Senator sings 'Rocket Man' to settle wager

Forget all those inaugural concerts. The most pressing musical issue in the nation's capital Wednesday was whether a stone-faced senator from Oklahoma could hit the high notes in "Rocket Man" to pay off a college football bet.

Turns out he couldn't, but he gave it a shot.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn did his best rendition of the 1970s Elton John classic before a couple of dozen congressional staffers and television cameras, making good on a wager he lost to Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida when the Florida Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in last week's BCS title game.

Nelson chose "Rocket Man" because he flew on the space shuttle Columbia as a congressman in 1986. If Oklahoma had won, Nelson would have had to sing the title song from the musical "Oklahoma!" — which also happens to be the official state song.