”
That’s normally when I peaked out, man.
Bob Wills made a social commentary with those lyrics. Rem., Bob wasn’t a fan of the establishment. He moved to Tulsa because he was wanted in Texas for tax evasion. I love his club.
sumpn’ wrong with mine?
Hellbound: The old version of “Take me back to Tulsa” had the lyrics “dark man pick the cotton, white man get the money.” Later they changed it to “little man / big man.”
Either way it was more about injustice, empathy for the man.
And hey, even though OKC doesn’t have a song, at least it’s got a TV show *snicker*
Boomer, You are right, thoughs were the original lyrics. My historical perspective on that song now stands corrected. My appologies to Irritated Tulsan.
There’s a song now by Jason Boland & The Stragglers called, “If I Ever Get Back To Oklahoma”.
Lyrics:
“Those Oklahoma City girls are fine,
and Tulsa’s quite a town.
If I ever get back to Oklahoma
gonna nail my feet to the ground.”
Apologies accepted Hellbound. My original comment, “I find this song horribly racist,” stands.