In a few hours, I will begin a long overdue trip to my much beloved home on the rolling plains. To mark the occasion, the Pax Plena song of the week is none other than Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic show tune Oklahoma!

Oddly, one of my favorite performances of the musical took place at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts- a veritable mecca of culture nestled just outside of Washington, D.C. The cast was full of bright, young actors who struggled as best they could to capture an Oklahoma accent. It was a bit too muggy to watch a musical in the summer, as I recall, but the closing chorus makes every performance worth while.

Of course, no performance of Oklahoma! is more memorable than the one preformed by the Walters High School Varsity Choir during my sophomore year. A fun fact for the Pax Plena faithful- yours truly sang baritone throughout my high school days, and played the small role of Judge Andrew Carnes in said production.

Perhaps law school was always in the cards after all.

Given my exodus from the desert, blogging will be light over the course of the next few days. I will do my best to post as time allows. In the interim, please enjoy the Pax Plena song of the week, and the coolest State Song in land, Oklahoma!

Oklahoma!
By Rodgers & Hammerstein

Eller:
They couldn’t pick a better time as that in life

Andrew:
It ain’t too early and it ain’t too late

Laurey:
Startin’ as a farmer with a brand new wife

Curley:
Soon’ll be livin’ in a brand new state

Company:
Brand new state!
Brand new state, gonna treat you great!
Gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters,
Pasture fer the cattle,
Spinach and termayters!
Flowers on the prarie where the June bugs zoom,
Plen’y of air and plen’y of room,
Plen’y of room to swing a rope!
Plen’y of heart and plen’y of hope.

Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain
And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain.
Oklahoma, Ev’ry night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk
Makin’ lazy circles in the sky.

We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We’re only sayin’
You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K.

Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain
And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain.
Oklahoma, Ev’ry night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk
Makin’ lazy circles in the sky.

We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We’re only sayin’
You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K.

Okla-okla-Okla-Okla-Okla-Okla
Okla-okla-Okla-Okla-Okla-Okla…

We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We’re only sayin’
You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K.
L – A – H – O – M – A
OKLAHOMA!
Yeeow!