Athletes namechecked in songs

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Beastie Boys - "Shadrach"
"Love Mario Andretti, cuz he always drives the car well"

Big & Rich - "Love Train"
"So let's forget about the hatin' and the way the bulls are playin' Without Jordan on the team..."

Just heard LeBron James' name on the Clipse mix...

So many others.

― john'n'chicago, Monday, 17 January 2005 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Killer Mike on OutKast's "The Whole World": "I catch a beat runnin' like Randy Moss."

Joe DiMaggio shows up in "Mrs. Robinson," "Centerfield," and Woody Guthrie's "Joe DiMaggio's Done It Again."

Rockne's pretty Knute, you know, in Tim Curry's "I Do the Rock."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 17 January 2005 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Joe DiMaggio is also n/c'ed in "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel.

M-A-G-I-C Johnson, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 17 January 2005 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"I got more hits than Sadaharu Oh" - some beasties track

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Monday, 17 January 2005 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hurricane" by Dylan, obv

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

also, "Mohaaaaammed, Mohammed Ali, he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee."

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve Yzerman...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

i think Big Youth has a song called "George Foreman".....

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

rebel without a pause - public enemy

Simple and plain - give me the lane
I'll throw it down your throat like Barkley

― autovac (autovac), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't remember exactly who it was (I'll ask my friend) but there is a mid 90's rap song that has the line 'You got a bad name like Dick Butkus'

― tylero (tylero), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

also, 'lyrically I'm mario andretti on the momo, seriously fast or ridiculously slo-mo'

― tylero (tylero), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:12 (twenty-one years ago)

err s/fast/speedy

― tylero (tylero), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:16 (twenty-one years ago)

sugargliders 'top 40 sculpture' mentions some aussie footballers, inasmuch as they can be called "athletes".

also, 'up there cazaly'.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

"Bill Lee" -- Warren Zevon

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

"stars of track and field"..........

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"And I got mad hits like I was Rod Carew" - Beastie Boys

"And I'm ready to hit the switch like Mario Andretti, bitch / cause I'm steady mobbin'" - Ice Cube

― Chuckling at the Tomkat's Marquee (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"Steppin' into the jam and I'm slammin' like Shaquille
Mad boy grips the microphone with a fistful of steel"

rage against the machine - fistful of steel

― pinder (pinder), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

a-rod

jay z is all i need

― John (jdahlem), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:33 (twenty-one years ago)

There was this rapper from Seattle in the early nineties called Kid Sensation, and I'm almost positive that he referred to Ken Griffey Jr on a track. Can't recall the title though. Come to think of it, I think Junior actually rapped in the song.

― buck van smack (Buck Van Smack), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, has Steve Albini ever namechecked a baseball player?

― buck van smack (Buck Van Smack), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"Father and Son" by TISM - "Winmarr, Winmarr, Winmarr to lockett!"

Like Jim, I dont really think AFL players are much "athletes" though.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

also, kanye has that "sittin' there grillin' people like george foreman" line in "family business"

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

walter johnson - jonathan richman

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Chuck Brodsky (folky singer-songwriter guy) has a whole album of baseball songs, including one about the no-hitter Dock Ellis threw on LSD.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:06 (twenty-one years ago)

does babe ruth (the band) count?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Or indeed, Bettie Serveert in that case.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

"Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest namechecks Bo Jackson and his Nike campaign.
"Bo knows this, and Bo knows that, but Bo don't know jack 'cause Bo can't rap."

― Bruce S. Urquhart (BanjoMania), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Barbara Manning also has a song about Dock Ellis. It's part of SF Seals' Baseball Trilogy EP along with two covers: "The Ballad of Denny McLain" and "Joltin' Joe Dimaggio".

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Public Enemy - "Politics Of The Sneaker Pimps"

Hey Dr. J where you got those moves
Was it gettin high in the schools
Can it be the shoes?
...
Clyde Frazier had pumas, pullin mad consumers

Also, Beastie Boys' "Pass the Mic":
"I'm like Clyde and I rock it steady"

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, Jay-Z.

"... handle like Van Exel" from "Crazy In Love," "i am the michael shoemacher of the ROC roster" from "justify my thug" -- both relatively deep cuts as refs go, I suppose

The Wedding Present - George Best album

― pm, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Jackson -- "Billie Jean", (haha)

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 02:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"Piazza New York Catcher"!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:19 (twenty-one years ago)

"Risky, playing yourself is risky
And the flows mad jazzy like Dizzy Gillespie
And the sound be harmonious and deadly
Like a heartbeat call me the great one like Wayne Gretzky"

Groove Armada with Jeru tha Damaja "Suntoucher".

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:25 (twenty-one years ago)

'You got a bad name like Dick Butkus' That's the Alkaholiks - forget which track.

I like it when they get the name wrong, to wit: Greg Nice on Gangstarr's "Dwyck"

'I say Mohammed Ali, you say Clashus Clay'

― Austin (Austin), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm slamming niggaz like Shaquille, shit is real
When it's time to eat a meal, I rob and steal

notorious B.I.G. - gimme the loot

― autovac (autovac), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:30 (twenty-one years ago)

How could you forget "Dimaggio" in Madonna's "rap" bit in "Vogue". Best 20 seconds of music ever.

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:42 (twenty-one years ago)

damn. there's an erick parrish joint where he name checks gretzky. can't remember which one........

