I will not sit silently as you mock and curse my God

Isn't "sitting silently" exactly what you are supposed to do in the face of mockery if you are a Christian? Seemed to work for Jesus hundreds of martyrs after him.

Bryan Srabian is obviously a thinly-disguised pseudonym for Sabean himself. Let 100 conspiracy theories bloom !

Either that or Sabean likes to hire people with similar names. Is there an usher named Byron Sabine in SF?

His name is Brian Wilson, and his theme song isn't "Brian Wilson"? Lame

The Bare Naked Ladies song? That doesn't sound intimidating enough, but I'd play it were I an organist at a visiting park on the offchance he came in to protect a Giant lead.

"Brian Wilson" is about a guy who stays in bed for a year. "Walking On Sunshine" is more terrifying.

Generally I'm all about separating church and baseball unless the church IS baseball, but I'm totally okay with this.

"We don’t want to manufacture any false atmosphere." This from the team that had Barry Bonds!
http://sportslocker.blogspot.com/

I liked in the other thread where they were discussing classical music to enter into the game. Last year Gagne could have entered into Rangers games with The William Tell Overture or something like that. Other ones that were mentioned that would work was 2001 (which I thought was Blue Danube, but someone Also sprach Zarathustra is it's title) and Flight of the Valkyries. I can see a few other great classical music working just as well.

Seemed to work for Jesus hundreds of martyrs after him.

...who were generally persecuted for their REFUSAL to be silent. You are seriously misreading Christian belief.

With the name Brian Wilson, wouldn't he be better off with "Good Vibrations" ?

His name is Brian Wilson, and his theme song isn't "Brian Wilson"? Lame

So I'm lying here just staring at the ceiling tiles
And I'm thinking about what to think about
Just listening and relistening to "Smiley Smile"
And I'm wondering if this is some kind of creative drought

I don't think that passes for intimidation. It conjures images of Derek Lowe's final year as closer.

C'mon, he's closing for the GIANTS. I don't think hearing his loud music 3 or 4 times this year will hurt anything.

The Blue Danube Waltz is in 2001 but Also sprach Zarathustra is probably the one you are thinking of. Some Ennio Morricone would work as well.

C'mon, he's closing for the GIANTS. I don't think hearing his loud music 3 or 4 times this year will hurt anything

I know you are going for the joke, but the Giants will still probably win 50 games this season, and since they are such a bad team most of those games are going to be close, closers on bad teams figure into a higher percentage of a teams wins than on a good team. Yes closers on good teams get more chances, but pretty much every team in baseball is going to get between 45-70 save opportunities.

"I can see a few other great classical music working just as well."

The Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore would be decent. And of course, Wagner is nice and bombastic - Ride of the Valkyries is the common choice, but there's other stuff that'd work, too.

If you're willing to go into movie soundtracks, then the "Anvil of Crom" theme from Basil Poledouris's soundtrack to "Conan the Barbarian" is pretty intimidating. Lots of brass. And I second GGC's Morricone recommendation.

Can't keep all these Brians straight without a scorecard.

"I can see a few other great classical music working just as well."

Mars: The Bringer of War, by Holst

I suggested the Verdi Dies Irae from the requiem, but I'm going to have to add some staging direction as well. If the closer is running out, that ruins it. He has to walk deliberately and menacingly out to the mound. Possibly in slow motion.

The same would be true for the same from Mozart's Requiem, probably. (And maybe he could walk out in F. Murray's cape and mask.)

Some abbreviated version of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach might work.

Ooooooooooh I've got it. To really inspire fear and dread, a good 7-minute clip of Schoenberg's Erwartung, all the way from the entrance to the end of warmups.

I'm sure Szym has some suggestions....

The guy's name is Brian Wilson, and there's more discussion of Barenaked Ladies than the Beach Boys? I shudder to think what would happen if some team brought in Japanese pitcher Kazuhito Ono as their closer.

Either there's some serious generation gap here, or there are way too many Canadians on this board.

Some Ennio Morricone would work as well.

Definitely, but kind of closer dependent. A Fistful of Dollars' trumpet theme would work great if you have one of those beefy, grizzled guys with a fu manchu/gunfighter mustache. A Goose Gossage/Rod Beck type.

Either there's some serious generation gap here, or there are way too many Canadians on this board.

Both, Wok is young and lived in Canada.

The trumpet from Patton would be cool, too.

I always thought that the opening theme to the Sopranos would be a good theme for a closer. There could be copyright issues at play.

ye olde double poste

The trumpet from Patton would be cool, too.


