Random Baseball Related Songs I Play On a Regular Basis On WRUW
I'm not completely ready to rule my Oakland A's out, but a stellar 2-8 run while the first place Rangers went 9-1 has left them 4 games under .500 and 8.5 games back. Thank goodness the Mariners exist, or last would be a lock instead of a dire possibility. In any event, in these trying times its always good to look in on the many fine traditions that baseball has, even if it's just the small ones I've created for myself. In particular, these small traditions revolve around my playing a certain song at a certain time of the year on my radio show. At the risk of codifying them forever so that I feel obligated to play them even if I change my mind in the future, here they are:
1. On the first radio show after the start of spring training, I play the Randy Newman song Burn On. Although the lyrics about the burning Cuyahoga river have nothing to do with baseball, this song is best known for playing over the beginning of Major League, so it's perfect to say "welcome to another season of Indians baseball." Plus, it's the Indians; it's not like they can get jinxed any more than they already are.
2. On the radio show closest to Opening Day, I play a fabulous cover of Take Me Out to the Ballgame performed by the Springsteen tribute band Bruce Springstone in a note perfect imitation of the E Street Band's style from the late 1970s, including sing-a-longs, a sax solo and hand claps. It's on Baseball's Greatest Hits.
3. My third song based tradition is invoked during the show after the Cubs are mathematically eliminated from contention. This can range anywhere from June onward, and the occasion is marked by my playing A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request by Steve Goodman.
4. And finally, on the last day of the regular season or thereabouts I play a song by the supergroup The Baseball Project. I hit up their first album to play The Closer, which is a good way to kick in the playoffs.
"If you want to hate my guts, that's all right by me.
If you think you've got my number, that's all right by me.
But you're gonna have to stand in against me, and then we'll see."
That album has plenty of other good stuff on it, although no other traditions. Yet.
Hey, there's 90 games to go in the season. The A's aren't out of it yet, and given that they were picked to finish dead last by pretty much everybody 3rd place would be surpassing expectations...
1. On the first radio show after the start of spring training, I play the Randy Newman song Burn On. Although the lyrics about the burning Cuyahoga river have nothing to do with baseball, this song is best known for playing over the beginning of Major League, so it's perfect to say "welcome to another season of Indians baseball." Plus, it's the Indians; it's not like they can get jinxed any more than they already are.
2. On the radio show closest to Opening Day, I play a fabulous cover of Take Me Out to the Ballgame performed by the Springsteen tribute band Bruce Springstone in a note perfect imitation of the E Street Band's style from the late 1970s, including sing-a-longs, a sax solo and hand claps. It's on Baseball's Greatest Hits.
3. My third song based tradition is invoked during the show after the Cubs are mathematically eliminated from contention. This can range anywhere from June onward, and the occasion is marked by my playing A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request by Steve Goodman.
4. And finally, on the last day of the regular season or thereabouts I play a song by the supergroup The Baseball Project. I hit up their first album to play The Closer, which is a good way to kick in the playoffs.
"If you want to hate my guts, that's all right by me.
If you think you've got my number, that's all right by me.
But you're gonna have to stand in against me, and then we'll see."
That album has plenty of other good stuff on it, although no other traditions. Yet.
Hey, there's 90 games to go in the season. The A's aren't out of it yet, and given that they were picked to finish dead last by pretty much everybody 3rd place would be surpassing expectations...