As reported 2 weeks ago, the Nationals are giving fans a chance to choose the songs that will be played in Nationals Park in certain game situations.
I have to say after seeing the current leader board that I’m a little concerned. Remember, we may be living with these traditions for the rest of your life, so if you haven’t voted, now is the time to act!
Song to be played at the 7th inning stretch
The current leaders are a close race between “Shout” by Otis Day and the Knights and “Twist and Shout” by the Beatles.
People, what are you thinking? These are fine dance songs, but they are tired and already over-used at every other stadium venue in the country. This song will be the focal point of the whole stadium during a break in action. Dancing is not required during the 7th inning stretch. Singing is. More importantly, this is a chance to create a unique Washington tradition. “You Gotta Have Heart” is uniquely Washington. Like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (which turns 100 this year, by the way), it’s sappy and old-fashioned, but it’s about baseball and it’s ours alone. It would become a unique fixture of Washington baseball that could never be co-opted by another team in another city. If you don’t know the song, you will learn it quickly enough, and before long, everybody will be singing along (no, they won’t play the verse about how we ain’t got hitters and pitchers). It’s not too late! Place your votes here. Vote now and vote often!
Song to be played after a home run
Current leaders are “Bustin Loose” by Chuck Brown, “Song 2 (Woo Hoo)” by Blur, and “”Off We Go” (the Air Force theme). Here again, my choice, “Because We Can” by Fatboy Slim is way behind in the voting, but the 2 leaders aren’t awful. Just please don’t pick the Air Force theme. Again, it’s not about which is the best song. It’s about which is most appropriate for the situation. Home runs don’t call for a sing-a-long. They call for a fast-paced, momentum-building rhythm that can whip the crowd into a frenzy. (Off We Go? Puh-lease!)
Song to be played after a victory
Current leaders are “Beautiful Day” by U2 and “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang. I’m not surprised at all. The choices in this category were all bad, and people are stuck between choosing a good song that’s inappropriate and an appropriate song that’s hackneyed and over-used. I can’t help you here.
You can listen to samples here, and then Place your votes at Nationals.com
LET TEDDY WIN 
I share your disappointment that Heart is in third place.
Bustin’ Loose is a no-brainer — Chuck Brown is from here too.
Around noon, I will posting about another D.C. musician that needs to be included in the music rotation — Danny Gatton. It was only yesterday that I had the overdue epiphany about playing some of his songs during Nats games.
Thanks William. Here’s the really depressing news. “You Gotta Have Heart” isn’t in 3rd place. It’s in 4th behind “Build Me Up Buttercup.”
THERE’S STILL TIME! VOTE VOTE VOTE!