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I considered doing some kind of Super Bowl-themed track this week, but it’s just too hard to care about a herd of rich man-boys who all, somehow, think God has an interest in whether they win a game or not. On the other hand, I guess there’s a chance God is interested in whether Ben Roethlisberger or Kurt Warner go home on Sunday nights feeling good about themselves. Because he doesn’t seem to give two shits about the rest of us (just kidding, he does not exist). Although if I had to put money on it, If he did exist I would have to say that Warner would have the edge over the other dude, given the amount of time he devotes to depicting his godhead. (Didn’t that used to be blasphemous? Did Catholicism make that okay? I wonder if I should bother to look into that.)

Anyway, who cares? This week’s track is Roger Miller’s “Kansas City Star,” and it’s going down in Kansas City. Which one? Well, it sort of doesn’t matter. Pick one, because the point of the song — if there is one (Roger Miller records don’t always bother with such things) — is that your choices should serve you best. I mean, the protagonist is eschewing a better job with higher wages in Omaha just to stay in K.C. where he’s happy. Hm, possibly it’s that humility is important — that one shouldn’t just follow stardom and money anywhere it leads. Except that he seems to get off on being a star, no matter the fact that it’s a local market.

You know what? I think this song really doesn’t have a meaning and is yet another in a decently-long line of Roger Miller novelties. Which I happen to love, by the way, including “Big Harlan Taylor,” “One Dyin’ and a-Buryin’,” and “Lou’s Got the Flu.” If you like country music at all (although why would you, given what hat-sniffing double-skulls like Toby Keith have done to the genre?), do yourself a favor and buy King of the Road: The Genius of Roger Miller.

And I’ve only driven through Kansas City, maybe 6-7 times right along I-35, but I think I understand how a pistol-shooting local TV clown might be able to scrape together a carer. It reminds me of a larger Lafayette, IN, meaning it also reminds me of about 150 other cities of that ilk where kind and wholesome (read:worthless) entertainment can cut it.

So that’s my Super Bowl week. If you really want it to be footbally, go from one team with red jerseys, Arizona, to another team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and then you’re right there in Kansas City where you need to be. But why would you care?

“Kansas City Star,” taken from the King of the Road: The Genius of Roger Miller box set.

And the kml for all mp3s of the week.