A Daily Desultory

Nats Pick Stadium Music (Updated)

Yes please. (Photo by Sam Kittner)

Mea major culpa, full list of song choices below, Chuck Brown is indeed included, apologies to the Nats.

This asking-the-fans-to-pick-the-music trend has been percolating for a few years--remember last spring, when fans were allowed to pick David Wright's at-bat music--but the Nationals have now entered the American Idol era with a wide-ranging musical plea to their fans. From this morning's release:

Through an online voting system, fans may select the song the team plays after a Nationals Home Run, during the Seventh Inning Stretch (immediately following baseball's traditional "Take Me Out To The Ballgame") and after a Nationals victory....

Fans may choose from a selection of songs, including "Because We Can" by Fat Boy Slim or "Song 2 (Woo Hoo)" by Blur for the Home Run song, and "Build Me Up Buttercup" by The Foundations or "Shout" from Otis Day and the Knights for the Seventh Inning Stretch. Choices for the Nationals Victory Song include "Beautiful Day" by U2 and "How Do You Like Me Now" by Toby Keith.

UPDATE: The full list of choices:

Home Runs: Because We Can (Fatboy Slim), Bustin Loose (Chuck Brown), Kernkraft 400 (Zombie Nation), Off We Go--Air Force Theme (Robert Crawford), Song 2-Woo Hoo (Blur).

7th Inning Stretch: Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations), Rock Me Gently (Andy Kim), September (Earth Wind & Fire), Shout (Otis Day and the Knights), The Gambler (Kenny Rogers), Twist And Shout (the Beatles), YMCA (Village People), You Gotta Have Heart (Damn Yankees The Musical).

Post-game Victories: Beautiful Day (U2), Celebration (Kool and the Gang), Dancing In The Streets (Martha Reeves and the Vandelas), How Do You Like Me Now (Toby Keith), Rock and Roll Part 2 (Gary Glitter).

I guess I'll endorse Blur, Buttercup and none of the above in the three categories. Seriously, couldn't we work one Chuck Brown tune in here? Bad Brains? Minor Threat? Even the lamentable Good Charlotte chaps at least have the benefit of being local.

If "Shout" becomes the 7th Inning tradition....well, I just feel like with a new stadium, a new team, a new quadrant, a new outfield, a new scoreboard and a new concessionaire, it might befit the team not to choose a 7th Inning anthem that is regularly played in every sports venue in the country.

I call that the audacity of hope, and I believe that yes, we can seize our future. But that's the beauty of democracy, I guess. Voting begins tomorrow at 9 am; no word if write-ins are accepted, but I'd be curious to hear your musical additional ideas.