# Name songs about sports & games **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100 "2009-06-17T19:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/1 "2009-06-17T19:31:15Z")
I was trying to think of songs about sports and games, excluding school team fight songs such as the _Notre Dame Victory March_ or Michigan’s _Hail to Victors_, or which use sports/games as a metaphor, and could only come up with three: _Take Me Out to the Ballgame_, John Fogerty’s _Centerfield_ and George Jones’ _The Race is On._ Help me out. Which ones (or thousands) am I neglecting? ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/2 "2009-06-17T19:34:54Z")
_Tessie_ (baseball - modern version by the Dropkick Murphys) \*Paradise by the Dashboard Light \*(Meatloaf, of course) certainly uses a radio baseball game as a metaphor. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/3 "2009-06-17T19:35:10Z")
The entire album _The Turn of a Friendly Card_ by the Alan Parsons Project is about gambling (cards, dice, etc.) So is that one song by Kenny Rogers… gee, what’s it called? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/4 "2009-06-17T19:43:10Z")
There are plenty from musicals: “O’Brien to Ryan to Goldberg” (_Take Me Out to the Ball Game_), “Fugue for Tinhorns” and “The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game)” (_Guys and Dolls_), “Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo” and “Heart” (_Damn Yankees!_). Also plenty of card game songs, most notably “The Gambler” (Kenny Rogers). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/5 "2009-06-17T19:49:07Z")
_Glory Days_ by Springsteen mentions baseball while reflecting on high school memories. _Rapid Roy_ by Jim Croce is about a stock car racer. _Roller Derby Queen_ also by Croce, self-explanatory. _Sailing_ by Cristopher Cross _The Boxer_ by Simon & Garfunkle ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/6 "2009-06-17T19:52:07Z")
A couple more gambling-related songs: **Wilco** - Casino Queen **Morphine** - Have a Lucky Day Oh and speaking of Wilco - there was a song about Joe DiMaggio on one of the Mermaid Avenue CDs. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/7 "2009-06-17T19:53:38Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > _The Boxer_ by Simon & Garfunkle Here are [6 other boxing songs](http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/04/seven-knockout-songs-about-boxers.html). ---
**Author:** ![pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@pantheon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantheon)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/8 "2009-06-17T20:02:53Z")
Tom Russell wrote an awesome song about Mickey Mantle called “The Kid from Spavinaw” and another great song about Ali. [http://www.desiringmachine.org/blog/2009/02/15/the-kid-from-spavinaw/](http://www.desiringmachine.org/blog/2009/02/15/the-kid-from-spavinaw/) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/9 "2009-06-17T20:08:40Z")
**Match of the Day** - Genesis **Basketball Jones** - Cheech and Chong **When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease** - Roy Harper **Faster** - George Harrison There are lots of songs about horse racing, notably “Camptown Races” and the many variants on “Skewbald”/“Stewball.” ---
**Author:** ![pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@pantheon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantheon)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/10 "2009-06-17T20:18:45Z")
oh, and Superbowl Shuffle. hahahaha ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/11 "2009-06-17T20:21:10Z")
“The Sporting Life” is one of my favorites, all the moreso because it comes from the band seemingly least likely to write a song about sports - The Decemberists. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/12 "2009-06-17T20:27:50Z")
“Stars of Track and Field” - Belle & Sebastian ETA: Also, “Lonliness of a Middle Distance Runner” by B&S ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/13 "2009-06-17T20:52:21Z")
“Birmingham Blues” - ELO. While the song is actually about missing your hometown while traveling the world as a rock star, the title of the song comes from the nickname of the Birmingham City Football Club, Jeff Lynne’s hometown football (soccer) team. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/14 "2009-06-17T20:56:14Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Here are [6 other boxing songs](http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/04/seven-knockout-songs-about-boxers.html). Also, “Boom Boom Mancini” by Warren Zevon. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/15 "2009-06-17T21:16:01Z")
Tennessee Stud (trad., a staple of Doc Watson’s) Molly & Tenbrooks (part of the bluegrass canon - can’t remember original author) Run for the Roses (Jerry Garcia Band) are all about horse racing. Real American (Rick Derringer) was Hulk Hogan’s theme song Piazza, New York Catcher (Belle & Sebastian) is about…wait for it…Mike Piazza ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/16 "2009-06-17T21:19:04Z")
_Centerfield_ by John Fogerty _All Kinds of Time_ by Fountains of Wayne ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/17 "2009-06-17T21:21:16Z")
Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) – Warren Zevon Right Field – Peter, Paul, and Mary A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request – Steve Goodman Ballad of a Ballgame - Christine Lavin ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/18 "2009-06-17T21:55:20Z")
Faster by George Harrison is about auto racing The Warriors Code by the Dropkick Murphys is about a boxer. And every year there are songs about the Superbowl contenders. That 18-0 song from a couple of years ago still breaks my heart… ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/19 "2009-06-17T21:59:07Z")
Kung-Fu Fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100/20 "2009-06-17T22:05:53Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Also, “Boom Boom Mancini” by Warren Zevon. And the criminally overlooked “Louisville Lip” by Freakwater, about Muhammad Ali. Other baseball songs: Warren Zevon, “Bill Lee” Bob Dylan, “Catfish” Barbara Manning, “Dock Ellis” (psychedelic, natch) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-songs-about-sports-games/500100.md?page=2)