Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Just in time to spend the checks from your grandparents
Our Baseball Music page has been updated to match the new format -- and, more importantly, now with Amazon.com links in addition to the iTunes links.
I also acquired a new baseball-themed radio station jingle, from WCAU in Philadelphia -- it's available for download at the top of the music page, along with all the other baseball jingles I've got.
I also acquired a new baseball-themed radio station jingle, from WCAU in Philadelphia -- it's available for download at the top of the music page, along with all the other baseball jingles I've got.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Music to watch the playoffs by
At last, some musical content that's more on-topic than the Larry Finlayson update.
I haven't been keeping up very well with the baseball songs page (although I'm planning to update it as part of a renovation of both baseballrelated.com and my personal site, hopefully by the end of the year if I get around to it). But it's there, and its content is able to be searched, which is how I recently heard from a musician named Howie Newman.
In 1979, he recorded an EP of five original baseball songs called "Baseball's Greatest Hits" -- about a decade before Rhino ripped off the name for their compilation -- which is available both through iTunes and in the popular "compact disc" format.
He also has a couple of other original baseball songs on two more recent releases, also available via iTunes. And he has two baseball songs available as free downloads. One is off "Baseball's Greatest Hits" and is called "Astroturf." The other is more recent and is called -- well, I don't want to totally give away the surprise, so I'll just say that my collection of baseball songs now includes musical mentions of Joe DiMaggio, Ozzie Smith, and Johnny Damon.
I haven't been keeping up very well with the baseball songs page (although I'm planning to update it as part of a renovation of both baseballrelated.com and my personal site, hopefully by the end of the year if I get around to it). But it's there, and its content is able to be searched, which is how I recently heard from a musician named Howie Newman.
In 1979, he recorded an EP of five original baseball songs called "Baseball's Greatest Hits" -- about a decade before Rhino ripped off the name for their compilation -- which is available both through iTunes and in the popular "compact disc" format.
He also has a couple of other original baseball songs on two more recent releases, also available via iTunes. And he has two baseball songs available as free downloads. One is off "Baseball's Greatest Hits" and is called "Astroturf." The other is more recent and is called -- well, I don't want to totally give away the surprise, so I'll just say that my collection of baseball songs now includes musical mentions of Joe DiMaggio, Ozzie Smith, and Johnny Damon.
Labels: howie newman, johnny damon, music
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Finlayson for your life
Way back on May 31, 2004, I made reference to Larry Finlayson, singer of the "Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown" theme song. Courtesy of someone who recently found that post, I now have more information about him:
With those pieces of additional information in hand, a quick Yahoo! search reveals that he's using a different name these days. And he's available for weddings! I'd consider hiring him if the "Race for Your Life" theme is still a part of his repertoire, assuming I ever have a wedding.
He was my teacher in elementary school in Berkeley, California. I happen to be recording his LP from 1979 to MP3 right now. It's called, "Give Your Friend A Smile...". It was recorded at the Music Annex under the name of Finlayson Music Production in 1979. Larry was/is indeed a songwriter and played the guitar in this album.
With those pieces of additional information in hand, a quick Yahoo! search reveals that he's using a different name these days. And he's available for weddings! I'd consider hiring him if the "Race for Your Life" theme is still a part of his repertoire, assuming I ever have a wedding.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
My first game of 2006
Yes, Dodger Stadium has new seats this season, in lovely pastel colors which really do look like they're from 1962. They also renumbered the seats, so that instead of having aisle numbers, with seats starting at "1" on one side and "101" on the other side, the reserved level now has section numbers like a normal stadium. (Things were even weirder on the field and loge levels, with one row letter covering two rows, one with seat numbers increasing and the other with seat numbers decreasing -- presumably, that situation has been dealt with as well.)
Yes, quite a few Chicagoites will show up at Dodger Stadium when the Cubs are in town, wearing the world's cutest baseball cap...
Someone near us had a radio, so I know that Vin Scully described 6-foot-7 Cubs pitcher Sean Marshall as "a tall drink of water"...
This game had something for everyone, from bone-jarring collisions to wildly errant throws. Best of all, though, is the fact that the Dodger Stadium music selection committee has provided the world with a new, particularly appropriate song to play for bases on balls: Tegan and Sara's "Walking with a Ghost," in the form of the White Stripes' cover version. Why is it particularly appropriate? Because walks haunt.
Labels: cubs, dodger stadium, dodgers, game report, music, walks haunt
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Life outside the diamond is a wrench
There's one former Dodger in the title, and another former Dodger alluded to in the lyrics, and half of baseballrelated.com was in the audience, so of course "Piazza, New York Catcher" was performed in Los Angeles -- even though Stuart Murdoch had to refer to a cheat sheet a couple of times for the lyrics. Of course, it now refers to a bygone era, but replacing "New York" and "Mets" with "San Diego" and "Padres" would break the rhythm.
Incidentally, $30 for a concert, not including the Ticketmaster "convenience" charges that brought it up to nearly $45, and I didn't even get to sit down! Baseball is truly your best entertainment value, although it's somewhat unlikely that you'll hear a lot of Scottish art-school alterna-pop at a baseball game. (But if you are very lucky, you will hear "Walk Away Renee" -- referred to in "Piazza, New York Catcher" -- played on the organ.)
Which reminds me...only two weeks till the season starts.
Labels: mike piazza, music
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Backpedaling often results in a sack
Paul Tagliabue now contends that his "as boring as standing in line at the supermarket" comment specifically refers to when he was on his law firm's softball team in the 1970s and they made him play right field. He should have listened to Peter, Paul and Mary's inspirational song about playing that position!
Labels: music, paul tagliabue, sports illustrated
Monday, October 31, 2005
We are, we are the youth of the nation
Sandy passes along this iTunes link to playlists consisting of the favorite songs of the White Sox and Astros, and would like to call special attention to Damaso Marte's choice. Well, maybe it's his favorite video.
Labels: astros, damaso marte, music, sandy weisz, white sox
Saturday, October 22, 2005
More baseball audio, just in time for the World Series
Shout! Factory, the imprint of the folks who used to run Rhino, has a new 4-CD box set out called "The Great American Baseball Box." Looks like only one CD is songs; the other three seem to include play-by-play clips and whatever other audio they could dig up. I've got almost all the songs already, so if they sold Discs 2 through 4 separately, I might be tempted.
Also, when the White Sox revealed that their playoff anthem is Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," it didn't take long for the record company to take advantage. This week, they released a 1981 live version as an iTunes single (maybe elsewhere as well). Actually, some of the iTunes reviewers claim the release is to promote a DVD release of the concert the song is taken from, but we know better -- everything comes back to baseball.
Also, when the White Sox revealed that their playoff anthem is Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," it didn't take long for the record company to take advantage. This week, they released a 1981 live version as an iTunes single (maybe elsewhere as well). Actually, some of the iTunes reviewers claim the release is to promote a DVD release of the concert the song is taken from, but we know better -- everything comes back to baseball.
Labels: music, white sox, world series
Friday, August 26, 2005
"Walk Away, Renee" and other favorites
Exactly one year ago to the minute from the time I'm typing this (6:04 P.M. Eastern time), Levi and I were really enjoying listening to the Fenway Park organist. In honor of that anniversary, here's an article about him from the Boston Globe last month.
Labels: Fenway Park, music
Monday, August 15, 2005
I read the articles so you don't have to
The September issue of Playboy has an article about Jose Canseco's ex-wife Jessica, to go along with some photographs of her in which she's wearing ballet shoes but seems to have forgotten to put on her tutu, or her leotard, or anything else a ballerina might wear. Actually, I take that back -- she's wearing leg warmers in a couple of the photos.
Anyway, the article is chock full of fascinating facts. For example, Jose met her at a Hooters in Cleveland, where she was only in her third day on the job -- and the very next night, Jose made blooper-reel history with the home-run-bouncing-off-his-head incident. She says he likes his women "meaty," so he often encouraged her to eat more. Also, she claims to have had sex with him in Fenway Park. And, yes, she reports that there was a lot of steroid-related testicular shrinkage, but since he was also taking human growth hormone, the other part of the frank-'n'-beans combo was larger than normal. (They did have a daughter together, so everything was apparently working well enough.)
Things went badly once she realized he was cheating on her; she found such items as Jose's private cell phone (she cracked the voice mail password and found messages from four women) and a little black book in which Jose had made copious notes about physical descriptions of various women so he could remember who was who. Her last-ditch effort to save the relationship was a menage a trois involving her, Jose, and a friend of hers, but it didn't work.
