Seven Songs About Baseball

The 2016 World Series was a nail-biter to the end with the Chicago Cubs pulling out a one run victory over the Cleveland Indians in the 10^th inning and ending their 108-year losing streak. And how do they celebrate? With music, that’s how.

Early this morning, the team posted a new video for their Eddie Vedder-penned anthem, “All The Way,” which was written in 2007 and released in 2008. The original video shows players holding up signs saying “all the way,” while the new one displays people celebrating in the streets of Chicago.

Vedder isn’t the only rock artist to write a song about America’s favorite pastime. There are many rock songs written about a particular team, a player or the game in general.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at seven of the best baseball songs written by popular musicians.

1.       John Fogerty, “Centerfield”: This song is an ode to the start of a brand new season. The lyrics exude a passion and nostalgia for the game, putting himself in the shoes of a player eager to get out on the field.

2.       The Baseball Project, “Monument Park”: This song is a history lesson in baseball’s greatest moments. The song is a blend of nostalgia and storytelling. Just like “Centerfield,” Monument Park” puts the singer into the shoes of a player, albeit one that might not be very good. But he still plays for the love of the game.

3.       Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, “My Oh My”: One thing Macklemore is good at is detailed storytelling in his music and this song is no different. In it he details how he would listen to baseball on the radio with his father. It is a touching tribute to Dave Niehaus, who announced for the Seattle Mariners and to the city that Macklemore calls home.

4.       Dropkick Murphys, “Jimmy Collins’ Wake”: Any song by the Dropkick Murphys is guaranteed to be boozy, rowdy and perfect for a baseball celebration. The song might mention Jimmy Collins, the first manager of the Boston Red Sox, but is clearly more of a team fight song than anything else.

5.       Bruce Springsteen, “Glory Days”: Though not specifically about baseball, “Glory Days” makes mention of an encounter Springsteen had with an old little league teammate at a bar years later where they reminisced about the “good old days.” It’s a commentary on nostalgia and being stuck on one’s past accomplishments.

6.       Billy Bragg and Wilco, “Joe DiMaggio’s Done It Again”: An alt-country barn-stomper, “Joe Dimaggio’s Done It Again” puts a melody to lyrics that Woody Guthrie had written in 1949 about the famed Yankee player. The melody is catchy and simple, highlighting the words well.

7.       Ben Gibbard, “Ichiro’s Theme”: Gibbard wrote this song about Japanese baseball player Ichiro Suzuki, who became a player for the Seattle Mariners in 2012. Very complementary to the player, the song maintains his signature airy indie-rock sound, managing to be about the sport without sounding hokey.

With baseball being one of America’s greatest pastimes, it is no wonder that the game finds its way into popular music. These songs prove that songs directly about sports don’t have to be reserved for stadiums and certainly don’t have to sound like “Take Me out to the Ballgame.”

Find music from many of these artists and more in-store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. We carry thousands of titles on vinyl, CD and cassette, as well as music and culture memorabilia.