Baseball! Hooray! Happy “First Full Slate Of Day Games After The First Game On North American Soil Which Is Being Officially Called ‘Opening Day’ To Stretch This Thing Out Branding-wise,” everybody! I’m going to have ESPN on all day, even the parts where it’s just people yapping! In honor of America’s Greatest Sport finally starting up again after a too-long hiatus–and this year marking the 100th anniversary of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”–I bring you five songs that aren’t as classic as the seventh-inning stretch anthem, but definitely fall into the category of “stadium staples.” You probably know all of these songs, but you may not know you know them, thanks to their airtime during baseball games clocking in at somewhere under the five-second mark.
5. Montell Jordan, “This Is How We Do It”
Snippet used: Backing vocals at 0:22.
Reason for deployment: Rubbing in a home run to the visiting team, getting as close to playing Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” over the in-stadium PA as is allowed.
4. Zombie Nation, “Kernkraft 400″
Snippet used: Synth break at 0:46.
Crowd deployment: To get them singing in sorta-unison during rallies. (Although the video is making me wonder if this song isn’t also being used as a subliminal way to get fans to order hot dogs.)
3. Mr. C The Slide Man, “Cha-Cha Slide”
Snippet used: “Everybody clap your hands” at 2:09.
Reason for deployment: Because even the coolest baseball fan will start clapping when Mr. C tells her to.
2. Vengaboys, “We Like To Party”
Snippet used: As soon as the clock hits 0:27, you’ll know what this song is. And you won’t be able to get the image of the Great Adventure Guy out of your head.
Reason for deployment: Why do you question the usage of this song? Do you like to party or what? Hmph.
1. Jump ‘N The Saddle, “The Curly Shuffle”
Snippet used: The whole thing.
Reason for deployment: OK, so this song is really only played at Shea Stadium when the scoreboard operator feels like it’s time to remind the crowd of the glory that was 1986. But opportunities to post “The Curly Shuffle” on Idolator are way too few and far between, and I’d be lying if I didn’t want this year to resemble 1986 if only to get the taste of last September off my palate for good.
[Photo: AP]
Used to be Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Pt. 2″ before the…. “Unpleasetness”
You have to add “Unbelievable” by EMF. Always played when a homerun is hit!
@Dead Air ummm Dead Air:
As a more palatable alternative, I suggest the KLF’s (aka The Timelords) “Doctorin’ the Tardis”. Gary Glitter sample + Doctor Who theme = Genius!
the beginning of HYSTERIA by MUSE seems to be becoming a favorite at sporting events…i have heard it at football and hockey games…
I think only Keith Hernandez despised “Everybody Clap Your Hands” more than I do.
Thank God that Gary, Keith and Ron (and Kevin!) are finally back. My life once again has a purpose, if not a meaning.
I’m pretty sure Republica’s “Ready To Go” has been played at so many games that it’s rammed far enough into the ground to pop out the other side like an easily-forgettable turkey thermometer…
Angels games used to play “Walk” by Bad Religion during every walk, which was fucking cool.
@drjayphd: It does feel that way.
When I lived in St. Louis, some of the songs we’d here were “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Mony Mony” – usually as intros for the players.
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