Elsewhere in this issue of Playboy, we learn that "when you're Hef, every day is an adventure," as we have been learning in Playboy for over 50 years now. (I mean the royal "we," obviously.)
Actually, there was some useful information in this Playboy, although it's not baseball-related: I learned of the existence of this upcoming Rhino box set, although I'm a little dubious about the August 30th date, since it's listed on neither Amazon.com nor rhino.com (although rhino.com only lists their releases for the 16th and 23rd).
Anyway, the article is chock full of fascinating facts. For example, Jose met her at a Hooters in Cleveland, where she was only in her third day on the job -- and the very next night, Jose made blooper-reel history with the home-run-bouncing-off-his-head incident. She says he likes his women "meaty," so he often encouraged her to eat more. Also, she claims to have had sex with him in Fenway Park. And, yes, she reports that there was a lot of steroid-related testicular shrinkage, but since he was also taking human growth hormone, the other part of the frank-'n'-beans combo was larger than normal. (They did have a daughter together, so everything was apparently working well enough.)
Things went badly once she realized he was cheating on her; she found such items as Jose's private cell phone (she cracked the voice mail password and found messages from four women) and a little black book in which Jose had made copious notes about physical descriptions of various women so he could remember who was who. Her last-ditch effort to save the relationship was a menage a trois involving her, Jose, and a friend of hers, but it didn't work.
Elsewhere in this issue of Playboy, we learn that "when you're Hef, every day is an adventure," as we have been learning in Playboy for over 50 years now. (I mean the royal "we," obviously.)
Actually, there was some useful information in this Playboy, although it's not baseball-related: I learned of the existence of this upcoming Rhino box set, although I'm a little dubious about the August 30th date, since it's listed on neither Amazon.com nor rhino.com (although rhino.com only lists their releases for the 16th and 23rd).
Labels: Fenway Park, jessica canseco, jose canseco, music, steroids
Monday, June 13, 2005
Hospitality
I believe it is every team's--and every fan's--duty to make a trip to an out-of-town ballpark to watch his team as the visitors an enjoyable experience. I believe it's incumbent upon fans not to shower abuse (or beer) in greater quantity than they would shower same on any hometown fan. I believe the correct response to "Is this Aisle 527?" doesn't involve profanity.
But I don't believe that hospitality should extend to playing a song the visiting team is familiar with from its home ballpark, so imagine my surprise when "Sweet Caroline" began blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers last night. Now, if the P.A. guy had, right after "Touching warm . . . touching you!" given the turntable a solid kick, sending the needle skittering and screeching across the vinyl, then it would have been okay. But just playing the song, straight, is like the French translating all the road signs just in from the Maginot Line into German.
thatbob: "Blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers..."?
Wrigley Field shouldn't even have speakers that blast. That would solve your problem right there.
But I don't believe that hospitality should extend to playing a song the visiting team is familiar with from its home ballpark, so imagine my surprise when "Sweet Caroline" began blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers last night. Now, if the P.A. guy had, right after "Touching warm . . . touching you!" given the turntable a solid kick, sending the needle skittering and screeching across the vinyl, then it would have been okay. But just playing the song, straight, is like the French translating all the road signs just in from the Maginot Line into German.
Original comments...
thatbob: "Blasting from the Wrigley Field speakers..."?
Wrigley Field shouldn't even have speakers that blast. That would solve your problem right there.
Labels: cubs, music, red sox, Wrigley Field
Friday, January 21, 2005
Much more music
Could this band have the greatest baseball-related band name of all time?
No, unfortunately for them, because this band does.
thatbob: Those links don't work on my work computer. Can't you just tell us what the bands' names were?
Jim: But what fun is that?
Band #1 is called The '89 Cubs.
Band #2 is Ghost Runner on Third.
No, unfortunately for them, because this band does.
Original comments:
thatbob: Those links don't work on my work computer. Can't you just tell us what the bands' names were?
Jim: But what fun is that?
Band #1 is called The '89 Cubs.
Band #2 is Ghost Runner on Third.
Labels: music
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Speaking of music
Tonight's Final Jeopardy! answer, in the category Classic American Songs:
"The introductory verse of this 1908 song begins 'Katie Casey was baseball mad.'"
"The introductory verse of this 1908 song begins 'Katie Casey was baseball mad.'"
Labels: jeopardy, music, take me out to the ball game
Here we go again
For the second straight year, Pepsi is giving away iTunes downloads to improve their sales during the dead of winter. The actual promotion apparently starts January 31st. We'll have to see how long it takes the Pepsis with the promotional caps to show up in the Los Angeles area. (Last year it took about six weeks from the time the promtion started nationwide, because the local Pepsi bottler was running a promotion of their own.) But the good news for me is that the caps are supposed to be on 20-ounce bottles of all Pepsi products, including Wild Cherry Pepsi -- and Mountain Dew Code Red, although I don't recall ever seeing that in a 20-ounce bottle.
I'm not sure how many baseball songs have been added to the iTunes Music Store since last year, but I guess I'll find out. It'll be fun!
I'm not sure how many baseball songs have been added to the iTunes Music Store since last year, but I guess I'll find out. It'll be fun!
Labels: music
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Someone's gonna get sued!
This "compilation" is currently featured on the iTunes Music Store front page. Where would they have gotten the idea? Actually, a couple of songs on their baseball-related playlist were ones I thought of but discarded, including "Glory Days" and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."
Labels: music
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Jose Lima bean
A thought on Saturday night's Dodgers-Cardinals game: since Joe Buck was off for his NFL football broadcasting duties, wouldn't it have been great if Fox had told Tim McCarver to stay in St. Louis and instead had the game called by a certain Los Angeles-based announcer who's been around since the last Ice Age and has more broadcasting talent in his little finger than Tim McCarver has in all the shoe-polished strands of his hair combined?
No such luck, and even if I had been watching live instead of TiVo-delayed, I couldn't have listened to him on the radio because of the delay inherent in DirecTV. Eventually, I put the TV on mute and listened to Brian Wilson's "Smile" on my iPod instead.
Toby: Levi, Did you happen to catch Fox Sports' "Beyond the Glory" special on Kirk Gibson's WS Game 1 HR in 1988? It was narrated by Joe Buck. ...Was a great piece.
The thing that struck me, though, was that they played Vin Scully's call of the homer first, then used Jack Buck's a little later. I had never heard anything but Jack Buck's call of that homer. It was very interesting.
You're so right about Vin Scully and McCarver, though. Why does he seem to worry so much about how deep the outfielders are playing?
Toby: Whoops - Just noticed that Jim posted that. Regardless, my comments wouldn't change--just direct it at Jim, instead of Levi.
Jim: They did an entire "Beyond the Glory" on Kirk Gibson's home run? Wow. I've closed-captioned a couple of those, and they're pretty good, but I've never watched one at home.
In the video of the home run, you can see one car in the parking lot beyond center field leaving early. Its taillights suddenly come on just as the ball leaves the stadium, and it apparently syncs up perfectly with Vin Scully's call, as if the occupant of the car was listening to the game on the radio and reacted to the home run by slamming on the brakes.
By the way, it turns out that if you actually go to a Division Series game at Dodger Stadium, not only do you not have to listen to Tim McCarver on your TV, you get to listen to Vin Scully's calls of memorable moments from the past season. His call of Steve Finley's grand slam to clinch the division was something like:
"Wherever it comes down, the Dodgers are division champs." (35 seconds of crowd noise)
Can you imagine Tim McCarver being quiet for 35 consecutive seconds?
Toby: NO! He'd be talking about how one of the fans in the seventh row was playing too deep to catch the home run ball.
maura: chris berman was silent after vladdy's grand slam the other night. as was ALL OF FENWAY. it was totally creepy and everyone at work was just looking at each other all alarmed-like.
thatbob: fucking yanx
No such luck, and even if I had been watching live instead of TiVo-delayed, I couldn't have listened to him on the radio because of the delay inherent in DirecTV. Eventually, I put the TV on mute and listened to Brian Wilson's "Smile" on my iPod instead.
Original comments...
Toby: Levi, Did you happen to catch Fox Sports' "Beyond the Glory" special on Kirk Gibson's WS Game 1 HR in 1988? It was narrated by Joe Buck. ...Was a great piece.
The thing that struck me, though, was that they played Vin Scully's call of the homer first, then used Jack Buck's a little later. I had never heard anything but Jack Buck's call of that homer. It was very interesting.
You're so right about Vin Scully and McCarver, though. Why does he seem to worry so much about how deep the outfielders are playing?
Toby: Whoops - Just noticed that Jim posted that. Regardless, my comments wouldn't change--just direct it at Jim, instead of Levi.
