My MLB Walk-Out Song Playlist

It's a question as old as time itself: if you were a Major League Baseball player, what song would be your walk-out music? What first twenty seconds of a song blared at full volume over stadium speakers would sum up who you are, and strike fear into the hearts of your opponents?

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has Enter Sandman by Metallica. Apt, but did he really pick it? Other fine examples elude me this morning.

My first inclination was to pick This Charming Man by the Smiths. A nice punchy beginning, and fitting with my general philosophy of professional sports. But, not likely to make the guys in the outfield tremble with anything but uncontrollable laughter.

So I settled on Mean Street by Van Halen. Every pigeon in the park would immediately take to the skies in a frenzied cloud of tribute to my fearsome athletic prowess. But in the end, mortal. But you'd never hear the end. So I got that going for me.

My MLB Walk-Out Song Playlist

Mean Street - Van Halen
This Charming Man - The Smiths

Just Added Junior Brown Sampler

I've been too distracted to report on some of the fine music on the Rhapsody Just Added list in the last week, so here's a start at catching up.

Several full Junior Brown albums were added this week. There were only a couple compilation tracks in Rhapsody before. Mister Brown stands out with his deep croon and anomalous guit-steel hybrid music contraption. And his willingness to smoosh country, blues, rock, and Hawaiian flavor together to fine effect.

Just Added Junior Brown Sampler Playlist

My Wife Thinks You're Dead
Party Lights
Rock-A-Hula Baby
My Baby Don't Dance To Nothing But Ernest Tubb
Semi-Crazy
Long Walk Back To San Antone

Pioneer Valley Family BBQ Primer Playlist

The Pioneer Valley Family BBQ show descends on Look Park in Northampton, MA tomorrow. Huge thanks to Stuntman Steve for conceiving a daytime, all ages outdoor mix of the finest local rock (Bum Steers, Fancy Trash, Drunk Stuntmen, Stone Coyotes) and BBQ (courtesy of Holy Smokes of Hatfield). More details are up at the Drunk Stuntmen site.

The forecast right now is for 30% chance of precipitation, toward the evening. We'll take it.

And go figure, releases from three of the four bands on the bill have slipped into Rhapsody since I last checked. Here's a primer of a playlist I cobbled together in preparation celebration.

PVFBBQ II Primer Playlist

Downtown - Drunk Stuntmen
Hammer on the Nail - Stone Coyotes
Windows - Fancy Trash
I Want To Rock - Stone Coyotes
Bullet - Drunk Stuntmen
Something Special - Fancy Trash
When Parliament Convenes - Stone Coyotes
Not Important - Fancy Trash
Heidi - Drunk Stuntmen

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

Today out to lunch, it's just straight ahead out to lunch. But always with good taste and flavor.

Happy Friday, world.

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

I Feel The Need Of A Deeper Baptism - Sister R. Mildred Barker
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen - Jimmy Witherspoon
Skinnin' A Cat - Sherman Hemsley
Theme From the Dukes of Hazzard - Waylon Jennings
Ghost Rider - Suicide
Give Me Fire - GBH

Frisky Fresh Catch Playlist

A frisky foursome of a fresh catch playlist, sure to raise a smile on yet another day of rain.

Frisky Fresh Catch Playlist

You're Only As Old As You Look - Stephen Sondheim
Evergreen - Bobby Short
Dame Un Poco De Ti - Lola Beltran
Little Girl Blue - Milt Jackson

The Easiest of Listening Monday Playlist

We ventured to the "resting place of the schmaltz" over the weekend, by which I mean the listening area of Easy 99.1FM WPLM, in eastern Massachusetts. It's become one of my favorite parts of visiting the Old Country. Just click that link, lean back, close your eyes, and count down the days until you become eligible to join AARP...

WPLM - Keeping the Schmaltz Alive in the 21st Century

Reminiscing - Little River Band
Deja Vu - Dionne Warwick
Don't Ask Me Why - Billy Joel

From the Live Well Friday Playlist

A trio of songs that swam together to the top of my Rhapsody live well this week, clamoring to be released back into the wild. All may have been covered in Drake's excellent and thorough power pop primer last year, but who can hear such fine songs enough?

Three From the Live Well Friday Playlist

Death Defying - Hoodoo Gurus
Girls - Dwight Tilley
Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe

Aqueous Fresh Catch Playlist

A few songs that helped me prepare for my maiden paddle on the western reaches of the Charles River. A successful trip indeed, and not a spot of poison ivy this time. Some fine warblers, though.

Aqueous Fresh Catch Playlist

Key Largo - Bertie Higgins
Happy Island - The Poppy Family
Island Girl - Elton John
Ain't Nothin' But A Houseparty - The Showstoppers