Back with another guest post is Caps correspondent/DJ Brad Parker.
The trade deadline is a distant memory. Filip Forsberg is not coming to DC. Any significant changes the Caps make for the postseason (if we’re fortunate enough to make the playoffs) will not involve on-ice personnel. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late to do something that can have an impact.
It’s time for the Caps to get a new goal song. No, more than a goal song – an honest to God rally song. Something that makes the fans go nuts. Something we can play in our headphones all afternoon on game day. Something that tells others you’re a Caps fan.
The fact that we don’t already have the perfect song is not for a lack of trying. There have been tunes associated with the Caps before, but none stuck.
A few years ago “Don’t Stop Believin’” tried to take the mantle, but it was never ours. That song belongs in Hockeytown, USA, not America’s Hockey Capital.
“Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation (0:53 mark is the familiar part) sounds like it was made for Tecmo Bowl.
Sure it’s fun when we all yell “Woo!” during DMB’s “Warehouse” for 30 seconds, but the real song (like most of Dave’s tunes) drones on for another 9 minutes of extended jams and unintelligible lyrics.
And we can’t leave it up to the players. The victory songs they’ve chosen over the past couple seasons leave something to be desired. When 24/7 had cameras capturing every move, the team proudly celebrated victories with DJ Pauly D’s “Beat Dat Beat”. Last year their victory song was “Drive By” by Train. A lite rock tune where a man wants a girl to know that this isn’t a one-night stand and he’ll be there for the long haul is not the stuff of locker room legends. Also, Train sucks. John Carlson picked both of those songs. His iPod is almost as horrible as his defense this season.
We all agree that @CapsGameEnt does an amazing job, but there’s nothing wrong with us lending the occasional hand.
The goal: find a song that has a strong DC connection, that isn’t an anthem for another NHL team and that as Drew Magary says, “makes me want to run through a goddamn brick wall.”
Off the top of my head, I offer the following:
Artist: Joan Jett
Song: “I Hate Myself for Loving You” has been many Caps fans’ anthem in the spring for 30 years, but the one with real potential here is ”Bad Reputation.”
DC Connection: Wikipedia confirms Joan Marie Larkin moved to Rockville, Maryland, in 1967 where she attended Randolph Junior High and Wheaton High School.
Why: Hard driving beat and lyrics that could be an “F you” from Ovi to Milbury and the Canadian press. “I don’t give a damn ‘bout my reputation, you’re living in the past it’s a new generation.”
Artist: Fugazi
Song: ”Waiting Room”
DC Connection: They were formed in DC in the ‘80s and are the iconic DC post-hardcore band.
Why: The bassline is killer with a nice hard stop about 30 seconds in and lyrics a Caps fan can relate to: “I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait.” And if you don’t think people would run through a goddamn brick wall for this song, watch this clip.
Artist: Who knows?
Song: “Hail to the Redskins”
DC Connection: Yes
Why: We all know the words. But Danny will probably sue me for making the suggestion so let’s steal from another DC team instead.
Artist: A-Ha
Song: “Take on Me”
DC Connection: Beast Mode!
Why: Again, we all know the words. And the Nats have been stealing from the Caps for a while (rocking the red outdoors, blowing huge leads in the playoffs, etc.) so why not return the favor?
Artist: Foo Fighters
Song: “My Hero”
DC Connection: Dave Grohl grew up in Springfield, VA, and attended 3 area high schools; Thomas Jefferson, Bishop Ireton and Annandale before dropping out to join the band Scream.
Why: Probably the most successful DC rock band of all time, insane drum beat and the chorus, “There goes my hero …”
mikeyvanilli
April 23, 2013 at 1:54 PM
I would love to rock out to some Fugazi at Caps games. If only the lyrics fit a little better…
Mike
April 23, 2013 at 2:00 PM
Off the top of my head,
The Offspring “the kids aren’t alright” http://youtu.be/VrZ4sMRYimw
WALE’s WALEDANCE http://youtu.be/0N428HzhqY8
Wooly Bully (I don’t know why) http://youtu.be/j1o9Hg8sORs
skinsaneasylum
April 23, 2013 at 2:26 PM
I’d suggest these as additional options:
“Make Some Noise” – Beastie Boys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSai5klswws
“Rise and Shine” – Big Gigantic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yn3pd2-CDs
“JaJunk Pt 1” – Umphrey’s McGee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOL3p0O8QSg
Alex Reed
April 23, 2013 at 3:02 PM
There are obviously political reasons behind changing it when they did, but nothing will beat Gary Glitter’s Rock & Roll 2.0. Bring it back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss96xQpRSkM
jtrue
April 23, 2013 at 3:19 PM
How about some darkest hour? another great DC band. it may be hard for some, but they have some good aggressive songs.
Manda
April 23, 2013 at 3:26 PM
Chuck Brown’s “Bustin Loose”. Or anything else Chuck Brown!
getxstoked
April 23, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Seconding the Darkest Hour suggestion, and well, they already wrote the song…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvcU9-VNITY
JP Finlay
April 23, 2013 at 7:38 PM
Great call on Waiting Room
Terps77
April 23, 2013 at 7:42 PM
LazerHawk “Shoulder of Orion”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMZvnZ7wErQ
Rare Essence “Bodysnatchers”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVWVKgA3T3k
Wcked Pixels
April 23, 2013 at 7:49 PM
Anybody got Nils Lofgren’s number???
JP
April 23, 2013 at 11:12 PM
Representing long-haired DMV rock from a bygone era, suitable for rocking the red, I give you:
Kix – Nice On Ice – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SztzgnlPVIs
Kix – The Itch – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZkRznAU-nY
FaceDancer – Time Bomb – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Ryo79g3pY
FaceDancer – Red Shoes – http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=I7pmfGQcXkU&
Catchy, fist-pumping stuff. Make it happen
Billy
April 24, 2013 at 9:32 AM
Can’t believe no one mentioned Clutch on here yet. A ton of potential picks, but just for the obvious link, how about “DC Sound Attack”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXIzmM1DaW8
ColtBrennansGhost
April 24, 2013 at 9:38 AM
“Bustin’ Loose” has gotta be up there. How much more DC can you get? Plus that fuggin’ bass line? No “Take On Me” please. That was a great moment, but as a guy who has been to a couple games I think moving it to the 7th inning stretch has really kinda bogged us down with A-Ha.
Billy
April 24, 2013 at 9:39 AM
And Earth Rocker would probably just be really fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWXzLZSNkDI
js4rester
April 24, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Tabi Bonney – Beat Rock (I’m from DC)
Any song that references “Bamma’s” is good with me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvDsYUu1HFQ
Shameless
April 24, 2013 at 11:52 AM
The Darkest Hour Let’s Go Caps link that someone posted would be pretty sick
A Fine Messi
April 24, 2013 at 3:10 PM
“Where Eagles Dare” – the Misfits
selection committee over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDuNACNP_1M
2 Legit
April 24, 2013 at 5:43 PM
2 Legit 2 Quit
-MC Hammer is always there anyway!
ILM
April 25, 2013 at 5:07 PM
@Terps77 great call on Bodysnatchers
**snatching bodies what we after**