Jim: They did an entire "Beyond the Glory" on Kirk Gibson's home run? Wow. I've closed-captioned a couple of those, and they're pretty good, but I've never watched one at home.
In the video of the home run, you can see one car in the parking lot beyond center field leaving early. Its taillights suddenly come on just as the ball leaves the stadium, and it apparently syncs up perfectly with Vin Scully's call, as if the occupant of the car was listening to the game on the radio and reacted to the home run by slamming on the brakes.
By the way, it turns out that if you actually go to a Division Series game at Dodger Stadium, not only do you not have to listen to Tim McCarver on your TV, you get to listen to Vin Scully's calls of memorable moments from the past season. His call of Steve Finley's grand slam to clinch the division was something like:
"Wherever it comes down, the Dodgers are division champs." (35 seconds of crowd noise)
Can you imagine Tim McCarver being quiet for 35 consecutive seconds?
Toby: NO! He'd be talking about how one of the fans in the seventh row was playing too deep to catch the home run ball.
maura: chris berman was silent after vladdy's grand slam the other night. as was ALL OF FENWAY. it was totally creepy and everyone at work was just looking at each other all alarmed-like.
thatbob: fucking yanx
Labels: Cardinals, dodgers, joe buck, music, tim mccarver, tv, vin scully
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Up in the booth, Vin Scully frowns
A follow-up to the last post, now that it's the morning...
I can't believe the Dodger Stadium audio booth didn't pull out their copy of Danny Kaye's "D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song (Oh, Really? No, O'Malley)" -- which I know they have because I've heard it there before -- and cued it to this portion of the song...
Levi: The only bad thing about last night's game that I can see is that you got no Gagne. Comeback wins by the Dodgers suck!
Jim: I've seen the Dodgers four times this year, and haven't seen Gagne, except pictured on the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium, and also as depicted on those "Game Over" T-shirts.
I can't believe the Dodger Stadium audio booth didn't pull out their copy of Danny Kaye's "D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song (Oh, Really? No, O'Malley)" -- which I know they have because I've heard it there before -- and cued it to this portion of the song...
Bottom of the ninth
Four to nothing
Last chance
Hit the button
We're pleading, begging, on our knees
Come on, you Flatbush refugees
Original comments...
Levi: The only bad thing about last night's game that I can see is that you got no Gagne. Comeback wins by the Dodgers suck!
Jim: I've seen the Dodgers four times this year, and haven't seen Gagne, except pictured on the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium, and also as depicted on those "Game Over" T-shirts.
Labels: music
Saturday, September 25, 2004
We do it (baseb)all for you
Over on the Baseball Songs page, all of the songs that are available via the iTunes Music Store now have direct links to the iTMS. So now you have no excuse for not adding some baseball-related music to your collection...what, you can't afford 99 cents?
Jon Solomon: How long did it take you to get your iTunes Affiliate Program application approved? I am eager to add similar links to the MPGR site.
Jim: I got the approval in less than 24 hours.
You can add links without being an affiliate, although then you don't get the affiliate money when someone clicks on them...here's the link to the iTunes Link Maker.
thatbob: So I guess this is your disclosure of commercial interest. Thanks. Were AAA, MLB, and Motel 6 paying you, too?
Jim: I already disclosed the monetary rewards, way back on September 6th when baseballrelated.com became an affiliate. I wish those entities had been paying us! Actually, we didn't stay at Motel 6, so they would have to have been paying us not to stay there.
Jon Solomon: I got my approval. Very nice.
Original comments...
Jon Solomon: How long did it take you to get your iTunes Affiliate Program application approved? I am eager to add similar links to the MPGR site.
Jim: I got the approval in less than 24 hours.
You can add links without being an affiliate, although then you don't get the affiliate money when someone clicks on them...here's the link to the iTunes Link Maker.
thatbob: So I guess this is your disclosure of commercial interest. Thanks. Were AAA, MLB, and Motel 6 paying you, too?
Jim: I already disclosed the monetary rewards, way back on September 6th when baseballrelated.com became an affiliate. I wish those entities had been paying us! Actually, we didn't stay at Motel 6, so they would have to have been paying us not to stay there.
Jon Solomon: I got my approval. Very nice.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
And speaking of music
To give you a sample of the famous "Baseball-Related" iPod playlist, I've uploaded MP3 files of some of the radio station jingles included on it. There are links to them within the list on the Baseball Songs page. You probably haven't heard these unless you were in the car with us (we didn't play any of them on Maura's show, because they mention -- gasp -- other radio stations).
If you only listen to one of them, make sure it's "The Pirates Are What We're All About" (from KDKA, Pittsburgh, 1980).
Toby: Awesome!!!
It's like I'm 9 years old again, watching "Pops," "The Cobra," Omar Moreno, Tim Foli, "Scrap Iron," Lee Lacy, Bill Madlock, Mike Easler, Ed Ott and Kent Tekulve all over again.
Thanks for the pleasant blast from the past.
If you only listen to one of them, make sure it's "The Pirates Are What We're All About" (from KDKA, Pittsburgh, 1980).
Original comments...
Toby: Awesome!!!
It's like I'm 9 years old again, watching "Pops," "The Cobra," Omar Moreno, Tim Foli, "Scrap Iron," Lee Lacy, Bill Madlock, Mike Easler, Ed Ott and Kent Tekulve all over again.
Thanks for the pleasant blast from the past.
Labels: music
Can't get enough music?
Surprisingly (because I didn't think we got quite enough traffic for Apple to care about us), baseballrelated.com is now an iTunes affiliate. So if you're going to buy and download some songs, why not first click on the link at the bottom of this page, or the one at the top of the Baseball Songs page? Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a way to link to specific tracks and get the affiliate credit (at least not yet), or I would have done that on the songs page. The other problem is that iTunes doesn't have the two "Baseball's Greatest Hits" CDs.
If we actually make any money from this, rest assured it will go towards retroactively paying for all those Hostess Baseballs we ate.
maura: the radio show playlist is here: http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=1822
If we actually make any money from this, rest assured it will go towards retroactively paying for all those Hostess Baseballs we ate.
Original comments...
maura: the radio show playlist is here: http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=1822
Thursday, August 05, 2004
I can hear music
First of all, Maura passes along this awesome link from ESPN.com's Page 3, in which they list the at-bat songs for many MLB players. (Page 3? How many numbered pages does ESPN.com have now, anyway?)
And to fulfill a request by Cushie, here are the songs on the "baseball" playlist on my iPod, conveniently in one list. Levi and hangers-on, don't click on the link if you want to be surprised in the car, although many of the songs have been named on this blog in the past, in several different entries that I don't feel like going back and looking up.
Cushie: Awesome!
Luke, hanger-on: Here are some songs on the BRPA 2004 playlist I've been assembling since becoming a hanger-on (most of which you have already, and some of which have relationships to baseball and roadtrips that are tenuous at best):
Catfish, Bob Dylan
Two Bass Hit, Dizzy Gillespie
Bang the Drum Slowly, Emmylou Harris
Mrs. Robinson, Simon & Garfunkel
Pirate Jenny, Nina Simone
Yanqui Go Home, Camper Van Beethoven
I Could Drive Forever, Smog
On the Road Again, Bob Dylan
On the Road Again, Willie Nelson
This is Not a Song About a Train, Andrew Bird
Plus a CD's worth of Bob Edwards-Red Barber chats and Barber highlights that I've been saving for the trip.
Jim, you have iPodRip, right?
Jim: I don't have iPodRip or anything similar, mainly because I've never had a need to get music from my iPod onto my computer. Although if iPodRip can export playlists into HTML or XML, and it looks like it can, it probably would have come in handy when I was creating the song list!
thatbob: If you're doing spoken word pieces, you really need to find the famous Lee Elia rant against Cub fans. And if you can find Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly singing "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg" then... then... then that'll be awesome!
Dan: And if you need the Lee Elia rant, lemme know, I've got it in MP3.
And to fulfill a request by Cushie, here are the songs on the "baseball" playlist on my iPod, conveniently in one list. Levi and hangers-on, don't click on the link if you want to be surprised in the car, although many of the songs have been named on this blog in the past, in several different entries that I don't feel like going back and looking up.
Original comments...
Cushie: Awesome!
Luke, hanger-on: Here are some songs on the BRPA 2004 playlist I've been assembling since becoming a hanger-on (most of which you have already, and some of which have relationships to baseball and roadtrips that are tenuous at best):
Catfish, Bob Dylan
Two Bass Hit, Dizzy Gillespie
Bang the Drum Slowly, Emmylou Harris
Mrs. Robinson, Simon & Garfunkel
Pirate Jenny, Nina Simone
Yanqui Go Home, Camper Van Beethoven
I Could Drive Forever, Smog
On the Road Again, Bob Dylan
On the Road Again, Willie Nelson
This is Not a Song About a Train, Andrew Bird
Plus a CD's worth of Bob Edwards-Red Barber chats and Barber highlights that I've been saving for the trip.