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:50 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread is sickening, guaranteed to make you jump like Rod Strickland.

Used to cop off my man, now I'm supplyin him
Paid the front row seat watchin Iverson
First class air crafts what I'm flyin in
To L.A., Shaq, Eddie, Kobe Bryant and them

That's not Eddie Jones, is it? What's he doing there?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:58 (twenty-one years ago)

"That's How I Beat Shaq" by Aaron Carter

Sorry, I know that was bad.

― buck van smack (Buck Van Smack), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:20 (twenty-one years ago)

the album "Home Run" by Hardfloor is dedicated to ken griffey jr......

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"Bill Lee" -- Warren Zevon

not to mention

"boom boom mancini," also by zevon

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Karl Hendricks wrote a song about Bill "Spaceman" Lee on the last Karl Hendricks Trio record.

― ng, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Big Youth - Foreman vs. Frazier
I Roy - Tribute to Michael Holding

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fall - Fit and Working Again ("... and I feel like Alan Minter")
The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy ("In the booze club, George Best does rule")

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Poem-Cees - "Joe Thiesman"

Of course, the song is not actually about Joe Thiesman.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, "I Think I Could Beat Mike Tyson"

Run-DMC, "You Be Illin'": "Today you won some tickets to see Dr. J"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Sun Kil Moon - "Duk Koo Kim," who was the boxer killed in a fight against ray "boom boom" mancini

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

graig nettles is namechecked in bruce springsteen's video for "glory days" though not in the song itself.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

and for what it's worth, duk koo kim is also namechecked in zevon's "boom boom mancini," as are arturo frias and alexis arguello.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

2 Skinnee J's have some pretty funny ones:

"Who'sits, what'sits, I does this 'cause I loves it.
I run right through the hole gettin' hard like Dick Butkus."

and there's another one on the same album though I can't remember the whole verse:

"I roll you to the mat like I'm Rowdy Roddy Piper"

― martin m. (mushrush), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Overnight Celebrity: "give you ice like Kobe's wife"
C-Rayz Walz, "These Bills": "we can all duke it out like Cherokee Parks"

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

ryne sandberg is gratuitously namedropped on a song on danny and dusty's lost weekend. i think it's on "song for the dreamers" though i might be wrong about that.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Catatonia, "Do You Believe In Me"

"I'm Andy Cole's tortured soul, lost out again in front of goal"

― sibsi (sibsi), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Just like Muhammad Ali, they called him Cassius!
--LL Cool J, "Mama Said Knock You Out"

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Shed loads of HMHB stuff, notably "Outbreak of Vitas Gerulaitus".

"Give Peace A Chance". (Bobby Charlton).

― Si Carter (Si Carter), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

super furry animals - smokin'?

"I've got brownies in my pocket and I'm feeling okay
Gonna find all my answers with minimum delay
Can I manage my time just like Johan Cryuff
If we do it together we've got meaning of life"

― Louie Strychnine, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 10:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"Merry Merry Merry Frickin' Christmas (World Champion Red Sox Anthem)" by Frickin' A, of course! Any song where Yankee fans eat shit is fine by me.

School's out Christmas break
Back to Boston, the Red Sox in four straight

First the Yankees then St. Louis
The curse, reversed, the Bambino really blew it

Derek Jeter's lost his mind
Trippin' on a broom stick, better luck next time

Have a Merry, Merry, Merry Frickin' Christmas
All you New York Yankees fans can kiss this
The tree the gifts the mistletoe kiss
Swing, a miss, Steinbrenner's really pissed
Have a Merry, Merry, Merry Frickin' Christmas

Joe Torre, he's a weirdo
Gave me a picture of himself in a Speedo

Hey A-Rod, you gotta feel the sting
You could have come to Boston to wear a World Series ring

We all know you're chokin' on your lunch
Try a knuckle sandwich and the Varitek punch

It's gonna be a Merry, Merry, Merry Frickin' Christmas
All you New York Yankees fans can kiss this
The tree the gifts the mistletoe kiss
Swing, a miss, Steinbrenner's really pissed
Have a Merry, Merry, Merry Frickin' Christmas

2004 the best Christmas yet
A World Series ring
I was sick of hearing 1918

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, has Steve Albini ever namechecked a baseball player?

Satchel Paige in 'My Black Ass'

― DJ Mencap0))), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe it took me this long to think of Terry Cashman's "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke" (Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider, for those of you who don't follow American baseball). There are undoubtedly other athletes mentioned in it but I haven't heard the song since the days of watching "This Week in Baseball" in the early '80s.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Jay-Z:

"Ivizu jeans cover the rectum/ I kick game just like David Beckham."

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

"Gretzky Rocks" - The Pursuit of Happiness, _Where's the Bone_
"Kasey Keller" - Barcelona, _Zero-One-Infinity_
"Fifty Mission Cap" - The Tragically Hip, _Fully Completely_ ("Bill Barilko disappeared that summer...")
"Bradman", Paul Kelly, _Hidden Things_ or _Under the Sun_

― Chris Hill (Chris Hill), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

olympic version

2pac - all about you (bruce jenner)
tribe - da booty (mary lou retton)
chubb rock - chubb rock the one (nadia comaneci)
wu tang - reunited (jim thorpe)
ultramagnetic mcs - yo black (mark spitz)
wu tang - older gods (dorothy hamill)
rza - handwriting on the wall (flojo)

etc

― rentboy (rentboy), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

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