Allegro con fuoco from the New World Symphony would work too.

Mars: The Bringer of War, by Holst
I suggested that and the overture from "Rites of Spring"

Am surprised noone use Led Zep or Iron Maiden. No Quarter or Number of the Beast would work pretty good imo

EDIT : Actually Hallowed be thy name works even better than Number of the Beast

As I noted in the last music thread, the March to the Scaffold from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is great music for any baseball role. And anybody can use it considering I have to relinquish my dibs due to being 30 soon and probably not being able to throw even 75 anymore.

I kind of like "Helicopter" by Bloc Party.

Are You Hoping for a Miracle?

It's not enough, it's not enough

Kind of like taunt.

You could do the Holloween theme, as a closer, and make your way out to the mound by walking as slow as you possibly can.

shudder to think what would happen if some team brought in Japanese pitcher Kazuhito Ono as their closer.

He'd get the nickname "Sonny"

You could do the Holloween theme, as a closer, and make your way out to the mound by walking as slow as you possibly can.

This idea I like. They should include a few screams in the background - preferably with images of opposing batters striking out.

O Fortune Plango Vulnera, from Orff's Carmina Burana.

Closer music has officially jumped the shark.

They should include a few screams in the background...

Wilhelm!

Karl-Heinz Stockhausen - Helicopter String Quartet.

"The Field of the Dead" from Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky.

Here are some suggestions for specific closers:

Joe Nathan- "That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. There are way too many drug references for a team to use the song, but "the smell of death surrounds you," is an intimidating, badass lyric.

Jose Valverde- "La Grange" by ZZTop. Cool song, and it has to belong in Texas. If Valverde grew a long beard, it would look even better. Bagwell even set that precedent in Houston. If he was driven to the mound by a Cadillac convertible (or Top's Eliminator car), the PR department gets bonus points.

Jonathan Papelbon- "shipping up to boston" by the Dropkick Murphys. He may already be using this song. If not, he ought to be.

Kevin Gregg- "Push it to the Limit" from the Scarface soundtrack. Only works in Miami. Probably not possible, but walking to the mound with a white tiger on a leash improves the aesthetics.

J.J. Putz- "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead. Frenetic, high energy, intense.

Francisco Rodriguez- "Mas y Mas" by Los Lobos. The song doesn't work for an anglo closer, but it might be perfect for K-Rod.

Francisco Cordero- "Master of Puppets" by Metallica.

Joel Zumaya (when he starts closing)- "Rock you like a Hurricane" by The Scorpions. He's another good candidate to get Ace of Spades. Does he already have theme music?

Todd Jones- theme music from "Benny Hill." Hilarity ensues as baserunners chase each other around the diamond.

Houston Street- "Renegade" by Styx

Joakim Soria- Carmina Burana. I don't know if he's the guy, but this song should go to someone who becomes epically good.

Manny Corpas- "Trampled Under Food," by Led Zeppelin

"I always thought that the opening theme to the Sopranos would be a good theme for a closer. There could be copyright issues at play."

The Pirates used to run a video piece with that as the music, so I bet it'd be OK.

"O Fortune Plango Vulnera, from Orff's Carmina Burana."

Good tune, but crappy lyrics for a closer.

You could do the Holloween theme, as a closer, and make your way out to the mound by walking as slow as you possibly can.

Mike Myers used to use this, for shockingly obvious reasons. Even playing on a loud speaker in Yankee Stadium it's pretty creepy music.

Aaron Heilman uses Seven Nation Army, which I like. Papelbon does already use Shipping Up to Boston, which was driving me insane last night because I couldn't think of the name of it.

Isn't "sitting silently" exactly what you are supposed to do in the face of mockery if you are a Christian? Seemed to work for Jesus hundreds of martyrs after him.

I know so many people who think they can do it alone
They isolate their heads and stay in their safety zones

Now what can you tell them
And what can you say that won't make them defensive

Hang on to your ego
Hang on, but I know that you're gonna lose the fight

March to the Scaffold from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is great music for any baseball role

Mood is right, but too much dynamics to work in that setting.

The first ten notes of Schubert's "Unfinished" would work, if played at a loud enough volume.

I second the choice for "Flight of the Valkyries" as a closer theme.

Or, the choral portion of Beethoven's 9th Symphony (approximately 57 minutes into the song).
(This is often referred to as the "Die Hard" section by fans of the movie)

I take it "The Roof is on Fire" Isn't a usable song.