Jim, you have iPodRip, right?
Jim: I don't have iPodRip or anything similar, mainly because I've never had a need to get music from my iPod onto my computer. Although if iPodRip can export playlists into HTML or XML, and it looks like it can, it probably would have come in handy when I was creating the song list!
thatbob: If you're doing spoken word pieces, you really need to find the famous Lee Elia rant against Cub fans. And if you can find Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly singing "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg" then... then... then that'll be awesome!
Dan: And if you need the Lee Elia rant, lemme know, I've got it in MP3.
Labels: music
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Filling up one of the iPods
Another eBay purchase arrived today: the S.F. Seals "Baseball Trilogy" EP, purchased for a mere $2.00 plus shipping. Add this to some heretofore undiscovered baseball-related songs that I recently purchased from the iTunes Music Store, and we're going to have quite the "baseball music" playlist. Among those songs: a 1948 Pittsburgh-centered version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," a song about Ozzie Smith called "The Wizard of Oz" (of course), Belle & Sebastian's "Piazza, New York Catcher" (finally), and Christine Lavin's "Ballad of a Ballgame" (which is technically about softball, but it's an amusing enough song that I'll give it a pass).
Cushie: I don't know if you've seen Belle and Sebastian since the album with Piazza, New York Catcher came out. I saw them a few weeks ago and it turns out that song now has a call and response section.
This was in London, so you can't really assume that the crowd knew all about Piazza, but when the line "Mike Piazza, New York Catcher, are you straight or are you gay?" rang out, the synchonized response, in time to the music was "Gay!" I was highly amused.
Cushie: PS. Can you post your baseball playlist? Could either do an iTunes Mix or export it from iTunes so we can see what you've found.
Dan: Jim -- it's a capella, but Jonathan Richman has a lovely little thing about Walter Johnson (called.. "Walter Johnson") on, I think, "You Must Ask the Heart"
"All through baseball, he was loved and respected. Was there bitterness in Walter Johnson? Well, it was never expected")
Jim: I've got that Jonathan Richman song already. I can't turn down the request of someone named Cushie, so I'll post the full baseball playlist in a bit. (I can't do an iMix, because not all the items are on the iTunes Music Store.)
Original comments...
Cushie: I don't know if you've seen Belle and Sebastian since the album with Piazza, New York Catcher came out. I saw them a few weeks ago and it turns out that song now has a call and response section.
This was in London, so you can't really assume that the crowd knew all about Piazza, but when the line "Mike Piazza, New York Catcher, are you straight or are you gay?" rang out, the synchonized response, in time to the music was "Gay!" I was highly amused.
Cushie: PS. Can you post your baseball playlist? Could either do an iTunes Mix or export it from iTunes so we can see what you've found.
Dan: Jim -- it's a capella, but Jonathan Richman has a lovely little thing about Walter Johnson (called.. "Walter Johnson") on, I think, "You Must Ask the Heart"
"All through baseball, he was loved and respected. Was there bitterness in Walter Johnson? Well, it was never expected")
Jim: I've got that Jonathan Richman song already. I can't turn down the request of someone named Cushie, so I'll post the full baseball playlist in a bit. (I can't do an iMix, because not all the items are on the iTunes Music Store.)
Labels: music
Friday, July 16, 2004
I'll admit that I assumed it was lame.
A week or two ago, watching Houston fall to the Padres, I finally saw Trevor Hoffman's grand entrance. As you all probably know, when Hoffman enters a game, the stadium PA plays AC/DC's "Hell's Bells." At the Padres' new ballpark, the song is accompanied by devilish flames licking Hoffman's name on the big screen in left field.
And I have to admit that it was pretty cool. Sure, it's overblown, and AC/DC is so . . . obvious? Cliched? But the crowd was into it, and as Hoffman walked through the outfield, he did seem tougher.
This got me to thinking about the music that's played when hitters come to the plate at most ballparks these days. I used to agree with Luke (and probably most of the readers of this blog, who tend, it seems, towards traditionalism) that such displays had no place in the ballpark.
Then Magglio Ordonez happened. When Magglio--one of the best hitters ever to play in semi-obscurity--comes to the plate, the PA runs the marching chant of the Wicked Witch of the West's palace guards, the Winkies: "Oh-Ee-Oh." The crowd finishes the line, "Magg-lio." It's a low, rumbling sound, it makes wonderfully creative use of Magglio's name, and if I were a pitcher, I'd be getting ready to back up third. At the Sox game a couple of weeks ago, the scoreboard announced that Ordonez had that morning been activated from the Disabled List, and the PA--with Magglio nowhere in sight--played his music. The crowd went wild.
So my coworker, Peter, and I started having a silly discussion about what we might have played when we came to bat, were we major league players. Peter hit upon what I think is the best possible idea: Dr. Octagon's "I'm Destructive!" I kept dithering between the intro to Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and the intro to Cornershop's "Sleep on the Left Side." Or the horn intro to Gloria Jones's "Tainted Love," or Tom Wait's "Black Wings," or the Beastie Boys doing "Johnny Ryall."
I also thought about a part of a live version of "Cypress Avenue" where Van Morrison shouts"Baby!" forty-five times in a row. If that won't wear a pitcher out, I've got no hope. But I suppose if I were to be honest about my abilities, I'd probably play another Stevie Wonder song, "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing."
And what for you?
Steve: The Magglio chant is pretty cool if a little overblown but it brings up an interesting issue. My boss, and no slouch in the trivia department, insists that the chant actually has words and they are... "All we owe...we owe...her."
I keep telling him to put up or shutup with an internet link or Wizard of Oz fan site. So far he "has better things to do." Still, if he's right it ads an interesting dimension.
Steve: Shit. I forgot my song to enter the game. ZZ Top, "Just got Paid" if I was a batter and if a reliever, Willie Nelson's "Time of the Preacher"
Jim: "Jimmy Mack," by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, despite the fact that I don't go by Jimmy and my last name doesn't start with Mc or Mac. Actually, if I were making the major-league minimum, I might go with They Might Be Giants' "Minimum Wage."
Jim: Better yet: Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around with Jim." (Lyrics not linked because, after a quick search, I can't find a page that doesn't open a million pop-up ads and has the correct "its" instead of "it's" in the first two lines of the song.)
Becky: I'm tempted by Psycho Killer by Talking Heads for batting (because I'd be a big slugger). For relieving I'd go for Right Now by Van Halen, and There She Goes by the La's when I get pulled three pitches later (do we get to pick the music for when we get pulled?).
Toby: For Levi (who I've always called Leviticus), how about The Theme from Exodus or anything by Genesis.
If I was coming to the plate, I think "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" (with the crowd changing the chant to "Bad, Bad Toby Brown" would be cool. But, since I would only want to play for my favorite team, the Pirates, there's probably little chance of any crowd participation (unless we traveled back in time to about 1979).
Levi: Hell, Toby, if we're making ourselves into big-league ballplayers, we might as well throw some time travel in, too.
I'm going back to October 1985 and rescuing Vince Coleman from that tarp-rolling machine.
Jason: Batting music: Opening intro to "Money" by Pink Floyd
Pitching Relief music: "Funeral Pyre" by The Jam
Dan: Walking in from bullpen: The intro track off Dr. Dre's The Chronic (the one with Snoop talking over the sample vamp -- "If that bitch can't swim, she's bound to driz-zown.")
Batting: Handel's "Messiah"
stacey: it'd be pretty awesome if i were in the majors. i'd have to go with P.U.N.K Girl by Heavenly . . . i'd be such a punk hitter. also, i am a girl.
Toby: I've met Stacey and I think "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar would be a better choice.... Levi, you lucky S.O.B. ....
Luke: I'd do the first few measures of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, but only if the stadium had enough bass to loosen people's fillings. It'd be such a low rumble that the crowd wouldn't even notice that music were being played, except for the screws coming out of their seats.
thatbob: If I was a pitcher, I'd probably be some kind of knuckle ball/submarine closer. So a little Theremin music would be cool - maybe from the Bernard Herrmann score for The Day The Earth Stood Still? Batting, maybe the exuberant opening riffs from Les Paul & Mary Ford's "Tiger Rag"? Or would I need to be a Tiger for that?
