Blog Archives
SPORT
I can’t say that I’m the sporty type. I simply adopted my Dad’s football team as my own, (Go the Tigers!), and I think cricket’s got to be the most boring game on earth. No correspondence on this issue please! It’s probably an indication of how much I like a challenge that I chose SPORT as our topic for this week. And because I thought it might also be a good idea to get a ‘bloke’s’ perspective on the subject matter, The Captain returned to co-present the show.
We got the show started with a fantastic song from the late Kirsty MacColl: ENGLAND 2 COLUMBIA 0. She uses the first round of the 1998 World Cup as backdrop and metaphor for romantic deceit. Here she is on ‘Later with Jools Holland’ in 2000. The band is made up of Chucho Merchan, James Knight, Pete Glenister, Dave Ruffy, Michelle Drees Ben Storey and Joey de Jesus. Very nice.
I have to admit to a guilty pleasure: I don’t mind a bit of boxing (yes, best not to cross me!). I can’t justify it. I know that it’s a violent sport but I grew up with a younger brother and we were both addicted to watching both boxing and wrestling on the tele. Boxing being so incredibly visceral and exciting and wrestling being just plain silly. So, here’s two boxing songs for you: SO YOU WANT TO BE A BOXER from the soundtrack to the film Bugsy Malone and Eminem and Shaggy sampling EYE OF THE TIGER from the film Rocky.
A couple of baseball songs followed: Billy Bragg and Wilco with an ode to one of America’s heroes: JOE DIMAGGIO DONE IT AGAIN and then John Fogerty begged “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play” in CENTERFIELD. Check out this video clip of John Fogerty performing live in 2007. Worth a look to view the guitar he uses – made from a baseball bat! Cool.
James Taylor has recently done a great covers album and we included one of the tracks this week. Originally by Jnr. Walker, the song is I’M A ROAD RUNNER. Then it was Teddy Pendergrass’s turn with LOVE TKO, a song that simply borrows from sports jargon to express the singer’s heartbreak.
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band’s song SPORT (THE ODD BOY) is a memento to school sports days. It even includes a sick note from Mum. Gotta love that.
Then it was two songs set in a pool hall: Johnny Lang with RACK EM UP and JIm Croce’s DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM. The lyrics of the latter song concern the fate of a ‘pool-shooting son-of-a-gun’ by the name of ‘Big’ Jim Walker when his ‘mark,’ Slim, from a south Alabama Honkytonk shows up to get a refund from being hustled or get revenge. Check out the video clip:
I would have been in real trouble if I hadn’t played any surfing songs, as the radio station is situated in one of Australia’s premier beach communities. My choice: The Beach Boys with SURFIN’ SAFARI and we followed that with Loudon Wainwright’s SWIMMING SONG. Here’s Loudon with this very catchy tune that even mentions the Australian Crawl.
Mic Conway’s National Junk Band are always good value as they were this week with RACE CALL OF LIFE TO DEATH from their Corporate Chook album. Very clever. Wish I had a video clip of it.
Will Smith went on to play Muhammad Ali in the biopic of the great boxer’s life but he has trouble doing even one round in I THINK I CAN BEAT MIKE TYSON. Here he is with DJ Jazzy. The video includes with cameos from Don King and Mike Tyson. Funny stuff. The year was 2005.
How could we forget to mention the bicycle? Nicely fixed when we played Pink Floyd’s BIKE and Red Hot Chilli Peppers BICYCLE SONG.
Let’s talk about Bowling. Lawn bowls really took off for a while there with everyone and his dog (literally) playing mufti bowls. And now 
Tenpin Bowling is experiencing a resurgence of popularity. My, otherwise groovy, 22 year old son and his mates have formed a team and they play in a league every week down in Sydney. It seems to be mandatory that bowling team names require bad puns. Examples: the Lucky Strikes, Rolling Pins, Spare Me, Pin Pals and my favourite: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Gutter. Personally I’m all in favour of a sport that has two toned shoes (golf being another goodie).
I didn’t discover any tracks on golf but I did find two great Bowling songs: Stephen Lynch with BOWLING SONG and TAKE THE SKINHEADS BOWLING from Camper Van Beethoven.
Now any tune that uses the term “silly mid-on” in a song, deserves to be in the list. WHEN AN OLD CRICKETER LEAVES THE CREASE, from Roy Harper, is actually quite a good song despite being about Cricket. Cream, on the other hand, are more interested in Tennis. Check out this incredibly droll clip of ANYONE FOR TENNIS? from around 1968. Could Clapton look any more bored? Hysterical.
We didn’t forget the skaters out there and happy to include HEAVEN IS A HALFPIPE from OPM. But then it was time for more football, um soccer, um football. We call it soccer, the English call it football. But whatever you call it, on a global level this game is HUGE. Even highly credible rock bands can’t stop themselves from penning songs to their heroes. The Fall gave us THEME FROM SPARTA FC and The Lightning Seeds delivered THREE LIONS. Here you go all you Soccer fans, well the English ones anyway, a clip with lots of footie, um soccer, in it.
I saw Mental As Anything live last week and they’re still belting out those party tunes. I decided to close the show with a tune of theirs that pretty much sums up the Australian way of life, being the sports mad nation that we are: SURF & MULL & SEX & FUN.
Thank you to Spirit Gym for our giveaway today of some personal training sessions. Much appreciated. And thanks to the Captain whose hilarious news items kept us entertained betweeen tracks.
Here’s the complete playlist:
England 2 Columbia 0 – Kirsty MacColl
So You Want To Be A Boxer – Bugsy Malone soundtrack
Eye Of The Tiger – Eminem Ft. Shaggy
Joe Dimaggio Done It Again – Billy Bragg & Wilco
Centerfield – John Fogerty
(I’m A) Road Runner – James Taylor (Jnr Walker & Allstars cover)
Love TKO – Teddty Pendergrass
Sport (The Odd Boy) – Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Rack ‘Em Up – Johnny Lang
You Don’t Mess Around With Jim – Jim Croce
Surfin’ Safari – The Beach Boys
The Swimming Song (Live) – Loudon Wainwright III
Race Call Of Life To Death – Mic Conway’s National Junk Band
I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Black Superman – Muhammad Ali – Johnny Wakelin
Bike – Pink Floyd
Bicycle Song – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Bowling Song – Stephen Lynch
Take The Skinheads Bowling – Camper Van Beethoven
When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease – Roy Harper
Anyone for Tennis? – Cream
Heaven Is a Halfpipe – OPM
Three Lions – The Lightning Seeds
Theme from Sparta FC – The Fall
Surf & Mull & Sex & Fun – Mental As Anything
Hey Micky – Toni Basil
Next week: Songs about FAMOUS PEOPLE.
Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.
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