Top Ten Songs for Super Bowl XLIV

There is an exotic flavor to Super Bowl XLIV as the game features the first ever appearance in a Super Bowl by the New Orleans Saints. The Saints were yet to play their first game as a franchise as an NFL expansion team in 1967 when the first Super Bowl was played in January, 1967.

There have been numerous Super Bowls played in New Orleans, but never involving the Saints. Miami has been another popular destination for the NFL's championship game. Of course, the more recent Super Bowls played in South Florida have technically been held in Fort Lauderdale after the Dolphins moved out of the old Orange Bowl located downtown.

Oddly, every appearance in a Super Bowl by the Colts franchise has been played in Miami, the first two when the team played in Baltimore.

The Saints bring a different style to pro footballs' ultimate game with gumbo, zydeco and chants of "who dat?" from Saints fans.

Ironically, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was born and raised in New Orleans as the son of then Saints QB Archie Manning. Peyton Manning's number one receiver is Reggie Wayne, also of New Orleans. Both left Louisiana to play college ball, Manning at Tennessee and Wayne at the University of Miami. New Orleans QB Drew Brees played collegiately at Purdue in the state of Indiana.

Therefore, the game features a few different angles than the normal Super Bowl. The Saints, in making their first appearance in the game leave only four teams, Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville and Houston as the only NFL teams not to appear in a Super Bowl.

Without further adieu, here are my top ten songs for a Super Bowl XLIV playlist:

Summer Breeze/Seals & Crofts
This song epitomizes the Miami weather and lifestyle and is a play on words involving Saints QB Drew Brees as well. Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind...

Miami/Bob Seger
This is a story of cuban immigrants finding a home in South Florida, actually, but fits in an ode to Miami also. They saw the lights on the horizon, out of the seas they came shining, with buildings so high, they seemed to touch the sky, Miami

Born On The Bayou/Creedence Clearwater Revival
Peyton Manning was "born on the bayou" and it just seems fitting with the Saints finally making their first appearance in the Super Bowl. When I was a little boy, standin' to my Daddy's knee, Papa said don't let the man get ya', like he done to me. Especially fitting since Archie Manning played on terrible teams in New Orleans, that he might warn his son not to let the team do the same to Peyton that they did to him. Nice addition to a Super Bowl XLIV playlist.

The Cajun Song/Gin Blossoms
There is a zydeco flavor to this song by an band based in Arizona, home of the team the Saints beat before Minnesota. As the line in the song says: they say you can't miss something you've never had", I have the feeling the Saints won't have a Super Bowl title after the game, either.

Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?/U2
The Colts are a wild horse and just as the Saints have their "who dat think they gonna beat them Saints" chant, the blue and white clad Indianapolis Colts have a musical reply. Whos' gonna ride your wild horses, who's gonna drown in your blue sea?". Great song for a Super Bowl XLIV playlist.

The Tide Is High/The Paragons
This song was remade by Blondie in the 80's if you prefer that version to the original reggae tune. This song could apply to either team in Super Bowl XLIV. Since the Colts have won only one Super Bowl since the 70's and the Saints have never even been in the big game, it applies more to the Saints. The tide is high and I'm movin' on, I wanna be your #1, I'm not the kind of man who gives up just like that, oh no!

The One/Elton John
Who will be "the One" in this game , Peyton Manning or Drew Brees? This is undoubtably two of the premier QBs in the game. All I ever needed was the one, like freedom fields where wild horses run, when stars collide, like you and I, no shadows block the sun.

Walk And Don't Look Back/Peter Tosh & MIck Jagger
There is no hiding place, (you can't run, you can't hide, you can't run) just your problems, no one else's problems, you just have to face. The winning quarterback in this game will have had the ability to read the opposing defense, execute the plays and forget the previous play and "don't look back" just like this rollicking reggae tune.

Winning It All/The Outfield
Winning it all, ain't gonna walk away, winning it all, no matter what they say, winning it all, don't want to lose today, winning it all. That should say it all for the winner, huh? No Super Bowl playlist is complete without a song like this.

Come Monday/Jimmy Buffett
No Miami song list would be complete without some Buffett, right? And no Super Bowl XLIV playlist would be complete without a Buffett song.This song speaks more to the team that loses Super Bowl XLIV. The losing team had a great season to get that far and one team has to lose, you know? It would be better to win, of course, but the losing squad are not losers if they give their all.Especially if they have families and dogs who love them. Come Monday, it'll be alright...

Downloads and videos to these songs are available at www.last.fm/