Tom Carlson O n February 14, the great state of Arizona turns 110 years old. And, sure, that’s quite an accomplishment (right?), but it’s also a weird indicator of what it’s really like in Arizona. Because our place in the lonesome desert makes everything feel as if it’s existed in perpetuity. And yet our status as pioneers of the great open west means that we’re continually pushing certain boundaries. So, Arizona is a place of willing contradictions, a realm of pristine tradition and smashed walls. There’s a reason people tend to come and go from the Copper State, and thriving here takes a real commitment — and decent sunglasses. Lots of folks have tried to capture the state’s spirit via song. Nat King Cole’s “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” captures our restless energy, even if it’s slightly campy. With “Tune Out,” The Format nailed that mix of unassuming romance and the anxiety of life in perpetual mo- tion. Glen Campbell, meanwhile, man- aged to make our capital seem like some glamorous place with the classic “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” Even the Eagles wrote about Arizona, forever casting it as some roadside attraction with “Take It Easy.” And that’s not even touching on the slew of other songs, like George Straits’ “Ocean Front Property,” Rex Allen, Jr.’s “Arizona,” Dan Fogelberg’s “Tucson, Ari- zona (Gazette),” Authority Zero’s “Mesa Town,” Gordon Lightfoot’s “Carefree Highway,” Damien Jurado’s “Yuma, AZ,” Johnny Cash’s “The Ballad of Boot Hill,” and Aerosmith’s “Sedona Sunrise” — enough odes to fill a veritable jukebox. But as quaint as those songs may prove to be, they’re only really telling half the truth. As much as we’re a place for scenic drives and tourist hangs, Arizona can also feel unwelcoming to those who are only just stopping by. While our place in the sun has some inherent romance attached, living here also means grappling with some rather regressive socio-political ele- ments. And for all the charm in the imag- ery of cowboys, our state is just so much more rich culturally. (Also: Having so many songs about Arizona, especially dit- ties that only capture that narrow image, feels like a distinctly Arizona problem.) It takes more than ballads about plucky >> p 17 15 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES FEB 10TH– FEB 16TH, 2022