And I have to admit that it was pretty cool. Sure, it's overblown, and AC/DC is so . . . obvious? Cliched? But the crowd was into it, and as Hoffman walked through the outfield, he did seem tougher.
This got me to thinking about the music that's played when hitters come to the plate at most ballparks these days. I used to agree with Luke (and probably most of the readers of this blog, who tend, it seems, towards traditionalism) that such displays had no place in the ballpark.
Then Magglio Ordonez happened. When Magglio--one of the best hitters ever to play in semi-obscurity--comes to the plate, the PA runs the marching chant of the Wicked Witch of the West's palace guards, the Winkies: "Oh-Ee-Oh." The crowd finishes the line, "Magg-lio." It's a low, rumbling sound, it makes wonderfully creative use of Magglio's name, and if I were a pitcher, I'd be getting ready to back up third. At the Sox game a couple of weeks ago, the scoreboard announced that Ordonez had that morning been activated from the Disabled List, and the PA--with Magglio nowhere in sight--played his music. The crowd went wild.
So my coworker, Peter, and I started having a silly discussion about what we might have played when we came to bat, were we major league players. Peter hit upon what I think is the best possible idea: Dr. Octagon's "I'm Destructive!" I kept dithering between the intro to Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and the intro to Cornershop's "Sleep on the Left Side." Or the horn intro to Gloria Jones's "Tainted Love," or Tom Wait's "Black Wings," or the Beastie Boys doing "Johnny Ryall."
I also thought about a part of a live version of "Cypress Avenue" where Van Morrison shouts"Baby!" forty-five times in a row. If that won't wear a pitcher out, I've got no hope. But I suppose if I were to be honest about my abilities, I'd probably play another Stevie Wonder song, "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing."
And what for you?
Original comments...
Steve: The Magglio chant is pretty cool if a little overblown but it brings up an interesting issue. My boss, and no slouch in the trivia department, insists that the chant actually has words and they are... "All we owe...we owe...her."
I keep telling him to put up or shutup with an internet link or Wizard of Oz fan site. So far he "has better things to do." Still, if he's right it ads an interesting dimension.
Steve: Shit. I forgot my song to enter the game. ZZ Top, "Just got Paid" if I was a batter and if a reliever, Willie Nelson's "Time of the Preacher"
Jim: "Jimmy Mack," by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, despite the fact that I don't go by Jimmy and my last name doesn't start with Mc or Mac. Actually, if I were making the major-league minimum, I might go with They Might Be Giants' "Minimum Wage."
Jim: Better yet: Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around with Jim." (Lyrics not linked because, after a quick search, I can't find a page that doesn't open a million pop-up ads and has the correct "its" instead of "it's" in the first two lines of the song.)
Becky: I'm tempted by Psycho Killer by Talking Heads for batting (because I'd be a big slugger). For relieving I'd go for Right Now by Van Halen, and There She Goes by the La's when I get pulled three pitches later (do we get to pick the music for when we get pulled?).
Toby: For Levi (who I've always called Leviticus), how about The Theme from Exodus or anything by Genesis.
If I was coming to the plate, I think "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" (with the crowd changing the chant to "Bad, Bad Toby Brown" would be cool. But, since I would only want to play for my favorite team, the Pirates, there's probably little chance of any crowd participation (unless we traveled back in time to about 1979).
Levi: Hell, Toby, if we're making ourselves into big-league ballplayers, we might as well throw some time travel in, too.
I'm going back to October 1985 and rescuing Vince Coleman from that tarp-rolling machine.
Jason: Batting music: Opening intro to "Money" by Pink Floyd
Pitching Relief music: "Funeral Pyre" by The Jam
Dan: Walking in from bullpen: The intro track off Dr. Dre's The Chronic (the one with Snoop talking over the sample vamp -- "If that bitch can't swim, she's bound to driz-zown.")
Batting: Handel's "Messiah"
stacey: it'd be pretty awesome if i were in the majors. i'd have to go with P.U.N.K Girl by Heavenly . . . i'd be such a punk hitter. also, i am a girl.
Toby: I've met Stacey and I think "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar would be a better choice.... Levi, you lucky S.O.B. ....
Luke: I'd do the first few measures of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, but only if the stadium had enough bass to loosen people's fillings. It'd be such a low rumble that the crowd wouldn't even notice that music were being played, except for the screws coming out of their seats.
thatbob: If I was a pitcher, I'd probably be some kind of knuckle ball/submarine closer. So a little Theremin music would be cool - maybe from the Bernard Herrmann score for The Day The Earth Stood Still? Batting, maybe the exuberant opening riffs from Les Paul & Mary Ford's "Tiger Rag"? Or would I need to be a Tiger for that?
Labels: magglio ordonez, music, trevor hoffman
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
We could be sleeping in the flowers
I now know what I'm going to be doing the night before leaving on this trip: seeing They Might Be Giants at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. I only wish this had more to do with baseball; unless I'm forgetting a track, I don't think they've got a baseball-related song as a group. With his solo side project Mono Puff, John Flansburgh has a song called "What Bothers the Spaceman?" about Bill "Spaceman" Lee, which I may or may not have mentioned here. (Yes, it's in the baseball song collection on my iPod.)
By the way, Jason Kaifesh suggests that some kind of "farewell dinner" get-together should be held in Chicago before the trip, on the evening of Friday, August 20th. Sounds like a good idea to me, especially if I don't have to plan it from afar. What do you think, Levi (or others)?
Jim: Thought of a semi-baseball-related lyric, from "Purple Toupee," off the "Lincoln" album: "I shouted out, 'Free the Expo 67!'" The Montreal Expos were named after Expo 67. I can already predict that they are not going to play that song at the House of Blues.
thatbob: Are you taking odds?
By the way, Jason Kaifesh suggests that some kind of "farewell dinner" get-together should be held in Chicago before the trip, on the evening of Friday, August 20th. Sounds like a good idea to me, especially if I don't have to plan it from afar. What do you think, Levi (or others)?
Original comments:
Jim: Thought of a semi-baseball-related lyric, from "Purple Toupee," off the "Lincoln" album: "I shouted out, 'Free the Expo 67!'" The Montreal Expos were named after Expo 67. I can already predict that they are not going to play that song at the House of Blues.
thatbob: Are you taking odds?
Labels: jason kaifesh, music, they might be giants
Monday, May 31, 2004
Now ensconced on the iPod
This is only tangentially baseball-related because of the "Peanuts" connection, and because it has the potential to be played on the trip: thanks to Cartoon Network kicking off the summer season by showing "Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown" this morning, I now have the two songs from the movie on my iPod. Yes, one of those is the theme song, in which Larry Finlayson sings the profound observations written by Ed Bogas that "the sunshine is brought to you absolutely free" and that "when the sun sets down, it is gone, Charlie Brown." It's almost as good of a summer song as "Kokomo"! As far as I can tell, Larry Finlayson never did anything else in his life.
By the way, the All-Movie Guide description of "Race for Your Life" (sorry, I can't link to it directly) lists some things that aren't actually in the movie, but were in other "Peanuts" animated shows (and the strip, of course), most notably "Charlie Brown gets a 'go away and leave me alone' bunkmate." Also, they claim it was made for TV (as opposed to a theatrical release), list Larry Finlayson as a songwriter (as opposed to a singer), and misspell Charles Schulz's name. So, in conclusion, do not trust the All-Movie Guide, not even if you're trying to look for additional credits for Larry Finlayson.
Levi: For my birthday, Stacey crocheted me a very nice red iPod cozy with a Cardinal on it. I'm willing to bet I'm the only person on earth with one of these.
Jim: A picture of the iPod cozy needs to be submitted to the iPod Lounge. Since I'm already a member of that site, I can do it if you e-mail me a picture.
By the way, the All-Movie Guide description of "Race for Your Life" (sorry, I can't link to it directly) lists some things that aren't actually in the movie, but were in other "Peanuts" animated shows (and the strip, of course), most notably "Charlie Brown gets a 'go away and leave me alone' bunkmate." Also, they claim it was made for TV (as opposed to a theatrical release), list Larry Finlayson as a songwriter (as opposed to a singer), and misspell Charles Schulz's name. So, in conclusion, do not trust the All-Movie Guide, not even if you're trying to look for additional credits for Larry Finlayson.
Original comments...
Levi: For my birthday, Stacey crocheted me a very nice red iPod cozy with a Cardinal on it. I'm willing to bet I'm the only person on earth with one of these.
Jim: A picture of the iPod cozy needs to be submitted to the iPod Lounge. Since I'm already a member of that site, I can do it if you e-mail me a picture.
