Pomp and Circumstance, a la Macho Man.

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Mine would be the first 10-15 seconds of "Rock's Stage" from the Soul Calibur soundtrack. It's got this awesome gladitorial feeling to it.

I'm surprised no ballplayer has commissioned a composer to come up with a person 10-15 second introductory song. If I were making millions, I'd so pay $5000 or so to a guy like Junichi Nakatsuru or Akitaka Tohyama to write a themesong for me. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a trend in a few years.

Mike

Thriller, the opening bars.

My "closer music" would be King of Rock by Run-DMC, which is also the theme music, apparently, for some wrestling duo called DeGenerationX. The song kicks serious butt.

Easy Question in my world:

Limelight, by Rush. Go right to the lyrics:
"Living in a fisheye lens
caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can't pretend a stranger
is a long awaited friend"

In addition to being a big Rush fan, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Geddy Lee for a game (the day after the SARS concert)and he is very knowledgable about the game. He even keeps score!

Keeping with the comments in the "Minor League Register" thread, I would LOVE having the "Trogdor" theme too.


Trogdor was a man
Well, he was a dragon-man
Actually he was a just a dragon
But he was still

TROGDOR!
TROGDOR!

Burninating the countryside
Burninating the peasants
Burninating all the peoples
In their

THATCHED-ROOF COTTAGES!
THATCHED-ROOF COTTAGES!
...(etc.)


Ah...

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I'd prefer to have a song with no lyrics. If it had lyrics, though, it'd be about how much I hate Hamilton.


Ottawa is full of jerks
and Kingston is very bland
In Sarnia the sky is green
but it's Hamilton I can't stand


Mike

I think it's time to ask Radio Free Vestibule's opinion...

RFV - I Don't Want To Go To Toronto.

I don't have anything about London, Mike, because nobody thinks twice about London. Sorry!

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I love that song. It's really funny.

RE: London. That's the beauty of London. We're like Brigadoon.

Mike

At-Bat music? Maybe Debaser, by the Pixies.

Closing music is definitely The National Anthem, by Radiohead.

As a hitter, I'd have to go with Pat Benatar's 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot':

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

As a relief pitcher, I guess I'd use a bit from Tom Waits' 'Picking Up After You':

Well, I've told you before
I won't tell you again
You don't defrost the icebox
With a ball point pen
This railroad apartment
Is held together with glue
And I'm sick and tired of pickin' up after you.

Vestibules? No Way! Too cool. "I don't want tax on my wicker goods!"

I have all their CD's and I use to listen to them constantly then my girlfriend and most my friends thought I was weird. I told them to get a sense of humour. Oh well.

ANYWAYS!

Top of the ninth, two out at Skydome... 1 - 0 Blue Jays. Runner in scoring position. Tosca walks to the mound and takes the ball from an exhausted Ted Lilly. He pounts to the ump and bullpen. All eyes look are on me as the door to the bullpen open and out I walk to "Kashmir," by Led Zepplin.

As a batter I would use "Iron Man," by Ozzy. I'd have to skip the long beginning and just go right to the part right when the lyrics start or just before. Craziness.

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Iron Man is by Black Sabbath. You gotta give the other non-Ozzy members of that band a little credit.

About 7 or 8 years ago I was in a Licks that had a jukebox. For some reason they had a live Black Sabbath album on there that had a 15 minute long version of War Pigs. Some people got quite annoyed with me when I paid to have that song play 3 times. :)

Cheers,

Mike

I spot a trend. Closing music: "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" by (you guessed it) Black Sabbath. The song sounds like the end of the world.

Batting music... maybe Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" or the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen." Something loud and aggressive.

I don't think I'd play Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" if, say, Pedro was pitching.

Because I recognize my baseball skill level, I would play The Little River Band's "Lonesome Loser" until the Jays traded me to the Tigers who would very nearly immediately send me to Triple-A where my song would be ...

Saturday night in Toledo, Ohio
is like being nowhere at all
All through the day how the hours rush by
Just sit in the park and watch the grass die

Just two lonely truckers from Great Falls, Montana
And a salesman from places unknown
All huddled together in downtown Toledo
To spend their big night all alone

You ask how I know of Toledo, Ohio?
Well, I spent a week there, one day
They've got entertainment to dazzle your eyes
Go visit the bakery and watch the buns rise

There's much more of the song, of course, but I will let it go. For now.

Pat Benetar? Really?

Really???

