Thursday, June 11, 2009

What should the Mets' sing-along song be? This Yankee fan has some suggestions

After months of Met fans' complaining about "Sweet Caroline," the Mets are having a contest - again - to replace the song. (So much for last year's contest for a new eighth-inning sing-along!)

Squawker Jon, as a Yankee fan, I feel compelled to give your team some guidance as to a a better sing-along pick than the creepy "Sweet Caroline."

According to Metsblog, there will be eight songs competing. The Mets' front office has picked four songs for this contest:
  • "Meet the Mets"
  • "Shout"
  • "This Land is Your Land"
  • "Twist and Shout"
"Meet the Mets" is good, but both "Shout" and "Twist and Shout" rival "Whoomp There It Is" and "Rock and Roll Part II" is being completely overplayed at sporting events. A little originality, please.

Then again, who the heck picked "This Land Is Your Land"? While it certainly is an original choice, is this supposed to be competition for the Yankees playing "God Bless America" in the seventh inning? (Remember, that's literally why Woody Guthrie wrote the song in the first place, as his response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America.")

It makes me wonder if, much like how Ronan Tynan sings the forgotten first verse of "God Bless America," that the Mets will play this forgotten verse to "This Land Is Your Land":
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

Free those luxury suites! Let the masses into the Ebbets Club! Power to the people!

The Met front office also asked WFAN hosts Boomer and Carton to come up with some choices. Here are their picks:
  • "Blame it on the Boogie"
  • "Curly Shuffle"
  • "I Like It Like That"
  • "Mama Said Knock You Out"
While "I Like It Like That" is another played-out song, bringing back the "Curly Shuffle" tradition would make sense.

LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out," with its lyrics about "Don't call it a comeback/I been here for years/Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear" is a great choice for an at-bat of a once-struggling, now hot hitter. It would be great at-bat music for, say, Gary Sheffield. For an eighth-inning sing-lalong? Not so much.

"Blame It on the Boogie," as popularized by the Jackson Five, is a catchy - and original - choice. Unfortunately, I can see it being used as an excuse in postgame interviews:

Reporter to Jerry Manuel: Why did you pitch Sean Green in that situation?
Manuel: Blame it on the boogie.

Reporter to Johan Santana: Why did you pull a Mike Gundy and yell "I'm a man" when Manuel took you out of the game?
Santana: Blame it on the boogie.

Me to Squawker Jon: Why did you write that post slamming the Yankees?
Squawker Jon: Blame it on the boogie.

* * *

But really, why don't the Mets just kick it old-school and bring back the 1986 hit "Let's Go Mets Go"? When you've got a video featuring Joe Piscopo, Howard Stern, and Dr. Joyce Brothers, among other celebs, how do you leave that sitting on the shelf? Good times!

What do you think should be the Mets' singalong song? Leave us a comment!


12 comments:

Young Ogelbie said...

Simple. Just read-do the words to the old Mets Theme Song... "Meet the Mets, beat the Mets... Step right up and Defeat the Mets... They are a terrible team... you know it so... I have to say that they really blow... "

repeat chorus...

Anonymous said...

Lisa ..

Why would you even care what the Mets song is ...isn't that's Jon's territory???

I could care as much about the Mets song as I do about the Mets...which is close to nothing.

I think Pinstripes all the way ...Yankee Pinstripes that is ....

Peggy

Go Yankees 2009 !!!

Lisa Swan said...

Peggy, when have I ever restrained myself when talking about stuff that I technically might not have the right to do so? ;)

Anonymous said...

True Lisa ..lol. I just consider it a waste of good space using it on the Mets.. :o)...

Go Yankees 2009 !!

NAM said...

Peggy and Lisa,

forgive my lack of Yankee knowledge, but what is the Yankee's theme song or tradition toward the end of a game?

Anonymous said...

Nam...

Start spreading the news...I'm leaving today ...I want to be a part of it ..New York, New York...

The city that's so nice ..they named it twice .. :o)..

Thanks Mr. Sinatra ...

When the Yankees would lose they would play Liza Minnelli's version ...I believe she got upset over it and they have stopped...Frankie plays all the time now.

Peggy

Go Yankees 2009 !!!

Uncle Mike said...

A song for the Mets? Hmmmm... After the chokes of 2006, '07 and '08... Cue Elton John: "What do I say when it's all over? And sorry seems to be the hardest word! It's sad, so sad, it's a sad, sad situation, and it's getting more and more absurd!"

NAM: The Yankees' theme song is called "Here Come the Yankees," it came out in 1967 when the team stunk (you might remember who won the Pennant that year), it was an obvious attempt to counter "Meet the Mets," and the lyrics are so awful I won't even post 'em here.

The music, which I first heard on the Channel 11 broadcasts of the late '70s, can still be heard at the beginning and end of John Sterling & Suzyn Waldman's broadcasts on WCBS. The music's fine, it's the lyrics that stink.

But when the game is over, we play Frank Sinatra's version of "Theme From 'New York, New York.'" It used to be that it was played after wins, while after losses the original version, by the film's star (along with Robert DeNiro) Liza Minnelli, was played -- not that there's anything wrong with that. Or is there? Because Liza objected, so now we only play Frank's version. Over and over and over again until the Stadium is empty. (Even Frank and songs about New York get on your nerves after a while.)

Somewhere, there must be a nice song about Boston. But "Dirty Water" doesn't make anyone want to visit.

NAM said...

Thanks for the info. I should have known that! I did not know the tradition about the Liza version. I do remember reading or hearing years ago that she was upset that he "stole" her song.

Dirty water isn't the most flattering song, but for some reason we love it.

Good luck tonight. At least after it's over we can all go bury our heads in inter-leauge play for a few weeks.

Anonymous said...

New York, New York never gets on my nerves especially if it's a WIN !!!

They still play "Here Come the Yankees" at the Stadium sometimes ..it's not as awful as Uncle Mike makes it out to be but it's not winning a Grammy either ... lol

Nam ...I'm hoping for a win tonight so I don't have to read all the fans who are about ready to jump off the bridge. I'll take being one or two games out in June ...I remember when we were 14 out at the end of July and that turned out pretty good ... :o). The season is wayyyyyyyyyy too young to panic. I've learned that well in my many years as a Yankee fan. It's not where you start but where you finish ..

After tonight's game ...Bring on those Mets !!!

Peggy

Go Yankees 2009 !!!

NAM said...

I know what you mean Peggy. One team wins 7, the other loses 7 and suddenly things are scary!

Have a good one!

Noreen

Paul from Boston said...

That video was pretty cheesy. Joe Piscopo and the bobblehead scene? Wow.

Anonymous said...

Simple!the mets song should be somebody call 911 shorty fire burning on the dance floor oh oh oh oh!I've got to cool her down she will bring the roof to ground on the dance floor oh oh ohh oh!

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