And anybody can use it considering I have to relinquish my dibs due to being 30 soon and probably not being able to throw even 75 anymore.


No problem if you're a lefty.

I still think that the first six seconds or so (ending at the gunshot/doorslam drum hit) of "Wouldn't it be nice" would work quite well.

Papelbon does already use Shipping Up to Boston, which was driving me insane last night because I couldn't think of the name of it.

So that's the song you were talking about with the bagpipes?

So that's the song you were talking about with the bagpipes?

From The Departed, yes, that would be it. Although now that I think about it, I'm not sure it has bagpipes. But nevermind.

Most Dropkick Murphys songs have bagpipes... debating which song to use to wake up a dorm in orientation led to the first recorded use of the term 'bagpipe riff'.

Someone, sometime will use "Tiny Dancer" as intro music, and it will be hilarious.

There are two versions of Shipping up to Boston, one with bagpipes, and one with a fiddle playing the same line. One was the original recording and the other was used for the movie, though I can't remember which was which.

One was the original recording and the other was used for the movie, though I can't remember which was which.

Well, whichever was used in the recent Simpsons parody is the one floating around my head, FWIW.

Someone, sometime will use "Tiny Dancer" as intro music, and it will be hilarious.

You make it sound like it's a bad song!

Actually, "Saturday Night Is Alright (For Fighting)" is a good one.
But only once per week, I guess.

How about Brahms Lullaby?

When the visiting team's closer enters the game, I nominate You're So Vain. It combines the proper amount of sedation and mockery.

I shudder to think what would happen if some team brought in Japanese pitcher Kazuhito Ono as their closer.

He'd absolutely need to use the Yoko Casionos.

Todd Jones- theme music from "Benny Hill." Hilarity ensues as baserunners chase each other around the diamond.

I've read this three times, and laughed every time.

Manny Corpas- "Trampled Under Food," by Led Zeppelin

Which album was that from? Physical Rotini?

I shudder to think what would happen if some team brought in Japanese pitcher Kazuhito Ono as their closer.

Which brings us back to Barenaked Ladies.

I'd like to see someone take a different approach and use Penderecki.

I keep waiting for teams to adopt derisive and/or pathetically wussy music for when the road team's closer enters. Why not?

In the thread last week it seemed to be determined that the ideal song for that purpose would be Peabo Bryson's "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love". My nomination was a tossup between Phoebe Snow's "Poetry Man" and Keith Sweat's "I Wanna Be Your Santa Claus". But Peabo is better.

It seems clear that hitters don't put as much thought into their at-bat music as closers do in their entrance music. There's really no excuse for Xavier Nady not using "X Gonna Give It To Ya".

Huston Street needs "Stop dragging my heart around"

With the amount of chicks in love with him and dudes crapping their pants because of how scary he makes every save situation I think it's a good fit for both sides of the story.

I keep waiting for teams to adopt derisive and/or pathetically wussy music for when the road team's closer enters. Why not?

This would be ideal.

I don't remember anything in that song about Tom Petty crapping his pants.

Couple years ago, a guy on my coed softball team made a CD with each player's requested song, brought a boombox to the game, and played each player's song as he/she came to the plate. It was pretty fun. My song was Back to the Motor League by Propagandhi.

I'd like to see someone take a different approach and use Penderecki.

WINNER!

You're my hero, seriously. Good show.

Huston Street needs "Stop dragging my heart around"

No, he should use this.

Technically it's pronounced differently, but the song has no words anyway.

I don't remember anything in that song about Tom Petty crapping his pants.

Tom's getting along in years...pretty soon I'm sure we can expect a song from him on this.

Has there been a thread around here discussing what song you would use for your own intro music? This is something my friends and I have hashed over at the park for years now. One of them wants "Wake Up" by Rage Against The Machine, I want 2Pac and Dre doing "California Love". You really need something that works immediately, and both of those are pretty good.

You could do the Holloween theme, as a closer, and make your way out to the mound by walking as slow as you possibly can.

I've always said my intro music would "Ghost Town", by the Specials.

Or Black Nite Crash, by Ride, but that's not very Halloweeny.

I really enjoy the idea of Rick Rolling opponents, maybe even on every at bat.

Has there been a thread around here discussing what song you would use for your own intro music?

I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could:

1. "Do U Lie?" by Prince

2. Almost anything sung by Van Dyke Parks

3. "Tiptoe through the Tulips" by Tiny Tim

4. Almost anything by Harpers Bizarre -- maybe their version of "Anything Goes"

"Firestarter" - Prodigy

Ok, that may not work. Unless Eric Gagne wants it.