Not so much in this thread yet but whenever this comes up, there usually seems to be two camps:

1) The "Rock will take over your soul, if you only bow to it's altar you will become equally god-like" camp (insert 'hip-hop' instead of 'Rock' and 'pimp' in place of 'god' if you swing that way)

and

2) The "everyone will be impressed by the clever lyrics in the song I've chosen" camp.

In a stadium with tinny speakers and 30,000+ people clapping and cheering, I have to think that Group 2 is going to come off looking like a bunch of weenies. Your choice of song will ultimately deflate the mood of the entire stadium and you'll surely strike out swinging, or hit into a double or triple play if there just happened to be guys on base.

But, it's your quarter. ;)

I had the luck and opportunity to participate in a fantasy camp at the 'dome this year. It was incredible being out there in full uniform with all the coaches, etc.
Long story short, my at-bat music was Baba O'Reilly by The Who...the part near the end where it gets all frantic and fast-paced...lots of drums.

i'm not a metal fan really, trevor hoffman used to arrive from the bulpen and warm up to ac/dc's hell's bells, that was badass. to continue the sabbath theme, chipper jones comes to the plate to crazy train by ozzy, and i gotta say sweat leaf or war pigs would sound totally intimidating.
word

I'm surprised no ballplayer has commissioned a composer to come up with a person 10-15 second introductory song. If I were making millions, I'd so pay $5000 or so to a guy like Junichi Nakatsuru or Akitaka Tohyama to write a themesong for me. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a trend in a few years.

A few years ago Snoop Dogg was writing an anthem for Ichiro to use as his theme. I'm not sure what happened to it.

I think I'd change from week to week. This week I'd have "Shine a Light" by the Constantines. Last week I probably would have said something by System of a Down or Ministry...or Killing Joke.

Sadly enough, this is something I've thought about many times. I'm sure lots of baseball fans have...

Frank Catalanotto usually comes out to 'Down With The Sickness' by Disturbed or 'Bodies' by Drowning Pool, so he has the best music of the current Jays (yes, I like nu-metal).

Other than those two, I'd probably go obscure-- 'Lapdance' by N.E.R.D. (the beginning where they sing 'I'm a dirty dog' over and over), or Apotheosis' techno remix of the opera song O Fortuna(you'd know the original opera song if you heard it, it's in lots of commercials, and was used at the beginning of Jackass)

Closer music is definately Paradise City (Guns 'n Roses)...And coming to the plate, Schism (Tool).

Glad to see someone mention Ministry. Actually, my other choice closer music would be Ministry's "Jesus Built My Hotrod"

Hmmmm...

There could be several, thinking out loud:

On the "End of the World Music" theme, there's always White, Discussion by +Live+ ("Look where all this talkin' got us, baby").

On the "Get The Crowd Going" sound, there's that bit of Tom Sawyer by Rush that the Barenaked Ladies did in Grade 9.

On the "Paul's a Big Nerd" sound, there's Grade 9 by Barenaked Ladies ("I got a blue and red addias bag and a humoungous binder!")

And finally, the song that would pump me up- to hell with what everyone else thinks - , Dinosaur Act by Matthew Sweet. ("Born on a cloud, stupid and proud, I'm gonna take you back now.")

Cheers,
Paul

Spicol is right on...the bottom line is you need to use a song that will pump you up as you step in (to the box or on the mound) and energize the crowd at the same time...I was visualising bird droppings' situation and 'Kashmir' would be great for a little energy and suspense...I might even go with a similar sound in the intro to Rage's 'Wake Up'...my batting song would be something along the lines of the intro to Linkin Park's 'Place For My Head'...kind of an escalating beat. I thought another good one was when Vernon Wells used Eminem's 'Till I Collapse'

As a batter I think I would use the intro to Sabbath's Sweet leaf. The cough running into the power chords kicks major butt and is short enought to fly by. As a closer N.w.o by Ministry would do it for me.

At least today

As a closer, I'd go for Radiohead's Everything in its Right Place. It's a little odd, I guess, but it would focus me. Batting music would be AC/DC's Thunder. My soccer team actually adopted it as my theme song, even though I'd never heard it.

The Beatles' "Revolution" for my bullpen music, please. Neil Young would get me in the mood to hit, but it's hard to choose just one riff. "Mr. Soul" works.

It looks likes there's a Ministry love-in going on in this thread. Personally, If I had to use Ministry I would prefer 'Stigmata' or 'Just One Fix'. Along the same lines 'Headhunter' by Front 242 would work nicely for a pitcher--the title is a bonus.

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I think the best music for an athlete is some rock stuff. AC/DC type stuff. It just gets you pumped. Hells Bells is perfect for a closer.

