"Boston You're My Home"

A while ago John shared the idea of creating a music club where they would have a topic and everyone would create a playlist for that topic. When the Celtics slaughtered and utterly embarrassed the Lakers to win their 17th title and give Boston its 6th pro sports championship in 7 years, I thought it would be fitting to pay tribute to my home town by making a playlist about Boston, but it never happened. Just a few months later Brady and the Patriots are in a sad predicament, so Bostonians keep their attention, as usual, on the Red Sox. So now that they have their work cut out for themselves in the playoffs, I’ll make a pathetic attempt at boosting the karma with a few of our favorite songs about the Hub. With a little help from iTunes and the always reliable internet, here’s what I came up with.

1. “Dirty Water” The Standells
This song is a must on any Boston playlist. Any true Bostonian knows about it and it is even played after Red Sox games. I’ll admit there really isn’t that much to it, but if you have a good guitar riff, a catchy line like “Boston you’re my home,” and throw in a nice dose of harmonica, you’ve got yourself a pretty good song. Sidenote: the line about “frustrated women” refers to the dorm girls from the many colleges around Boston who suffered from an early curfew back in the day.

2. “Rock and Roll Band” Boston
Obviously we can’t leave out the band named after the city. These MIT students who made it big trying to fund their way through college not only put together a repertoire of now famous classic rock hits, but they represent all those bands who got their breaks in Boston. A surprisingly long list in fact. Here’s just a few: Aerosmith, the Cars, U2 (first American concert), They Might Be Giants, and New Kids on the Block (I’m not sure we’ll claim this one) and Marky Mark (AKA Mark Wahlberg).

3. “Sweet Baby James” James Taylor
James Taylor is another artist from Boston and this is probably the first song I ever associated with Boston. I heard a live version of the song when I was young and when he sang the line “Now the first of December was covered with snow, so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston” and everyone cheered, I felt some pride in my city. The only problem was I never remember seeing a cowboy herding cattle anywhere near Boston. But it is still a good song.

4. “Boston” Augustana
I first heard this song a few months ago on the radio and actually liked it right off. I really like the piano and all the build ups. Ironically, one of the reasons for going to Boston was because “no one knows my name,” evidently they didn’t watch the TV show “Cheers.”

5. “Tessie” Dropkick Murphys
I heard these guys while I was going to BU, they were a pretty popular local band but I had no idea they were known nationally. They are the quintessential hard core irish drinking band who’ve had a few too many. Plus, I can’t get enough of the Boston accents. (I kinda wish I still had mine.) The band is a bit like flogging Molly, just angrier and with more yelling. They have a bunch of songs about Boston, but this is a remake of an ancient Red Sox fight song and incorporates everything that is great about the Boston attitude. They originally recorded this song in 2004 when the Red Sox had hopes of playoff success, but quickly found themselves in a 0-3 hole to the hated Yankees. But karma was on their side that year and they not only pulled out the most amazing playoff series comeback, but ended up winning the World Series. Go Sox!!

6. “I Want My City Back” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
After a concert tour, these guys came back to Boston and headed to one of their favorite bars in Kenmore Square only to find out it had been closed down. This song laments that sad discovery. They too have a bunch of songs more or less about Boston, but I like the intensity of this one.

7. “Boston” Five Way Friday
I randomly found this song in my iTunes after I had offered to “back up some music files” for a friend. Turns out it is pretty good. It appears that a lot of songs about Boston have to do with traveling, I’ll have to theorize about that one.

8. “Get It Like You Like It” Ben Harper
In 1918 the great Bambino kicked a piano into Willis Pond
But Johnny Damon swung a bat and grand slam that was that
86 years of curse was gone, just like you like it
Get it like you like it.

Not only does this bring back fond memories of the 2004 win, but the story of Babe Ruth dumping the piano into Willis pond actually happened, in the town I grew up in no less. Go Sudbury!! The story goes like this The bambino frequented a cottage in the town of Sudbury during the off-season while he played for the Red Sox. He was apparently an avid piano player and enjoyed playing during the parties. There are three basic versions for the story; (1) He pushed the piano out onto the frozen pond behind the house during a party for skating and music. The piano was left and later fell through the ice. (2) In a moment of drunkenness Babe gets upset and takes his anger and/or moment of stupor out on the piano and dumped it into the pond. (3) To impress party-goers with a feat of strength he picks the piano up over his heads and throws it into the pond.

9. “Back to Boston” The Rosebuds
Let me insert my disclaimer here: I really know very little about music and after 8 songs I had to go to the internet to find a few more tracks. In fact, I’m not even sure about the accuracy of any information I have written, except for the part about Babe Ruth’s piano. So let’s just say a few of these songs I just happened to stumble upon and thought were kinda cool.

10. “Boston to St. John’s” Great Big Sea
Well, Boston has a lot of boats. Um…hmm…well, I liked it.

11.”Vineyard” Jackopierce
Martha’s Vineyard is an island off the south shore of Massachusetts. It’s a popular tourist area and actually a really fun place to check out if you’re ever in the area. This song is an example of “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In all its got a couple really good lines and nice bits of music and put together works out to entertain.

12. “Brown-Eyed Girl” Jimmy Buffett
No, Jimmy Buffett is not from Boston, though he does spend a good amount of time on the islands. And no, Jimmy Buffett did not write this song. Nor does the song have anything to do with Boston, unless Jimmy Buffett sings it live at Fenway Park and tailors it perfectly for the audience. In other words, this is a great cover. It represents all those songs that get adapted to the city and turn out to be even better than the original. Plus it gives great Red Sox Karma and my wife happens to be a fine brown-eyed girl who lived for a while in Boston.

So there you have it. Let me know what you think, and better yet, if I forgot anything. I hope you enjoy and Go Red Sox!!! P.S. John & Scott consider yourselves tagged (and any one else who likes music and actually reads our blog).

Thanks to some sweet moves by my wicked awesome wife, we got most of the music up on the sites. Not all the tracks are there, nor are they the best ones, but still I'm psyched we've got something. If you want the real thing I'll make you a copy. Thanks, A you rock!

Bonus Track: "Sweet Caroline" Neil Diamond

Thanks to Ashlee and Brittany for bringing this song to my attention. It really doesn't have anything to do with Boston, but it is a huge hit at Fenway. So it is now on the album. Here's the story behind why they play it...beware, it's not for the superstitious.