# "Sweet Caroline" and Fenway Park **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 17, 2013, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926 "2013-04-17T10:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/21 "2013-04-18T05:39:42Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > To prove your point I haven’t a clue what The Last Unicorn is. I assume she (?) means [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPsuOEH1fY). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/22 "2013-04-18T05:44:00Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I assume she (?) means [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPsuOEH1fY). The link is broken. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/23 "2013-04-18T05:50:56Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I assume she (?) means [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPsuOEH1fY). Ah right. Looking it up I see the Irish Rovers had a big hit with it. It’s not one I’ve ever heard at ballad sessions here. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/24 "2013-04-18T13:54:32Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There’s [a much, much better song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqKHqWaTv9g) associated with the city and winning pro sports tradition (it was played full blast in the arena as Boston was winning its most recent Stanley Cup), and I may play it today in my own tribute. There’s an [even better](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessie) [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR4tTQVjHUI) associated with the Red Sox winning. I don’t know why Red Sox fans haven’t adopted it more. ---
**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:** [April 18, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/25 "2013-04-18T14:17:09Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > There’s an [even better](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessie) [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR4tTQVjHUI) associated with the Red Sox winning. I don’t know why Red Sox fans haven’t adopted it more. Tessie isn’t bad, but “Shipping Up to Boston” would be a better choice from the Dropkick Murphys". ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/26 "2013-04-18T14:31:47Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Tessie isn’t bad, but “Shipping Up to Boston” would be a better choice from the Dropkick Murphys". That was the first thing I thought if when I saw this discussion. The second thing I thought was that a song which contains the repeated line “I’ve lost my leg!” would not be the best way to show solidarity with Boston at this time. ---
**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:** [April 18, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/27 "2013-04-18T14:41:13Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > The second thing I thought was that a song which contains the repeated line “I’ve lost my leg!” would not be the best way to show solidarity with Boston at this time. Good point, I didn’t think through the lyrics. Ooh, that’s going to be interesting when that song gets played. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/28 "2013-04-18T14:43:47Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > There’s an [even better](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessie) [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR4tTQVjHUI) associated with the Red Sox winning. I don’t know why Red Sox fans haven’t adopted it more. Because it’s annoying to listen to, and not that good a sing-along. Unlike, say, the Murphys’ “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/29 "2013-04-18T14:54:29Z")
Ever since it came out that ND wrote this about Caroline Kennedy, and I did the math (I think she was about 14 when he wrote it), this song creeps me out. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/30 "2013-04-18T15:25:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Ever since it came out that ND wrote this about Caroline Kennedy, and I did the math (I think she was about 14 when he wrote it), this song creeps me out. Didn’t that come out recently? And long after the song had been adopted by the Sox? ---
**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:** [April 18, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/31 "2013-04-18T16:33:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Didn’t that come out recently? And long after the song had been adopted by the Sox? The song became the 8th inning tradition in 2002 and it has nothing to do with the subject of the song. That information came out from Neil Diamond later (2007). But I don’t think that has any impact on whether or not you can be creeped out knowing the story behind the song. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/32 "2013-04-18T16:41:17Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > The song became the 8th inning tradition in 2002 and it has nothing to do with the subject of the song. That information came out from Neil Diamond later (2007). But I don’t think that has any impact on whether or not you can be creeped out knowing the story behind the song. Neil Diamond creeps me out anyway. People singing the song just annoy me. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/33 "2013-04-18T16:45:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You can’t throw a hat out of a train in Boston without hearing Dirty Water. You really shouldn’t litter. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/34 "2013-04-18T16:54:01Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You can’t throw a hat out of a train in Boston without hearing Dirty Water. If you’re throwing things in train stations, could you please remember to throw Charlie that extra nickel? 😉 > [@USCDiver](#): > > Something … didn’t goover well. I don’t know what _does_. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/35 "2013-04-20T20:20:11Z")
A related aside here: I think the SF Giants are trying to make Journey’s _Lights_ be something of a theme song. They already play Tony Bennett’s _I Left My Heart in San Francisco_ after every home game. ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/36 "2013-04-20T22:51:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Ever since it came out that ND wrote this about Caroline Kennedy, and I did the math (I think she was about 14 when he wrote it), this song creeps me out. Not fourteen – ELEVEN. Since he was speaking nearly forty years after its original release, I suspect that Diamond just retrofitted the Kennedy connection onto the song. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/37 "2017-10-12T18:50:10Z")
Bumping this one…on the news today there was a story about a petition to [replace “Sweet Caroline” with Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” at Fenway Park](https://www.change.org/p/boston-red-sox-replace-sweet-caroline-with-tom-petty-s-won-t-back-down-at-red-sox-home-games) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/38 "2017-10-12T19:03:17Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Bumping this one…on the news today there was a story about a petition to [replace “Sweet Caroline” with Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” at Fenway Park](https://www.change.org/p/boston-red-sox-replace-sweet-caroline-with-tom-petty-s-won-t-back-down-at-red-sox-home-games) Bad timing since the Sox were just eliminated. Also, Petty was from Florida and had no connection with Boston beyond playing there a number of times. Aren’t there any other songs from Boston or New England bands or singers they could use instead? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/39 "2017-10-12T19:08:19Z")
Let’s move this over to the Game Room. Note that the thread was started in 2013. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926/40 "2017-10-12T19:26:58Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Bad timing since the Sox were just eliminated. Also, Petty was from Florida and had no connection with Boston beyond playing there a number of times. Aren’t there any other songs from Boston or New England bands or singers they could use instead? I agree. It would be a better fit for the Miami Marlins or the Tampa Bay Rays. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-caroline-and-fenway-park/655926.md?page=3)