Also, when I used to play basketball back in junior high/high school I used to listen to this Tupac song from the "Above the Rim" soundtrack right before each game. Never ceased to get me going for some reason.

But for an at bat, when being riled up isn't neccessarily a great thing, I would go with something a little different...maybe La Grange by ZZ Top.

I think it would be muy cool to come out of the bullpen to Primal Scream's City. Specifally, the part where Bobby Gillespie sings, "SICK CITY / GONNA BE THE DEATH OF ME / GONNA BE THE DEATH OF ME," and then Kevin Shields stomps on the distortion pedal and just unleashes his guitar. It never fails to rev me up.

If you're going to use Primal Scream, Accelerator is a much better choice.

(Or maybe Rise, if you could get it past MLB...)

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I really wish the Jays would implement my idea of letting the fans choose the music for opposing players. It'd be a blast.

I'd love to see John Rocker stroll out of the pen to the tune of Crazy by Patsy Cline. Or something by NWA. :)

Cheers,

Mike

Not related to music but now we can sing the blues as our potential #2 starter Kelvin Escobar has reportedly signed a 3 year 18.75 millon dollar deal with the Anaheim Angels.

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I have put about 12 seconds of thought into this because much like a lot of people it changes so frequently. My walk to the plate music would be Taking Back Sunday's cover of Message in a Bottle, closer music would be Rock Lobster, just cause as I want my closer music to throw everyone off, like "What does this song have to do with anything?" Besides everyone knows there's always something weird about closers.

Closer music: 2001 A Space Odyssey (aka Ric Flair's music)

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I'm sure a lot of you read Primer, but if you haven't check out this article on a sport Steve Sax is endorsing called fastball.

You can find the rules here. It sucks that you can't lead off until the pitcher releases the ball... otherwise I'd steal every base! Unfortunately I've been told that you can't steal first, greatly limiting my chances.

Cheers,

Mike

For coming to the plate, got to be the first part of "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones.

My 9-year old son played Rookie Rep Ball for the Bolton Braves this year. The team had a final record of 31-7 and won the Ontario Baseball Association "B" level Championship in a 5-0 tournament Labour Day weekend in Thorold. Before each game, I had to play that tune full blast on the car stereo with the windows wide open. Sure got the team and the parents going!

In the bottom of the 7th (last) inning of the Championship game, the Braves were behind by three with two on and one out. My son came to the plate. As he came up, I played the opening of that song and, after fouling off two, my boy hit a 2-run line drive double over the second baseman's head. The next batter brought him home and scored on a single by the last hitter to end the game.

In any game, especially when a rally is needed, what tune could be better?!

As a closer, I'd choose something slightly different. Say, Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin; or try to intimidate via weirdness by using Pink Floyd's Brain Damage:

The lunatic is in my head.
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me 'til I'm sane.
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There's someone in my head but it's not me.

As a hitter, I'd choose Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd. Not an energetic tune, but still appropriate.

Someone already said "mine" -- Iron Man. The Beavis & Butthead song! :) I'm not sure whether the lyrics are very appropriate, or very inappropriate:

Can he walk at all?
Or if he moves, will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?

(BTW, Crazy Train" is waaay over-used... I remember Walker and Lansing using it simultaneously with the Rockies)

I'm surprised nobody's gone with the third "camp" -- the song that's a play on the player's name. That seemed to be quite popular with the early 90s Jays.

David Cone coming out to VH's "Ice Cream Man" was my fave such choice, Morris' "Jumping Jack Flash" wasn't bad. Leiter using "Light My Fire" was inspired, Henke's "Space Oddity" ('Ground Control to Major Tom') was interesting, though I wasn't terribly impressed by Mark Eichhorn's choice of "Ice Ice Baby".

"Rock You Like a Hurricane" by The Scorpions seems like a good choice for a hitter, though the only Jay I remember using it was Mike Timlin.

Suffice to say, though, pretty much anything anyone comes up with is going to be better than whatever it was Tony Fernandez was using his last stint in TO...

Ouch! George, you're right. That Fernandez tune was horrifying.

Does anybody remember the song (I think Van Halen, but not sure) Dan Plesac used to use with the Jays?

Me Grimlock always LOVED it when Fernandez came up to bat.

"Love will always(?) stand alone,
But you'll always be my HERO!"

Who WOULDN'T get pumped up to that?

Bob Dylan's Subteranean Homesick Blues

or

Marilyn Manson's Beautiful People

The former is a fantastic song, the later pumps people up.

Pat Benetar? Really?

