When you go to any game live, it is a memorable experience, thanks to the game, the food, the attractions at the stadium, and -- of course -- great music. Songs played to cue team celebrations and player introductions allow fans to make a connection, and what better way to do it than through music? So, let’s a look at songs you may have heard at the ballpark. Maybe one of these is your favorite?
10 most iconic MLB songs
Let us begin! In no particular order:
1. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" – Chicago Cubs. Even though this has been played in many stadiums, is there really any better version than how they do it in Chicago? Harry Caray had his own special way of singing, but extending the tradition to bring in people like Eddie Vedder, Bill Murray, and even The Cookie Monster makes this a seventh-inning stretch staple.
2. "Baby Shark" – Gerardo Parra. This one is so great and so wholesome. Both the 2019 Washington Nationals and Gerardo Parra were slumping. Parra’s two-year-old daughter liked the song "Baby Shark," so he decided to use it as his walk-up song. He had two hits the first day and stuck with it. As Washington worked their way through the playoffs, it became a fan favorite. Some fans came to the games dressed up as sharks and participated in singing along. A great moment.
3. "Jump Around" with The Rally Monkey – Los Angeles Angels. Another song that helped get the fans motivated to watch their team go through the playoffs en route to a World Series title in 2002. The monkey, from the movie Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, has endured since it started in 2000, and the Angels have made numerous alterations to the primate's introductions, using popular movies like Jaws and Star Wars to usher him in. It’s a great time!!
4. "Hells Bells" – Trevor Hoffman. It’s the ninth inning, your team is down, and then you hear the tolling of the bells. AC/DC's Hells Bells spelled your doom once Trevor Hoffman emerged from the bullpen to shut the door on your night … and he did it 601 times in his career.
5. "Sweet Caroline" – Boston Red Sox. I have NO IDEA how this started, but I have been to a few Red Sox games and this song just make the whole stadium come alive, whether the Sox are winning or not. Singing the words “So good! So good! So good!” with 30,000 people makes you feel like they are all family. A special moment in a special place.
6. "Enter Sandman" – Mariano Rivera. Like Trevor Hoffman, when Mo Rivera came into the game, he was going to put you and your team to sleep. Mo had a whopping 652 saves, the major league record that may stand forever. The Sandman made a lot of visits to Yankee Stadium!
7. "(Theme From) New York, New York" – New York Yankees. After Rivera shut you down, you then got a taste of Frank Sinatra and another great song to put you to bed. “Ba ba, ba da da, ba ba, ba da da” gets lodged in your head, and even if it was your team that lost, somehow you didn’t feel as bad after hearing the Chairman croon.
8. "Wild Thing" – Ricky Vaughn. This one is a little bit of a cheat, but how can you leave this song off the list? The movie Major League, with Charlie Sheen playing Cleveland pitcher “Wild Thing” Ricky Vaughn, was a classic, and playing the song "Wild Thing" when he came out against the Yankees is a great moment. Vaughn showed great control in that appearance; he didn’t even throw a single pitch “just a bit outside”.
9. "We Are Family" – Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1979 the Pirates, led by their leader Willie Stargell, helped propel the city to a World Series win. “Pops” made the whole team feel like family, thus this Sister Sledge song was a logical choice. I loved seeing “Stargell Stars” on the stovepipe caps the Pirates had that year! Wish they would bring that back.
10. Wolf of Wall Street humming song – Tony Cruz. While researching for this article, I stumbled on this one. This is so great! Mathew McConaughey’s five minutes on screen in the movie were completely unforgettable. There are not many actors that can completely blow away Leonardo DiCaprio in any of his movies, but the scene where he is thumping his chest at a restaurant goes down as one of the very best ever put to screen. It also shows a .216 lifetime hitter can have a unique walk-up song too! It’s too bad this guy didn’t have a longer career, as this would have been amazing to see live.
These 10 songs are only just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to great songs you’ll hear. What’s your favorite?