If my town were to choose an official song, it would probably be a tie between “24 Hours to Tulsa” and “Livin’ on Tulsa Time.” Good songs both.
My state’s official song isn’t a rock song, but it’s one helluva piece of music which I would never change: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s rousing “Oklahoma!”
Sometime last fall, the city of Atlanta actually hired some band to make an official song. They played it on the radio one morning while I was driving to work and I agreed with the DJs and 99.999999999999999999999% of the people who called in saying it was the biggest pile of steaming crap they’d ever heard. sigh
Hmm…I guess I’ll have to go with Wellington by the Mutton Birds:
I wish I was in Wellington, the weather’s not so good
The wind it cuts right through you and it rains more than it should
Great marketing potential
As for a local band, I’ll nominate Shihad (also known as Pacifier for a few dark years). They originated in Wellington, but like most good things in this country they drifted away to Australia (still waiting for an announcement from Peter Jackson…). I guess this would make Home Again a good city anthem.
Especially since we already had the perfect song for the taking: “Oh, Atlanta” by Little Feat. Even if I weren’t from Atlanta, it would be one of my favorite songs.
Our official State Song, “Georgia On My Mind” by Ray Charles, ain’t too shabby, though.
To hell with Randy Newman…“L.A. Woman” by The Doors is where it’s at.
(Is there any other band that’s more quintessentially Los Angeles? I can’t think of one.)
Honorable mention: “Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger.
For the San Fernando Valley, gotta go with Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” (despite the fact that there is NO FREEWAY in Reseda! Do your research, Tom!)