Nope. Pat Benatar. ;)

Remember, when considering things of this nature it is important not to reverse cause and effect. The crowd reacts to the level of performance they've come to expect from a player. The piece of music heard when the player appears matters only in that it comes to serve as an identifier for the player. The player's perceived performance is what matters. And, for a professional, the focus and intensity needed to perform at his best must come from himself, must not be dependent upon external factors such as crowd or fan reaction.

If I were a Blue Jay, I'd want them to rotate the following five songs for me:

1. Organized Rhyme's 'Check The O.R.' (Geek points for anyone who knows what famous Canadian was in this pseudo-rap band)
2. Ice Cube's 'Wicked' (Awesome drum beat)
3. Big Sugar's 'Ride Like Hell' (Gordie Johnson is the Man)
4. Anthrax's 'Got The Time' (Never fails to pump me up)
5. Stroke 9's 'Kick Some Ass' (The title says it all)

A bonus is that my list conforms to Canadian content regulations. :)

I always thought that Kelvim Escobar's theme song should have been Matthew Good's 'Hello Time Bomb'.

Another obvious one - former Jay Alex Gonzalez should have had the Beastie Boys classic 'Hey Ladies'. Come to think of it, add Roberto Alomar to that one.

If Tim Johnson ever returns to the SkyDome, highlight him on the Jumbotron and play the Tea Party's 'Great Big Lie'.

When the first reliever of the night pops up in the bullpen to start throwing, they should play The Salads' 'Get Loose'.

If the reliever is coming in with the bases loaded, play The Power Station's 80's hit 'Some Like It Hot'.

For the pitcher with control problems, LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out', just to make the hitter a little more nervous.

After an opposing reliever blows a save, they should play the Neil Young song that has the line "Why do I keep f---ing up?" Then when the manager comes out to the mound to take the pitcher out, play U2's 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'.

Finally, if Bud Selig stops by, punch up the White Stripes' 'I Think I Smell A Rat'.

Organized Rhyme featured the vocal stylings of Tom Green of course. "Got the Time" by Anthrax would make a great stadium song. Good call.

No love for Joe Jackson's "Got the Time"? (j/k - Anthrax does a rockin' cover)

But for me - either as pitcher or hitter - it'd have to be Sonic Youth's "Silver Rocket" - although "Death Valley '69" would be even more awesome if the video was being played on the Jumbotron

Deos anyone know the name to the Tony Fernandez song? It was cool.

Gotta say if I was a pitcher the song I want is the first minute or so of OST - Navras, awesome song

Gotta say if I was a pitcher the song I want is the first minute or so of OST - Navras, awesome song

I don't pitch too well, so I would have to go with Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC, of course) if I was a closer. I might as well give the fans something to cheer about, because once I enter the game, never mind Gagne, the game really is over.

i prefer zombie nation by rob zomby

i prefer zombie nation by rob zomby

i prefer zombie nation by rob zomby

i prefer zombie nation by rob zomby

Wow. Great thread to bump!

I'd go with "The Game" by Motorhead. Not the greatest song ever written and some of the lyrics don't make too much sense, but it's impossible to listen to the first 20-30 seconds of it and not get pumped and focused. I think Trot Nixon used it last year.

The funniest intro music I can recall is Doug Creek's use of "It's Alright To Be A Redneck." I died laughing the first time I heard it.

Popcorn by Hot Butter.

The start of Ironside by Quincy Jones... like just the part that was in Kill Bill.. that gets me pumped up. Fun Fact: Quentin Tarantino actually used it when he was introduced at the Cannes Film Festival.

The start of Ironside by Quincy Jones... like just the part that was in Kill Bill.. that gets me pumped up. Fun Fact: Quentin Tarantino actually used it when he was introduced at the Cannes Film Festival.

as a batter the song by c+c music factory
GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT

Does anyone know the name of that song Vernon Wells uses this year.
thanks

as a batter the song by c+c music factory
GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT

Does anyone know the name of that song Vernon Wells uses this year.
thanks

Well, closer music would probably have to be a former wrestler's...
Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig..

At bat music, I think I'd want just the beat of a song called Twilight in Hell by Lillian Axe...

My "closer music" would be King of Rock by Run-DMC, which is also the theme music, apparently, for some wrestling duo called DeGenerationX. The song kicks serious butt.

Actually, it wasn't.. They used a couple variations of another song..

I don't know the name of the song or who did it (the WWE cds were never good at giving credit to the singers)

yeah all those would be good but i really like headstrong by trapt

yeah all those would be good but i really like headstrong by trapt

yeah all those would be good but i really like headstrong by trapt