My Favorite Baseball-Related Songs
- James Vlietstra
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
by James Vlietstra
January
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I was recently driving on a long road trip. I had my music playlist on shuffle. I have to say, I have one of the most diverse libraries of songs you could imagine. From Disney kids songs, to Church hymns, to gangster rap and everything in between. During one particular stretch of driving, I heard several baseball themed songs. That was ironic because I was on my way to watch my son play collegiate baseball.
I got to thinking, what are some of the greatest baseball songs of all time? So that night in the hotel, I started thinking about some of my favorite baseball-related songs.
Today, I am going to share my top 20 songs with you.
Please feel free to share your favorites with me.
20. This Used to be my playground by Madonna from A League Of Their Own soundtrack
19. Narco by Timmy Trumpet Edwin Diaz entry music
18. Hells Bells by ACDC Trevor Hoffman entry music
17. Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond A Fenway Stadium staple
16. Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen
15. YMCA by The Village People Yankees 6th Inning Grounds Crew performance
14. The Natural by Randy Newman From the Natural soundtrack
13. Cotton Eyed Joe by the RedNex A Yankee Stadium 7th Inning stretch staple
12. Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N Roses A Yankee Stadium opponent pitching change hype song
11. Wild Thing by the Troggs From the Major League soundtrack
10. Joltin' Joe DiMaggio by Les Brown Wrote in the summer of 1941 about the greatest star of the era
9. Black Betty by Ram Jam A Yankee Stadium hype song classic
8. Boys of Summer by Don Henley
7. Take Me Out To The Ballgame by Edward Meeker A 7th inning stretch staple everywhere
6. We Will Rock You/ We Are The Champions by Queen Almost 50 years after its release and still in every Little League dugout across America
5. Talkin Baseball by Terry Cashman One word: Nostalgia
4. Theme from New York New York by Frank Sinatra Ballgame over. The Yankees Win!!!
3. Gathering Crowds by John Scott The Theme song from 1980s This Week In Baseball
2. Enter Sandman by Metallica The entry song to baseball's most dominant closer, Mariano Rivera
1. Centerfield by John Fogerty The theme song to every spring
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Image from ChatGPT
Fun post! I might have to work on a Spotify playlist with these songs on this snowy day in PA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zslUua_jGy4&list=RDzslUua_jGy4&start_radio=1
There was one by Peter, Paul and Mary. I think it was called The Kid in right field.
True fact: My wife heard the line from "Centerfield" as, "Put me in cold." And she was like, "How can he be 'ready to play'? He needs to warm up!"
And that's my wife: actual concern for the well being of others, even imaginary song characters.
I remember making a tape with we are are the champions on a loop for the Giants in 1987. I still had the tape in 1998 and I remember driving into the FAA parking lot with the windows open and blasting this. The Director was waiting for me and all she did was give me a high five. Then she made me give her tge tape. next thing I know she is blasting it over the loudspeakers/intercoms.
My only thing, that was 27+ years ago, 1 marriage ago (no #2 yet), When is the next time we get to use this song for its rightful purpose?