Thursday, May 06, 2004
Much more music every morning
Apple allowed me to redownload "The Ballad of John Rocker" this morning, after, no doubt, everyone on the Cupertino campus shared a laugh about the bizarre assortment of downloads in that one particular batch of songs.
Unfortunately, none of the songs that have been mentioned in the comments to my May 3 post about baseball music are available in the iTunes Music Store. They do have some Dan Bern albums, but not the one containing "Gamblin' With My Love (Pete Rose)."
Jon Solomon: Here are some more links:
http://www.dancingaboutarc.com/lists/baseballlist.html
http://www.nwfolk.com/songlists/baseball.html
http://chicoescuela1.tripod.com/Index.htm
Jon
Unfortunately, none of the songs that have been mentioned in the comments to my May 3 post about baseball music are available in the iTunes Music Store. They do have some Dan Bern albums, but not the one containing "Gamblin' With My Love (Pete Rose)."
Original comments...
Jon Solomon: Here are some more links:
http://www.dancingaboutarc.com/lists/baseballlist.html
http://www.nwfolk.com/songlists/baseball.html
http://chicoescuela1.tripod.com/Index.htm
Jon
Labels: music
Monday, May 03, 2004
Always with more music
Thanks to Sandy for sending me an iTunes Music Store gift certificate. The baseball songs purchased with it: "Opening Day" by the Folk Implosion, "Baseball" by Michael Franks, and two tracks by John McCutcheon, "Baseball on the Block" and "World Series '57." I also bought "The Ballad of John Rocker" by Tim Wilson, but there was an error while it was downloading, and the Check for Purchased Music option isn't finding it...so let's just say that it's kind of embarrassing to be sending an e-mail regarding a song about John Rocker to Apple customer support.
Other than the previously discussed "Piazza New York Catcher" situation, the only other potential baseball song remaining on my list is now "Night Game" by Paul Simon. I'm thinking I may see if I can find a used copy of the album it appears on, "Still Crazy After All This Years," as long as I'm going to be looking for "Dear Catastrophe Waitress." It might not be a big loss if I can't find it, since "Night Game" may be the most depressing baseball song ever.
This still leaves me with some money remaining on my iTunes account, so please use the comments function or e-mail me directly if you have any suggestions for baseball songs I haven't already mentioned in this blog and that aren't on either volume of Rhino Records' "Baseball's Greatest Hits," which I already have. (Note: The songs on this CD are not baseball songs.)
Yes, I do know about the "Diamond Cuts" compilations, the track listings of which I have already been through to see what was available on the iTunes Music Store. Not a lot, it turns out, although a few of them duplicate content from "Baseball's Greatest Hits," and a few others are different artists' renditions of songs on "BGH."
Levi: There's that Kenny Rogers song from about four years ago that he played at Wrigley Field, about a boy tossing up a ball to hit it, but missing it again and again.
Don't buy it.
sandor: I don't know what your threshhold is for what makes one a baseball song. If it's pretty extremely low, you should take a listen to Steve Poltz's "Silver Lining," which has these pleasant little lines in it:
I used to rely on luck
to earn an honest buck.
I didn't feel so stuck.
I didn't limp around like John Kruk.
References to baseball and testicular cancer in one line. Pretty amazing.
Jon Solomon: "line drive to the forehead" - Blunderbuss.
There's also a SF Seals 45 with "doc ellis" and two other baseball songs.
"my black ass" by Shellac is about shadowball.
I'm sure more will come to me.
Jon
Levi: And there's a great Dan Bern song, "Gambling with My Love" about Pete Rose and Bart Giammatti meeting in a hotel room for a night of drinking, wherein Giammatti tries all night to get Rose to just be honest and 'fess up.
Steve: You can't forget Steve Goodman's "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request". The same album (Affordable Art) has Steve's mandolin-y version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
Jim: "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" is on "Baseball's Greatest Hits," volume 1, so I've already got it. One of the best baseball songs ever.
Jon Solomon: "Baseball Bat" by Courtney Love (the band, not the person) came to me while driving back from Philadelphia tonight.
Jon
maura: do you have the baseball songs by barbara manning? they're not on itunes, but a friend of mine has them on mp3.
thatbob: I'm really surprised and a little disappointed that Jon Solomon can't come up with any baseball-related Christmas songs.
Jon Solomon: This was the best I could do:
http://www.amiright.com/parody/misc/traditional5.shtml
Other than the previously discussed "Piazza New York Catcher" situation, the only other potential baseball song remaining on my list is now "Night Game" by Paul Simon. I'm thinking I may see if I can find a used copy of the album it appears on, "Still Crazy After All This Years," as long as I'm going to be looking for "Dear Catastrophe Waitress." It might not be a big loss if I can't find it, since "Night Game" may be the most depressing baseball song ever.
This still leaves me with some money remaining on my iTunes account, so please use the comments function or e-mail me directly if you have any suggestions for baseball songs I haven't already mentioned in this blog and that aren't on either volume of Rhino Records' "Baseball's Greatest Hits," which I already have. (Note: The songs on this CD are not baseball songs.)
Yes, I do know about the "Diamond Cuts" compilations, the track listings of which I have already been through to see what was available on the iTunes Music Store. Not a lot, it turns out, although a few of them duplicate content from "Baseball's Greatest Hits," and a few others are different artists' renditions of songs on "BGH."
Original comments...
Levi: There's that Kenny Rogers song from about four years ago that he played at Wrigley Field, about a boy tossing up a ball to hit it, but missing it again and again.
Don't buy it.
sandor: I don't know what your threshhold is for what makes one a baseball song. If it's pretty extremely low, you should take a listen to Steve Poltz's "Silver Lining," which has these pleasant little lines in it:
I used to rely on luck
to earn an honest buck.
I didn't feel so stuck.
I didn't limp around like John Kruk.
References to baseball and testicular cancer in one line. Pretty amazing.
Jon Solomon: "line drive to the forehead" - Blunderbuss.
There's also a SF Seals 45 with "doc ellis" and two other baseball songs.
"my black ass" by Shellac is about shadowball.
I'm sure more will come to me.
Jon
Levi: And there's a great Dan Bern song, "Gambling with My Love" about Pete Rose and Bart Giammatti meeting in a hotel room for a night of drinking, wherein Giammatti tries all night to get Rose to just be honest and 'fess up.
Steve: You can't forget Steve Goodman's "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request". The same album (Affordable Art) has Steve's mandolin-y version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
Jim: "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" is on "Baseball's Greatest Hits," volume 1, so I've already got it. One of the best baseball songs ever.
Jon Solomon: "Baseball Bat" by Courtney Love (the band, not the person) came to me while driving back from Philadelphia tonight.
Jon
maura: do you have the baseball songs by barbara manning? they're not on itunes, but a friend of mine has them on mp3.
thatbob: I'm really surprised and a little disappointed that Jon Solomon can't come up with any baseball-related Christmas songs.
Jon Solomon: This was the best I could do:
http://www.amiright.com/parody/misc/traditional5.shtml
Labels: music, sandy weisz
Saturday, May 01, 2004
One more musical note
A while back, Stacey had suggested the song "Piazza New York Catcher" by Belle & Sebastian to me. I almost got it with the code she gave me, but I instead decided to purchase the entire "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" album at some point in the future. I'm sure I'll make it to Amoeba Music at least once before the trip, and I wouldn't be surprised if they have a used copy or two (of course, the problem with going to Amoeba Music is that I can't get out of there without spending at least $40 on used CDs).
Levi: If you're feeling sinister . . . we have the disc and I could make sure the song is on my iPod . . . and yours.
Original comments...
Levi: If you're feeling sinister . . . we have the disc and I could make sure the song is on my iPod . . . and yours.
Labels: music
Friday, April 30, 2004
More ice cream, more songs
After that last rant, let's just say it's a good thing the other book of old Charles Schulz cartoons that just came out, "Li'l Beginnings," did fit into the package lockers.
Now, then: Stacey also pledged to vote at Ben & Jerry's, and also got a free song from iTunes, and passed the code along to me. I already have three different versions of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," but figured one more couldn't hurt, so I downloaded a 2003 version by someone named Kathleen Holeman, who is not listed in the All-Music Guide. Turns out it's a neat rendition, including an additional verse with some ranting against the current state of Major League Baseball.
The three versions I already had were a 37-second-long instrumental version of the chorus only, a version credited to "Bruce Springstone" parodying a certain New Jersey-based singer (both from the "Baseball's Greatest Hits" CD), and a 1909 version by a singer named Edward Meeker that I downloaded from the "public domain 78s" collection on mp3.com a few years ago.
