Get rid of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy?”

[NashLumber]

14 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Look, this song is a tradition. Does it makes sense for Baltimore to have a song called "Thank God I'm a country boy?" as a 7th inning stretch?Nope. Does it makes sense for Boston to have "Sweet Caroline?" No it does not either..

But both are traditions and there is something fun about yelling that "Yee Hah" at the end. 

 

My wife hates the song and has been wanting it pulled for years, but just like Tony said, for whatever reason, it stuck and it's there. And I like you pointing out how Sweet Caroline has zip to do with Boston, either. Even West Ham has, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" which I think is just as irrelevant to the city, ie. the slim connection to the team was a player / longtime fan of the football team next to the stadium named Bubbles. 

To bring it full circle, Baltimore had a Bubbles, too. 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by NashLumber

[NashLumber]

The guy who first told me about Orioles Hangout wrote a song about growing up in Baltimore, leaving it and wanting to come back.  Tom Meltzer, known on OH as Webley Webster wrote it.  His band was Five Chinese Brothers and they were popular in NYC in the late 80s to the mid 90s. I love the lyrics. First verse and the closing line (bolded) are the best.

We met when he moved from NYC to NC and I used to watch O's games at his house circa '05 - '09 because he had a satellite dish and I didn't. We've been in a few bands together since his move here. 

 

Once we won the Series, took it going away 
Once we sat on top of the NFL and the NBA 
But all that's over now, time went and slammed the door 
And even I packed up and left the city of Baltimore 

You know, the older we get the more we stay the same 
I just found out my radio can pick up the Oriole games
I tune in every half-an-hour to get the score 
And remember the day's when I was growing up in Baltimore 

Back then I lived in a house, not a one-room flat 
I didn't have to work or buy food or do anything like that 
And the first girl that I ever loved lived right next door 
At night I'd take my dad's car and drive around Baltimore 

Something tells me this picture isn't right 
Like I'm forgetting how I smashed my dad's car driving stoned one 
Night 
How my parents fought, how I never even dated the girl next door 

How I was just a lonely mixed-up kid in Baltimore 
Looking back now, you know I do believe 
When I lived in Baltimore, I couldn't wait to leave 
Go somewhere else and get a brand-new start 

Now I'm dressing up the past 'cause the present is falling apart 
The older we get the more we stay the same 
Chasing after something that doesn't even have a name 
You know, we'll always trade what we've got for what we had before 

Everybody's a fool for something, I'm a fool for Baltimore

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by NashLumber

[Billy F-Face3]

^That almost sounds like a personalized Baltimore version of Country Boy, but with less variance in the musical arrangement. (Country Boy had higher peaks in the vocal melody, and also had rests and then quick lead ins to get back into it.)

The lyrics were interesting until he started singing about driving stoned and crashing his Dad's car.

[Billy F-Face3]

I'm not really a folksy type of person when it comes to music.

It's always going to be a challenge to find a song everyone enjoys, because a song that everyone enjoys doesn't exist. Everyone has different tastes.

I began to look into Artists that are from Baltimore. I knew from last years Camden Concert after the game that Dru Hill and Sisqo were from Baltimore, but they don't have a song worthy of a 7th inning stretch.

I'm surprised to learn that SR-71 is from Baltimore and so is All Time Low. Kix is also from Baltimore, although you might have a problem with the elderly folk who don't like Hard Rock if you're playing Blow My Fuse lol.

I remember one of my 1st times in the stands at Oriole Park. Not only did they play Country Boy, but they also played Matchbox 20 "3AM" during other inning changes. Somehow I never forgot that.

[glenn__davis]

Is it any coincidence that this thread was started on a day we had one of our worst losses of the season?

I THINK NOT!

[Tbone83]

I always thought it was corny and nonsensical even as a teen going to games in the 90s. And I am a rural upstate NYer. It's like using New York State of Mind as a song at a Rangers game. Here you are in a very urban area, most of the crowd are suburbanites, and you are singing that song? Never got it.

[Going Underground]

Andy Grammer is playing Csmden Yards. Maybe change the lyrics a little to I got a new lease at Camden Yards.

 

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

Is it any coincidence that this thread was started on a day we had one of our worst losses of the season?

I THINK NOT!

I agree. Never mess with the baseball Gods and traditions! lol

[JimGinSP]

 

3 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I agree. Never mess with the baseball Gods and traditions! lol

Tony be thinkin’  “Gotta take the Silverado over to Grauls Friday afternoon to pick up the apple pie and hot dogs for the cookout!”

[JimGinSP]

8 hours ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

 Kix is also from Baltimore, although you might have a problem with the elderly folk who don't like Hard Rock if you're playing Blow My Fuse lol.

Kix will apparently be performing their farewell concert at Merriweather in September, they are retiring.  When you speak of “elderly folk” you must be referring to the octogenarians in the stands as Kix’ demographic is 55+.  Kinda like folks who think putting the O’s on 98rock will attract fans from a younger listening audience.   Also not cutting edge, Seven Nation Army was released 20 years ago by the White Stripes.

[foxfield]

On 5/23/2023 at 9:11 AM, foxfield said:

I don’t care where I am.  If I hear any part of that song it makes me think of Baltimore. 

 

On 5/23/2023 at 9:18 AM, UMDTerrapins said:

That’s strictly Pavlovian. If you had grown up with Lola or Bringing on the Heartbreak as our 7th inning song, they would remind you of Baltimore too. But it wouldn’t make them any better suited for the task. 

This is tangentially true.  It could have been another song...but it wasn't.  And the endurance of the song refutes how well it is suited to the task.

The song has played for every single HOF player the Orioles have ever produced.  It was done live on the top of the dugout by John Denver himself in the WS in 1983 and performed again in Oriole Park, literally a week before he died.

The song isn't magic, but it magically connects all of us to a time when the Orioles were literally the envy of the sports world.  Is it a bit silly, well of course it is.  But so is not stepping on a chalk line on the field, or mentioning a No-No in the dugout during the game.

And frankly, the move to change it comes off, to me at least...not looking to insult you or anyone else, as an insecurity of the fans of the Baltimore Orioles.  Take me out to the ballgame isn't a better song nor is it any less silly.  But if the power were out in Wrigley, every fan in the park....even the visitors would sing along.

If you think that is simply pavlovian, then I don't know what to say.

I think they should keep it and to appease the Gods, of whom we are not worthy, I beg that this thread be closed forthwith!

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

Is it any coincidence that this thread was started on a day we had one of our worst losses of the season?

I THINK NOT!

If it had been a home game, maybe I’d be worried.  

[tntoriole]

https://youtu.be/uMaCnk-90nA

[tntoriole]

even with no fans .. 

 

https://youtu.be/dhoH8CPljrM

 

[NCRaven]

Any 7th inning stretch song has to be singalongable.  Both Country Boy and Caroline - even more so - meet that criteria.  Always like FC Liverpool and "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Edited May 24, 2023 by NCRaven