The Nats’ marketeers announced the official results of their stadium playlist survey. The good news? With 11,000 votes cast, our own HSJ fave, Chuck Brown’s “Bustin’ Loose”, has rightfully earned the honor of Official Nationals Home Run Song! While I can’t fault the verdict, the competition was decidedly lame:
Home Run Song Final Standings
1. Bustin Loose by Chuck Brown
2. Song 2 (Woo Hoo) by Blur
3. Off We Go (Air Force Theme) by Robert Crawford
4. Because We Can by Fat Boy Slim
5. Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation
But when you’re right, you’re right. Go ahead, give it a click and try not to Dougie…I dare you:
The bad news? The winning “7th Inning Stretch” and “Victory” songs are so unbearably wrong that HSJ is conducting its own independent polling to challenge the results and determine whether fans will accept or reject these new official anthems. Please take a second to vote your conscience with a few simple clicks in the polls below, and we will share your reactions with John Guagliano, the Nats’ VP of Marketing and Broadcasting who ran the survey. Let’s take it one tune at a time.
1. The Nats’ 7th Inning Stretch Song is now officially “Shout” by the Isley Brothers (not Otis Day and the Knights, the fictional, lip-syncing band from the movie Animal House).
Don’t get me wrong, I love “Shout”, in an all-ages-wedding-dance sort of way, but I categorically reject it as our 7th inning stretch anthem. And I am definitely throwing my hands up and shouting, because all these nominated tracks feel hopelessly uninspired and overused; some even purloined from other parks:
7th Inning Stretch Song Final Standings
1. Shout by Otis Day and The Knights
2. Twist and Shout by The Beatles
3. Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
4. You Gotta Have Heard by Damn Yankees The Musical
5. September by Earth Wind and Fire
6. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers
7. YMCA by the Village People
8. Rock Me Gently by Andy Kim
What say, Nats fans? Are you really ready to “Shout”? Check your selection in the poll below,or write in another tune in the “Other” box, then click on the VOTE icon.
2. The Nats Victory Song is now officially “Beautiful Day” by U2.
Another unoriginal and overplayed pick, especially considering the Twins and Brewers both already claim it as their victory anthem. The Yankees have “New York, New York”. The White Sox have “Sweet Home, Chicago”. The Dodgers have “I Love LA”. The Red Sox with “Dirty Water”. Other teams have even written their own catchy little jingles like “Go Cubs Go” or “Orioles Magic”. None of these top picks offers Nats fans something special; something that really speaks to their DC pride:
Victory Song Final Standings
1. Beautiful Day by U2
2. Celebration by Kool And The Gang
3. Dancing In The Streets by Martha Reeves and the Vandelas
4. How Do You Like Me Now by Toby Keith
5. Rock and Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter
Got the perfect Victory Song suggestion? Something worthy of capping a Nats “W”? By all means, write it into the poll!
Thanks for chiming in, folks! For the ultimate spring training playlist, click here for a handy guide to Nats players and their walk-up songs. Not quite sure quite how to welcome Nate McLouth with “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister, but as long as he’s hitting dingers and stealing bags, he can walk up to whale songs for all I care.
Categories: For the Fans, Polls
halfstreetjournal.com 
I do not think they should have survey-tested the Chuck Brown home-run song in the first place. As far as I know, it is our one original tradition, dating back to the 2005 Opener at RFK, where DC native Brown performed in person. As a new team, we are thin on traditions—we should keep this one forever, and not survey-test it in the future.
The 7th inning stretch song should be, above all else, a dance record. What on EARTH are Andy Kim, the Foundations, and Kenny Rogers doing on that list? Who–tell me, please, using his or her actual name–put YMCA on the list? Should we add Who Let the Dogs Out or the Macarena to complete the insult to the people of the DC area? Journalists and census-types document an incredible phenomenon–the rise of something called the Creative Class. Writers, bloggers, musicians, graphic designers, artists–and the DC area usually leads the ENTIRE country in terms of the size and impact of our creative class. And we are supposed to choose from “Build me up Buttercup” and “Rock Me Gently” for a song at a baseball game? Do we mean to tell out-of-town guests who attend Nationals games, that the people of Washington are no more creative than the people in Akron?
Has ANYONE in the Nats organization ever heard of Marvin Gaye? He is a DC native who cut awesome dance records (and unbelievable non-dance records too–but that’s for another topic). It would be blissful to hear “Wonderful One” at Nats Park!
Cut/paste “Celebration” into my above diatribe. It’s been DONE people, it’s been OVERDONE. It could NOT be more tired. Fire the staff member who let this thing on the list. The creative class wants originality! What would happen if you skipped over Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” sell-out and played their “Jungle Boogie” instead. People would dance, that’s what!
I was really saddened to see James Brown left completely off the list. I estimate he has performed in Washington over 150 times. What would happen if they played, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” after the 7th inning stretch. People would dance, that’s what!
And so, a disappointing, middling exercise, conducted by tin-ears and pedestrians, determined not to present America, but Generica.
Spot on, BreakBad! Bo Diddley also called DC his home, and even recorded a young Marvin Gaye in his basement studio.
What about his original “Who Do You Love”? The Nats, that’s who! Give it a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAGoqMZRLB4
Or, maybe “Bo Diddley”…good crowd clapping potential for a 7th Inning Stretch? Peep it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMZjAOoX6nw
There’s also a Chuck Brown cut called “Game Seven” that we could save for special occasions 🙂 http://youtu.be/adPHiOkaUvU