By the way, if anybody feels like opening up iTunes and rating an iMix or two, why not try this one or perhaps this one? Sorry, no "Mix American Style" yet...that's going to be a big job, to try to substitute songs according to what's available in the iTunes Music Store. Actually, someone else has already done an iMix containing songs related to all 50 states, but they've got them in the order each state entered the union (a neat idea), and their first two songs are suspect because they're about a river that shares a name with a state ("Down Across the Delaware," James McMurtry) and a phone number in New York City that happens to have the name of a state in it ("Pennsylvania 6-5000").
thatbob: Along that vein, Oregon Hill is set in the deep south, Virginia is merely the girl's name, and of course Kansas City is in Missouri. But who am I to judge? My playlist "I Love to Count!" couldn't get past twelve.
Kathleen Holeman: Thanks for listening. I don't know if it told you when you downloaded it, but I wrote the commentary at the end of the song. The front part was the original verse. I am a jazz artist in the Kansas City MO area. My husband and I have started collecting pictures of us with various minor league (or less-than)mascots. Fun! Write back to me if you want to. http://www.kathleenholeman.com
Now, then: Stacey also pledged to vote at Ben & Jerry's, and also got a free song from iTunes, and passed the code along to me. I already have three different versions of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," but figured one more couldn't hurt, so I downloaded a 2003 version by someone named Kathleen Holeman, who is not listed in the All-Music Guide. Turns out it's a neat rendition, including an additional verse with some ranting against the current state of Major League Baseball.
The three versions I already had were a 37-second-long instrumental version of the chorus only, a version credited to "Bruce Springstone" parodying a certain New Jersey-based singer (both from the "Baseball's Greatest Hits" CD), and a 1909 version by a singer named Edward Meeker that I downloaded from the "public domain 78s" collection on mp3.com a few years ago.
By the way, if anybody feels like opening up iTunes and rating an iMix or two, why not try this one or perhaps this one? Sorry, no "Mix American Style" yet...that's going to be a big job, to try to substitute songs according to what's available in the iTunes Music Store. Actually, someone else has already done an iMix containing songs related to all 50 states, but they've got them in the order each state entered the union (a neat idea), and their first two songs are suspect because they're about a river that shares a name with a state ("Down Across the Delaware," James McMurtry) and a phone number in New York City that happens to have the name of a state in it ("Pennsylvania 6-5000").
Original comments...
thatbob: Along that vein, Oregon Hill is set in the deep south, Virginia is merely the girl's name, and of course Kansas City is in Missouri. But who am I to judge? My playlist "I Love to Count!" couldn't get past twelve.
Kathleen Holeman: Thanks for listening. I don't know if it told you when you downloaded it, but I wrote the commentary at the end of the song. The front part was the original verse. I am a jazz artist in the Kansas City MO area. My husband and I have started collecting pictures of us with various minor league (or less-than)mascots. Fun! Write back to me if you want to. http://www.kathleenholeman.com
Labels: music
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Yet another song
Of course Levi and Steve should coach Little League. It would be the only team with assigned reading every week!
I got another free iTunes song for going to the Ben & Jerry's web site on Tuesday and pledging to vote in November, so I downloaded "Joe DiMaggio Done It Again" by Billy Bragg and Wilco. It's a good thing I didn't have to pledge to eat Ben & Jerry's, since I tend to stick with ice cream with company names ending in "reyers."
By the way, the new "radio charts" feature in the iTunes Music Store is surprisingly cool, although they unfortunately don't list what's being played on Carmi's very own WROY. (They don't seem to list any oldies stations or "standards" stations...and since they also don't list any satellite format playlists, they only list a handful of AM stations nationwide.)
stacey: jim, did you know that "dreyer's" is known as "edy's" east of the rockies? this is akin the "hellman's" & "best foods" mayonnaise phenomenon.
Jim: Yes, especially since I grew up way east of the Rockies. In fact, I don't think they had Edy's in Tampa until, like, the late '80s or maybe even the early '90s. By the way, I'm still a little mad at them for discontinuing my favorite flavor ever, Banana Cream Pie, which was banana ice cream with chunks of vanilla wafers. Breyers makes a banana ice cream with chocolate chunks in it, which is okay, but I could do without the chocolate. I like banana ice cream.
I got another free iTunes song for going to the Ben & Jerry's web site on Tuesday and pledging to vote in November, so I downloaded "Joe DiMaggio Done It Again" by Billy Bragg and Wilco. It's a good thing I didn't have to pledge to eat Ben & Jerry's, since I tend to stick with ice cream with company names ending in "reyers."
By the way, the new "radio charts" feature in the iTunes Music Store is surprisingly cool, although they unfortunately don't list what's being played on Carmi's very own WROY. (They don't seem to list any oldies stations or "standards" stations...and since they also don't list any satellite format playlists, they only list a handful of AM stations nationwide.)
Original comments...
stacey: jim, did you know that "dreyer's" is known as "edy's" east of the rockies? this is akin the "hellman's" & "best foods" mayonnaise phenomenon.
Jim: Yes, especially since I grew up way east of the Rockies. In fact, I don't think they had Edy's in Tampa until, like, the late '80s or maybe even the early '90s. By the way, I'm still a little mad at them for discontinuing my favorite flavor ever, Banana Cream Pie, which was banana ice cream with chunks of vanilla wafers. Breyers makes a banana ice cream with chocolate chunks in it, which is okay, but I could do without the chocolate. I like banana ice cream.
Labels: billy bragg, ice cream, joe dimaggio, music, wilco
The magic's in the music and the music's in me
I assume, Levi, that you're only referring to songs with vocal accompaniment being performed or played at the ballpark. Because as I see it, anything is fine if it's being played live on an organ. Especially "Three Blind Mice."
Levi: You're right, Jim, And I have to admit a dirty secret: I have a soft spot for "Jump", played as the Cubs take the field at home. It sounds great, it somehow hasn't dated, and its message of the importance of taking a leap of faith seems appropriate.
Oh, and a side note. I'm not entirely certain that there is _any_ song that wouldn't be improved by being sung by Roy Orbison. Just like I think there might not be any movie that wouldn't be improved by Peter O'Toole's presence.
Original comments...
Levi: You're right, Jim, And I have to admit a dirty secret: I have a soft spot for "Jump", played as the Cubs take the field at home. It sounds great, it somehow hasn't dated, and its message of the importance of taking a leap of faith seems appropriate.
Oh, and a side note. I'm not entirely certain that there is _any_ song that wouldn't be improved by being sung by Roy Orbison. Just like I think there might not be any movie that wouldn't be improved by Peter O'Toole's presence.
Labels: music
Musical notes
1) Ross and I, to warm me up for my first vocal techniques class at the Old Town School of Folk Music (Really. I'm taking a singing class.) sang a falsetto version of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Stacey seemed horrified, but I recommend it. Until you try it, you won't realize just how high those high notes get. But I recommend you try it in the privacy of your own home, unless you're Wayne Mesmer, in which case I suggest you try it Tuesday, May 4th, which is the next time I'll be at Wrigley Field.
2) My newest unrealizable music dream is to hear Roy Orbison sing John Fogerty's "Centerfield." I agree with Rob Neyer that the only songs that should be played at a ballpark are "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," "Centerfield," and, when appropriate, "O, Canada." "Centerfield" is a great song. It's a song that perfectly conveys much of what's wonderful about baseball.
But if Roy Orbison had sung it, it would have been even better. See, I don't actually believe that Fogerty is suffering because he's on the bench. Sure, he's antsy and itching to get into the game. He's pounding his fist into his glove and imagining crashing into the wall. But he will survive if he stays on the bench and the team wins. Just being around the game will, ultimately, be enough.
Roy Orbison, on the other hand, would quickly make clear that he will die a horrible, protracted, sorrowing death if he doesn't get into the game. Failure and despair will gnaw away at his insides as the innings roll by. There would be no joy in Mudville, no joy anywhere overlooked by his Ray-Bans.
And you know what? He'd get into the game. Ultimately--think of the end of "Running Scared"--the strings would swell and the coach would give in. Roy would be centerfield. The fans might not be able to see him for their tears, but he'd be out there, ready to do his part.
sandor: I'll be at Wrigley May 4th as well. My first game of the season. Along with Sarah, Adrienne and Syd, storyteller extraordinnaire. If Wayne doesn't deliver, I bet Syd will be happy to treat you to his falsetto version. With a little hair dye and a pair of sunglasses, he'd probably even be able to do it as Roy Orbison.
thatbob: "Beer Barrel Polka," dumbass.
2) My newest unrealizable music dream is to hear Roy Orbison sing John Fogerty's "Centerfield." I agree with Rob Neyer that the only songs that should be played at a ballpark are "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," "Centerfield," and, when appropriate, "O, Canada." "Centerfield" is a great song. It's a song that perfectly conveys much of what's wonderful about baseball.