One of them wants "Wake Up" by Rage Against The Machine,

Nate Field of the Royals used that a few years ago. It's something to hear a song played in Kauffman Stadium that mentions the CIA killing Malcolm X.

How about "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" (Adverts)?

I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could


"Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?" by Culture Club works on at least two levels.

I think I'd have to use Tom Sawyer by Rush. Not original, but still totally awesome.

Nine Inch Nails - Closer

I've seen a college baseball player use "Shipping Up To Boston" as his at-bat music and it works really well for that, especially considering most of the other players chose some generic rap with one or two metal songs in there hearing that bagpipe really stands out and sounds good.
Plus the kid who uses it is a red-haired MA kid, so it really works

PS-I love the Murphys

I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could:

"Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" by Lesley Gore. I win.

When Smoltz transitioned to the closer's role in late 2001, he made it clear he didn't care a wit about the intro music played when he entered the game. The Braves tried a number of generic rock songs and none really worked. So, naturally, one night the person in charge of music decided it would be hilarious to play ABBA's "Dancing Queen." Smoltz started caring then.

"I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could"

'Why Can't We Be Friends?' - War
'Mmmbop' - Hanson

I'm not a huge Korn fan, but, It's On! would make a great closer intro, especially if you can make it last through the first verse:

Come on!

Save some for me, it's what I like.
I wanna play, you know it's time.
Something is calling, I can't keep from falling.
Come on!
It's on!
<fade out after It's on>

It's hard to think of good closer music. I would want something fast and overpowering, like In Flames or Rocket From the Crypt, but what it really is is the soundtrack to a guy walking out onto the field, so instead of that you need something sort of ominous and theatrical. "Fishing" by Public Image Ltd. might be good. Plus the lyrics are basically a series of insults, which can be seen as directed at the team that is about to lose.

As a hitter, there are far more options. It has to be something that puts you in the mood to accomplish something. I would go with "Creeper's Reef" by Fifty Tons of Black Terror.

Or, of course, this.

Whale sounds may not qualify, but it would be terrible.

I would play Johnny Cash's version of Hurt, wear a massive amount of eyeliner, and walk to the mound at half the speed of Lee Smith.

I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could

Spanish Flea?

"I would go against the grain, and try to find the wimpiest song I could"

Coming right up!

I think that if I were picking a song for me, I would go with this one.

Least effective closer music- The Boy Least Likely To, I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTI7Bvj99ic

Only the lame songs have jumped the shark. Here's another newer option that my friend Steve Moyer of Baseball Info Solutions told me about. Turbonegro: Get it on. He'd give up the baseball stats if someone would just put him in charge of music at a ballpark.

If we're picking newer, stronger, better, faster music for player introductions, I'm voting for a myriad number of songs by MUSE.

"Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" by Lesley Gore. I win.

"Music Box Dancer". You lose, I win.

"Color My World" would also be a good wimptune. Or anything Insuffjan Stevens has ever done.

"Bubblegum Factory" - Redd Kross

"Walk Along the Rooftops" - The Blue Nile

"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" - Smiths


As beautiful as it is, the Ravel Piano Concerto in G probably wouldn't really be the best choice, either.

Closer, by Nine Inch Nails. Most Definitely.

I can't believe you guys are seriously trying to present anything as wimpier than a twee fake-reggae song performed by barking dogs.

ooh- muse's knights of cydonia would be great

The opening to Apocalypse Please is the way to go if you're doing Muse. Any closer entering to that better not be bringing any weak shlt up to the plate.

If we're picking newer, stronger, better, faster music for player introductions, I'm voting for a myriad number of songs by MUSE."

"Knights of Cydonia" for a closer, "Plug In Baby" for a hitter? Those could work for me.

If I was a closer, I'd probably pick Ride of the Valkyries or "Territorial Pissings" myself.

There would be no jam hotter nor more intimidating than the sample music from a Casio SK-1 keyboard.

Also probably not the best choices: One, Two, Three.

I vote for some Mastodon

Or maybe I'd go with Marquee Moon by Television. Then I'd walk in from the pen like Lee Smith so they could get the whole guitar solo in before I got to the mound.

"Shipping Up To Boston" is my occasional ringtone. Usually around St. Pat's day.

Can we all agree that the Dropkick Murphies are the worst punk band of all time. What kind of deranged asstard likes that ####?