10 Songs About Sports

'Top 10 Sports Songs' lists generally run down music that is played at sporting events. We are going to do something a bit different than the usual 'Top 10 Sports Songs' lists here. The following are songs specifically about sports or which have a sports theme, not songs that are often played at sporting events. A few of these are somewhat obscure, others are well-known, others are pure novelty or kitsch. Compiling this list was not easy, as there is a paucity of purely sports-themed songs, so away we go!

"Centerfield"-John Fogerty. Fogerty's tribute to the national pastime conjures up images of spring training("we're born again, there's new grass on the field"), Hall of Fame ballplayers(Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio) and an epic baseball poem('Casey at the Bat'). Fogerty perfectly weaves a sense of optimism and nostalgia throughout the song via his reference to spring training and the idea of once again putting on a ball glove and new shoes as a lot of us did when we were youngsters. Perhaps most importantly, as with all good music, just listening to the song makes the listener feel good. So go ahead-give the song a spin and I promise your spirits will be lifted. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Centerfield/dp/B000UBMYJY/ref=dm_ap_trk1

"Joltin' Joe DiMaggio"-Les Brown & His Band of Renown. Written in tribute to the Yankee Clipper's legendary 56-game hitting streak in 1941, this song specifically details aspects of the streak: "He tied the mark at forty-four July the 1^st you know. Since then he's hit a good twelve more". If there is any wonder just how famous DiMaggio was and the hold baseball kept over the country during this era, this is the prime example of how 'DiMaggio-mania' swept America during the summer of '41. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Joltin-Joe-DiMaggio-LP-Version/dp/B0011ZP84Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1250792417&sr=1-1

"Basketball"-Kurtis Blow". Rapper Kurtis Blow's name-dropping ode to NBA stars of the 1970s and '80s reads like a who's who of basketball royalty. Dr. J, Moses Malone, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West among many others all make the cut, as Blow reminisces about the old-school NBA. He even manages to reference Darryl Dawkins(Chocolate Thunder anyone?). This one is particularly memorable for me as it was the song I played Nerf hoops to in my room as a goofy 8^th grader. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Basketball/dp/B000VWGOTI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1251139529&sr=1-2

"The Super Bowl Shuffle"-1985 Chicago Bears. This one is the very definition of kitsch and novelty, but still a lot of fun if taken in its proper context and the spirit in which it was intended. The 1985 Bears were one of the better champions of the Super Bowl era and also one of the most famous(or infamous, depending on your perspective). They are all here: William 'The Refrigerator' Perry, Mike Singletary, 'Sweetness' Walter Payton and the headband wearing, helicopter-mooning quarterback, Jim McMahon, among others. As if the "rapping" wasn't bad(good?)enough, these guys had the chutzpah to make a video, which is truly high comedy. The Bears may have been great football players, but when it comes to dancing none of them will ever be candidates for 'Dancing With the Stars'.

"Talkin' Baseball"-Terry Cashman. Cashman's nostalgic look back at the days when baseball was truly the national pastime. Paying tribute to the sport's stars of the fifties, it became very popular upon its release in 1981 when the game was mired in the muck of a player's strike. The song's refrain("Willie, Mickey and The Duke")made famous for the younger generation the other-worldly New York centerfield triumvirate. The song proved so popular that Cashman later re-wrote the lyrics pertaining to specific teams and it even made an appearance in an episode of 'The Simpsons'. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Talkin-Baseball%C2%AE-Willie-Mickey-Duke/dp/B0011GROWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1251214039&sr=1-1

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame". A true piece of Americana. Anyone who has ever been to a baseball game knows the words by heart and when to stand and sing along. Generally believed to be the third most played song in the United States, it is of course sung or played during the middle of a baseball game's seventh inning. Chicago Cubs' broadcaster Harry Carey made the song his own with his now famous off-key renditions during Cubs' games.

"Hit Somebody!(The Hockey Song)-Warren Zevon. Written by sportswriter Mitch Albom, but a typical Zevon-type song, this ballad tells the story of hockey player Buddy, who realizes his dream to play in the NHL, but not in the way he envisioned-instead of a skilled, highlight-reel player, Buddy is a 'goon'. Buddy becomes a beloved enforcer, finally realizing his dream of scoring a goal, but is unable to enjoy it because he is knocked out immediately after shooting the puck. Well, that's the luck of the hockey goon. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Hit-Somebody-The-Hockey-Song/dp/B001VJXLIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1251219509&sr=1-1

"Meet the Mets". Written in 1961 to celebrate the birth of the New York Mets, this is the Mets' fight song and has become somewhat of a cult classic over the years. It has been heard on a 'This is SportsCenter' commercial, as well as the sitcoms 'Seinfeld' and 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. Even non-Mets fans will find the refrain-hook catchy and infectious.

"Hurricane"-Bob Dylan. Dylan effectively recounts and champions the cause of convicted boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter. Carter's ultimate guilt or innocence is still the subject of some debate, but Dylan encapsulates the entire saga into eight and a half minutes(although it is clear that Dylan believes that Carter was wrongfully convicted). Whether one agrees with Dylan's sentiments or not, the song did bring Carter's situation to the public consciousness. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Hurricane/dp/B00137WUXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1251297795&sr=1-1

"Eye of the Tiger"-Survivor. OK, so this one is not really a sports-specific song, but, be honest, when you hear it the first thing you think of is Rocky Balboa. The theme from 'Rocky III', the song's lyrics, style and sound perfectly capture the feel of the movie. The opening guitar riff sucks you right in and keeps you enveloped for the next four minutes. Aside from the Rocky connection, it has become a motivational anthem for anyone facing overwhelming odds or obstacles. Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Of-The-Tiger/dp/B0013832A8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1251299002&sr=1-1

Sources:

http://www.songfacts.com/lyrics.php?findsong=707

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/joltinjoedimaggio.shtml

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/kurtis-blow/basketball.html

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_stb.shtml

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080505&content_id=7228&vkey=hof_news

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=5637