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!
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