But if Roy Orbison had sung it, it would have been even better. See, I don't actually believe that Fogerty is suffering because he's on the bench. Sure, he's antsy and itching to get into the game. He's pounding his fist into his glove and imagining crashing into the wall. But he will survive if he stays on the bench and the team wins. Just being around the game will, ultimately, be enough.
Roy Orbison, on the other hand, would quickly make clear that he will die a horrible, protracted, sorrowing death if he doesn't get into the game. Failure and despair will gnaw away at his insides as the innings roll by. There would be no joy in Mudville, no joy anywhere overlooked by his Ray-Bans.
And you know what? He'd get into the game. Ultimately--think of the end of "Running Scared"--the strings would swell and the coach would give in. Roy would be centerfield. The fans might not be able to see him for their tears, but he'd be out there, ready to do his part.
Original comments...
sandor: I'll be at Wrigley May 4th as well. My first game of the season. Along with Sarah, Adrienne and Syd, storyteller extraordinnaire. If Wayne doesn't deliver, I bet Syd will be happy to treat you to his falsetto version. With a little hair dye and a pair of sunglasses, he'd probably even be able to do it as Roy Orbison.
thatbob: "Beer Barrel Polka," dumbass.
Labels: john fogerty, music, national anthem, roy orbison
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Another baseball song
I'm now 3-for-3 on winning iTunes from 20-ounce Pepsis purchased at 7-Eleven. I'd buy more if it weren't actually uneconomical (they cost $1.23 including the "CA Cash Refund" value), considering I wouldn't be buying 20-ounce Pepsis if it weren't for the fleeting fun of this iTunes contest.
Anyway, the song I purchased this time was Jonathan Richman's "Walter Johnson," with typically Jonathan Richman-esque lyrics...
I have seven more baseball songs I'd like to download from iTunes, but I probably won't be buying any more Pepsi between now and April 30th, the last day to redeem the codes for free songs (i.e., I won't be buying any more Pepsi unless they run another contest like this, because I like Coke better). If anyone has any leftover codes and has run out of songs they like, feel free to send them along.
sandor: See, if I had my act together, I'd already have built you the addition to this site that would let thankful readers (like myself) donate funds to your trip in any form they like, but preferrably gasoline credits, Pepsi bottlecaps or iTunes Store gift certificates. I'll get right on that. In the meanwhile, I'll send 99 cents your way through the iTMS.
sandor: Well, poop. The iTMS only allows gift certificates in increments of $10. The problem isn't whether I'm willing to donate 10 songs to the cause, which I of course am, but that those sneaky fuckers at Apple will be pocketing the extra 10 cents. Sniff sniff... is that salami I smell?
Jim: Apple wouldn't pocket the extra 10 cents...the entire $10 would go into my iTunes account, so I would effectively get 11 songs for a total cost to me of 89 cents. Or a full album plus one extra song for 98 cents.
Anyway, the song I purchased this time was Jonathan Richman's "Walter Johnson," with typically Jonathan Richman-esque lyrics...
All through baseball
He was loved and respected
Was there bitterness in Walter Johnson?
Well, it was never detected
I have seven more baseball songs I'd like to download from iTunes, but I probably won't be buying any more Pepsi between now and April 30th, the last day to redeem the codes for free songs (i.e., I won't be buying any more Pepsi unless they run another contest like this, because I like Coke better). If anyone has any leftover codes and has run out of songs they like, feel free to send them along.
Original comments...
sandor: See, if I had my act together, I'd already have built you the addition to this site that would let thankful readers (like myself) donate funds to your trip in any form they like, but preferrably gasoline credits, Pepsi bottlecaps or iTunes Store gift certificates. I'll get right on that. In the meanwhile, I'll send 99 cents your way through the iTMS.
sandor: Well, poop. The iTMS only allows gift certificates in increments of $10. The problem isn't whether I'm willing to donate 10 songs to the cause, which I of course am, but that those sneaky fuckers at Apple will be pocketing the extra 10 cents. Sniff sniff... is that salami I smell?
Jim: Apple wouldn't pocket the extra 10 cents...the entire $10 would go into my iTunes account, so I would effectively get 11 songs for a total cost to me of 89 cents. Or a full album plus one extra song for 98 cents.
Labels: jonathan richman, music, walter johnson
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Much more music
Forgot to mention here that I got another winning Pepsi cap on Monday, and the baseball song I purchased from iTunes was "T.E.A.M. (The Baseball Game)" from the soundtrack to the Broadway version of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." I hope you approve, Levi.
Labels: music
Friday, April 09, 2004
Black water, keep on rolling
I'm not sure if I'm going to have room on my iPod for any additional Johnny Cash songs beyond the handful I have ("Ring of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues," and a couple others). This purveyor of radio station jingles has a special this month: a "grab bag" of nine random CDs for $99, which was a deal I couldn't pass up, since those CDs are normally priced at $39(!). It won't be such a good deal if I end up with duplicates of CDs of theirs that I already own, but still...
Anyway, the comments should be functioning properly now, thanks to some remote troubleshooting by Sandy. We lost one comment in the process, unfortunately, so perhaps the person who posted said comment would like to repost her words of wisdom.
Dan: If you don't want Cash overload, yet still want to appease Levi, just bring along the Waco Brothers' fine cover of Big River -- it's on Cowboy in Flames, which you should own, anyway.
Go Mets!
-Dan
Jim: Yeah, there's a lot of music I should own but don't. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to drink that much Pepsi between now and April 30th.
Anyway, the comments should be functioning properly now, thanks to some remote troubleshooting by Sandy. We lost one comment in the process, unfortunately, so perhaps the person who posted said comment would like to repost her words of wisdom.
Original comments...
Dan: If you don't want Cash overload, yet still want to appease Levi, just bring along the Waco Brothers' fine cover of Big River -- it's on Cowboy in Flames, which you should own, anyway.
Go Mets!
-Dan
Jim: Yeah, there's a lot of music I should own but don't. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to drink that much Pepsi between now and April 30th.
Labels: admin, jingles, johnny cash, music, sandy weisz
It's not all Cardinals
Lest anyone think I've forgotten that this site isn't supposed to be solely about the Cardinals, how about them Tigers? Or those first-place Brewers?
Oh, and Jim: I have one more song request. When we enter the Quad Cities, we really need to be playing "Big River." The lady who loves the big river more than she loves Johnny Cash, you might recall, does some cavortin' in Davenport.
Oh, and Jim: I have one more song request. When we enter the Quad Cities, we really need to be playing "Big River." The lady who loves the big river more than she loves Johnny Cash, you might recall, does some cavortin' in Davenport.
Labels: brewers, johnny cash, music, tigers
Friday, March 26, 2004
Finally, almost two months after the promotion started, the Pepsi iTunes caps have shown up in Los Angeles, so I no longer have to risk a Big Gulp spilling in my car in order to try to win free music.
Even though I didn't try to cheat by tipping the bottle to look under the cap (because I don't want to get banned from 7-Eleven), I won a free song on my first try today. With it, in honor of this trip and my unintentional namesake, I purchased Joe Cocker's version of Bob Dylan's "Catfish"...
Yes, there is going to be a "baseball songs" playlist available on my iPod on the trip. Right now it's almost entirely filled with the tracks on both of the Rhino Records "Baseball's Greatest Hits" compilations. I also already have "What Bothers the Spaceman?" by Mono Puff, as well as a certain song that's playing during a current "Sportscenter" promo, which is no doubt one of Dan Rivkin's favorites. If anyone has other baseball song suggestions, pass them along. Extra points for naming songs available in the iTunes Music Store.
Even though I didn't try to cheat by tipping the bottle to look under the cap (because I don't want to get banned from 7-Eleven), I won a free song on my first try today. With it, in honor of this trip and my unintentional namesake, I purchased Joe Cocker's version of Bob Dylan's "Catfish"...
Even Billy Martin grins
When the Fish is in the game
Every season, 20 wins
Gonna make the hall of fame
Yes, there is going to be a "baseball songs" playlist available on my iPod on the trip. Right now it's almost entirely filled with the tracks on both of the Rhino Records "Baseball's Greatest Hits" compilations. I also already have "What Bothers the Spaceman?" by Mono Puff, as well as a certain song that's playing during a current "Sportscenter" promo, which is no doubt one of Dan Rivkin's favorites. If anyone has other baseball song suggestions, pass them along. Extra points for naming songs available in the iTunes Music Store.
Labels: catfish hunter, music
