Music Blog 7/10/2010

Burn On by Randy Newman (from Sail Away, Reprise, 1972)

I really didn’t want to use this song out of our LeBron/NBA free agency segment. I had Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles and Miami-related songs ready to go. But the unconscionable conduct of Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert in the wake of the departure of James (who’s clearly a moral reprobate and bad basketball player besides-thanks for letting me know, Mr. Gilbert!), leaves me no choice.

Hey, Cleveland; you should boycott the Cavs for as long as it takes to drive Gilbert out of town. Lousy management and poor evaluation of talent is the reason you haven’t enjoyed an NBA title. Consider that Paul Pierce, long Boston’s only star player, couldn’t do it alone. Same goes for Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and the list goes on. Stop blaming LeBron. Was The Decision self-indulgent and silly? Should Cavs fans feel disappointed? Yes. Does that make LeBron a terrible human being? Of course not. So just stop it.

Lollipop by The Chordettes (from The Best of The Chordetttes, Rhino/Barnaby, 1989)

What does this song have to do with sports? Listen to the program, friend, and learn about the sign-wielding martial arts granny.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Brave Combo (from Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Diamond Cuts Vol. 11, Hungry for Music, 2008)

Tejano polka just in time for the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim!

Aladin by Theo Schumann Combo (from Planetary Pebbles, Vol. 1: Surfbeat Behind the Iron Curtain)

Those nutty Russian kids! Always co-opting American culture for their own nefarious purposes, from surf music to burgers to capitalism in general…

Truckin’ by Grateful Dead (from American Beauty, Warner Bros., 1970)

It’s funny. The story to which Charlie refers has nothing to do with trucks. So I wonder why he also refers to this Grateful Dead song? Perhaps we’ll never know…

Bicycle Race by Queen (from Jazz, Hollywood Records, 1978)

Believe it or not, Only A Game had never used this song before. Amazing, since we’ve been doing bicycle-related stories since 1993 or so. Well, here it is. And we never need to do it again!