As I approached the Thames today to watch the royal flotilla
carrying Queen Elizabeth and the royal family, I was startled by a beautiful sound
coming from one of the boats lined up to watch the festivities. It was a song that reminded me of the dances of my
childhood, of time spent listening to the radio as I rode home with my friends
from soccer practice on warm spring evenings.
It was a song written by a nobleman for noblemen. The name
of this nostalgic number:
“Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts)” by Sir Mix-a-Lot.
It was the last song I would have expected to hear on a boat
filled with Brits awaiting the arrival of their Queen. But, I cannot lie, and
you other brothers can’t deny, this song shows that Britain’s still got talent.
What other nation can successfully blend a day of binge
drinking and Sir Mix-a-Lot with dressed up royals and heartfelt renditions of “God
Save the Queen” by a drenched choir? In America, we cannot even remember our
own national anthem, let alone sing it in the pouring rain.
The Diamond Jubilee was memorable because it showed the
respect that the people of the United Kingdom have for their queen, but it also
showed something more. It reminded me that this nation built on tradition and
pageantry remembers its past yet looks forward to its future. That future was
embodied by the young men in dress uniforms and the woman in the red dress who stood
next to their grandmother today.
It was also represented by the crowds of countless admirers
who paid their respects to a woman who has devoted 60 years of her life to her
country. When Sir Mix-a-Lot faded away and was replaced by the sounds of
countless cheering fans, I caught a glimpse of the lady in the white hat and
the white gloves, and I understood why people were celebrating.
Unlike Sir Mix-a-Lot, the Queen is not defined by one hit
single. She’s got 60 years of great hits, and she’s here to stay.
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