Sometimes, when I have my Ipod in, I feel as if I’m starring in a music video. Ever listen to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing, and suddenly feel like anything is possible? Or Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy, and the chair in which you’re seated starts to feel like a hammock and you suddenly feel like you’re in one of those Corona commercials where the sand is white, the ocean blue, the sun bright, and the beach desolate? Don’t tell me you’ve never imagined yourself dropping a ping pong paddle exactly 14 seconds into Enrique Iglesia’s Dimelo, followed by a slow walk towards the camera and some hand motion that involves pointing at your heart and then at another person. Maybe this is just me, but I’ve had other people confirm that they’ve imagined soundtracks to their lives as well. Tangent: if you are really rich (Oprah, A-Rod, Big Stein, I know you’re reading) you should consider hiring someone to play the soundtrack to your life as you walk around. Basically A DJ-Butler. Jeopardy theme song while choosing between Fruit Loops and Reese’s Puffs at Safeway. Can’t Touch This, when at a museum. Whatever You Like, when cashing in Gift Cards on December 26th. The possibilities are endless. Anyways, back to baseball, I’ve been trying to choose what song should be dubbed the “2009 World Champion New York Yankee Theme Song.”
Back in 2000, I went to a game where the giveaway item was a CD, sponsored by Snapple, with the Yankee Mambo (a spin-off of Mambo Number 5 ) recorded on it. Conor and I agreed that we both need do more with our lives, since we still have the lyrics memorized.
This year’s squad has a different assemblage of players, so the old Mambo seems to be a poor choice. I’ve been mostly torn between Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, New York, New York by Frank Sinatra, and Yankees Run This Town David Brody’s playoff of Run This Town by Jay-Z and Rihanna.
The decision is tough. Empire State of Mind was performed live before Game 2 and after the Yankee Ticker Tape Parade. New York, New York played after every home game. Yankees Run This Town has the lines “We got Derek Jeet-ah. Captain for a Rea-son. Won’t stop till he beats ya,” and “it’s the return of A-Rod, Praise God.”
My vote goes to Yankees Run This Town, because the lyrics make it a blast to listen too. However, I listen to that song with headphones in so that people don’t get the idea that I’m a crazed baseball fan who can’t even listen to regular music. If I had to pick a real song, like one I’d listen to in public, it’d be Empire State of Mind. The pre-game performance at the Stadium, Jay-Z’s Yankee jacket which was clearly the coolest clothing item of the year, watching Joe Girardi bob his head to the song, and Mark Teixeira as well during the Victory Parade performance made this song scream ’09 Yanks to me. As for New York, New York, I think it symbolizes AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeira arriving in the Bronx. They were big news, which was widespread. They became King of the Hill, Top of the Heap. They had little town blues, but made a brand new start of it in old New York. Okay, Toronto, Milwaulkee, Chicago, and LA aren’t little towns, but you get the idea. All great songs, which I listened to after every post-season victory. Any other songs y’all think symbolize the’09 squad?
