Magic Carpet Ride - Say It Ain't So!
 

I've already posted this on Voices at the official LCA site, and Brother Earp has already left a comment, but thought I would publish here too, since I just stumbled across these boards.

What can I say; I was feeling a bit melancholy about my twin sons going off to college this Fall (2008), and just had to put my thoughts into print (Phi Beta #20):

Magic Carpet Ride - Say It Ain't So!

Alas, we’re all still recovering from that monumental day back in July 2006, when Jason Pearce broke the hearts of all the LCA alums. In his article at http://www.crossandcrescent.com/2006/07/carpet-ride-unraveled/ , he informed us that Magic Carpet Ride was not really about our initiation, and that the members of Steppenwolf were not really Lambda Chis. Fraternity life virtually ended that day as the memories of all the brothers screaming when the song was played faded away. How dare Jason take our soul away from us!

But, what’s this I hear from my son who is going off to college this fall? He loves the song, especially since he knows it means so much to us. And, him and his arrogant 27 ACT insists that after studying the lyrics and video, he has our ritual figured out and can’t wait to be initiated (bless his soon to be surprised heart!)

So, if he enjoys it so much, who am I to say it no longer means anything? It continues to unite LCA brothers across the country every time it is played, Urban Legend or not. We have a theme song, and it has all the attributes that are/were so important in our college days: rebellion, edginess, party heartiness, and all that good stuff. If we want to claim it as our own, then by golly, we will.

So, Jason, you’re still our friend. Drop by the next time you are in Kentucky, and we’ll listen to MCR one more time. And, believe me, I will make you watch the Youtube video of the song - http://youtube.com/watch?v=WwLdyIdY6U8 . Then, if you’re still crazy enough to believe it is not Lambda Chi through and through, then up your nose with a rubber hose!

LOL my fellow Brother while it was not an original LXA thing, it has been taken by us as part of us!

The first time I saw and heard MCR was a our Founders Day many years back and we all got in a circle and danced around and around and then a Brother would be pushed into the middle and did his way of dancing!

One of the funniest I saw was a Brother who is a district Court Judge and did break dancing and back spinning in a Tux!:D

MCR has become an adopted thing for LXA and while I thought it was jsut our local Zeta, I have found it is LXA wide!;)

I wont go into how much there is that we can relate to but we all know!:cool:

Loved when the Viper came out and used MCR, one of my local Brothers is a big wig with Chysler! Just a happen stance???

what trips my out the most is the color of the smoke in the music video.... fantasy will set you free...

Did it really take a genius to figure out that Rushton Moreve, John Kay, Mike Monarch and Goldie McJohn (among others) never went to college and therefore could never have been Lambda Chis?

Darn, there goes Harry Truman!

Harry S. Truman was an honorary initiate, and was initiated for his significant accomplishments. These guys wrote a song that so happens to have significance to LCA, but they didn't write intentionally for LCA.

Honky is right, Truman was an honorary initiate due to his other accomplishments. Harry S. Truman actually did attend college. He wasn't able to apply to West Point because of his poor eyesight. He wasn't a rich man and not able to afford much else, but did study law at Kansas City Law School (which is now known as the Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law) for two years.

I guess I need to practice up on my sarcasm.