Welcome to another Saturday night ofmusic, memories, and conversations. Last week we shared songs about the total solar eclipse and astronomy. (I was incommunicado because….I was in an RV traveling through the boondocks of New Mexico and Texas to see the eclipse….) One of the highlights of the eclipse was at Progressive Field in Cleveland, where the Guardians and White Sox waatched the eclipse with the crowd before their Opening Day game. Yes, baseball inspires music, whether about the sport itself, or with the metaphors that permeate American English.
Literal baseball — a rocker’s tribute to the game — John Fogerty, “Centerfield” —
How baseball induces heartbreak, although for my team (the Pirates), they’ll have to not win the World Series until 2087… Steve Goodman — “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request” —
Baseball metaphors are also used for….other things. Meat Loaf — “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” (go to 3:35 for the Phil Rizzuto samples) —
The Pirates are 9-4 now….but they went 20-9 in in March and April last year before doing a flop in May and finishing under .500 *again*.
Gentle reminder: Those on phones really appreciate it if you put the name of your selection in your comment along with your song; and people using screen readers need this in order to identify the video as well.
You know how this works — Put your quarter in the slot and your song in the comments. This is your Saturday night jukebox and the party starts NOW~!