Music On Only A Game

The Snake by the Isley Brothers (Wand 45, 1962)

This is a sports show, so you're probably thinking this song is about Terry Bradshaw, but you’d be wrong.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Stan Musial (from Diamond Cuts: Turning Two, Hungry for Music, 1998)

Stan saying goodbye on the wistful harmonica. The consolation here is that you can listen to it again and again.

Liar, Liar by The Castaways (from Liar Liar: Best of Castaways, Plum Records, 1999)

The Castaways were a mid-'60's garage rock band from the Twin Cities, which begs the question "By what boat did they castaway to Minneapolis and/or St. Paul?" Yeah, I know, there are a lot of boats on the Mississippi, but how often are there actual castaways on the Mississippi?

Pelican Parade by Allen Toussaint (from Happy Times in New Orleans, Soul Jam Records, 2011)

Happy times in New Orleans, indeed. The citizens get to keep their NBA team, and the team gets nicknamed for a bird that Chief Ornithologist Petchesky insists is the baddest of all birds. Let the Audubon temps roullez!

We Are the Champions by The Bustees (from Welcome to Busterland, Ska Revolution Records, 2011)

Man, Freddy sounded very Jamaican on this one…

Race Car Driver by America Hearts (from Be My Jones 7", 2010)

This sounds like Mantovani, only without the strings, and like Up With People, only without the up.