Sports Anthems – Hidden, Interesting & Fun Facts

I love sports. I love music. So, arguably “stadium rock,” or “anthem rock,” or “sports rock,” or whatever you want to call it should be my favorite genre.

Well, it’s not. But it is a pretty cool cultural phenomenon.

Now, what’s interesting about it is that these songs are just as likely to come from Florian Senfter or Steam as from the Stones or Queen. In fact, there’s lots of interesting things about these songs.

I’m including some of those factoids, sample lyrics (esp. those of the inane, inappropriate, or incomprehensible variety), and a funny / unusual / bizzare result from Google Images. All in reverse order of popularity.

Enjoy!

20.  Let's Get It Started / Black-Eyed Peas, 2003

• Originally titled “Let’s Get Retarded”
• “Bob your head like me, Apl.de" was originally "Bob your head like epilepsy”
• Won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
• Was in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, American Dad & a Walmart commercial

Party, party
Party, party
Party, party
Party, party
Party, party (up in here)

19.  Whoomp! (There It Is) / Tag Team, 1993

• Tag Team was 2 guys, one who was working at a strip club at the time
• He spent $25K to press 800 records
• Rejected by a number of record companies
• Came out a month after “Whoot, There It Is” (which was really just a coincidence)
• Lyrics have a Disney theme
• Currently in a Geico commercial, with the ice-cream-oriented chorus of “Scoop, there it is!”

WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Go MICKEY)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Get busy)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Come on, Come on)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: YEEEAAAAAHHHH)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Go Donald)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Get Busy)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: Lemme INNNNN)
WHOOMP, there it went (Tag Team: YEEEAAAAAHHHH)

18.  Hip Hop Hooray / Naughty by Nature, 1992

• Includes samples from James Brown, the Isley Brothers, Cannonball Adderley & Peter Gabriel
• Spike Lee directed the music video
• In it appear Queen Latifah, Eazy-E, Kris Kross, Tupac Shakur & Run–D.M.C
• Was Ken Griffey Jr,’s walk-up song & was played after homers in Yankee Stadium

Don't lamp with a freestyle phantom
Ain't tryin' to be handsome
Shrinkin' what you're thinkin', 'cause I'm vampin'

17.  Jump Around / House of Pain, 1989

• Rejected by Cypress Hill, Ice Cube & B-Real
• The source of that weird squeal has never been completely identified & has been linked to a saxophone, bagpipes, a horn, a clarinet & Prince’s singing
• The video was recorded during New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade
• The group is indeed made of white rappers, primarily with an Irish-American background (one of the members is named Danny Boy)

I never eat a pig, 'cause a pig is a cop
Or better yet a Terminator, like Arnold Schwarzanegger

16.  Song 2 / Blur, 1997

• Was originally a much-slower acoustic with the “woo-hoo” chorus whistled
• Was redone as a parody of Grunge
• 2nd song on their 5th album
• Northrup Grumman wanted to use it advertise their next generation of stealth fighters, but the band said no
• Has been covered by Vampire Weekend, My Chemical Romance, Imagine Dragons & Avril Lavigne
• Has been featured in Starship Troopers, Thunderbirds, the Simpsons, South Park, Parks & Recreation, video games & commercials

Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo

One of those video games

15.  The Power / Snap!, 1990

• Snap! was mostly 2 German producers
• They tried to get Chaka Khan for the vocals (& got her backup instead)
• They found the rapper on an American Army base
• The Russian at the beginning means “The American company Transceptor Technologies has started production of the Personal Companion computer”
• Reached #1 in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Greece & Zimbabwe
• Has been in Glee, Family Guy, Portlandia, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Hudson Hawk, Bruce the Almighty, Coyote Ugly & Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

It's getting, it's getting, it's getting kinda hectic
It's getting, it's getting, it's getting kinda hectic
It's getting, it's getting, it's getting kinda hectic
It's getting, it's getting, it's getting kinda hectic

14.  Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) / C+C Music Factory, 

• Was originally offered to Trilogy, who rejected it
• From an album of the same name
• Has been featured in films such as Space Jam, Sister Act,  Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa & Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• Has been featured in TV shows like The Simpsons, American Dad, King of Queens & The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• Has been featured in commercials for Applebee’s, Target & Pringles

It's your world and I'm just a squirrel
Tryin' to get a nut to move your butt

13.  Get Ready for This / 2 Unlimited, 1991

• 2 Unlimited is a 2-person Dutch group
• The 2 were working as a cook in an airport restaurant and a traffic warden at the time
• Was originally an instrumental titled “Orchestral Mix”
• Has appeared on compilations Radio Disney: Kid Jams, New York Yankees Greatest Hits Vol. 2, Chicago Bulls Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & Party Time Vol. 3
• Has appeared in 6 episodes of The Simpsons

Feelin' kinda better 
Put on your sweater

It’s the last one

12.  Who Let the Dogs Out / Baha Men, 2000

• The group is from Bahama
• When they first heard the song, one of the band members said, “No way in hell we're recording that song”
• The writer claimed the song had a feminist message
• Became popular after its appearance in Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
• Won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording
• Introduced to stadiums by Mississippi State, whose mascot is the Bulldogs
• Has made multiple worst or most annoying songs lists

Say, a doggy is nuttin' if he don' have a bone
All doggy, hold ya' bone, all doggy, hold it
A doggy is nuttin' if he don' have a bone
All doggy, hold ya' bone, all doggy, hold it

11.  Cha Cha Slide / DJ Casper, 2000 

• Written for step aerobics 
• Also popular at school dances, prom nights, birthday parties, ice-skating and roller rinks, bar mitzvahs, barbecues, quinceaneras & weddings
• Casper originally sold copies out of the trunk of his car
• Appeared in a McDonald’s commercial
• Google it, click on the sparkly microphone, then keep clicking (just do it!)

Everybody clap your hands
Clap, clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap, clap, clap, clap your hands

10.  Kernkraft 400 / Zombie Nation, 1998

• Title means “nuclear energy 400”
• First song on album Leichenschmaus (“funeral feast”)
• First played at arena football games
• Fans bouncing to the song have threatened structural damage to several stadiums
• The “group” is basically DJ & producer Florian Senfter

Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie
Zombie

From the video

9.  Another One Bites the Dust / Queen, 1980

• Written by bassist John Deacon
• Bass line was inspired by Chic’s “Good Times”
• Deacon played all the instruments except drums
• Topped the pop & disco charts
• Christian evangelists claimed that the chorus, played backwards, endorsed marijuana use
• Used to teach the right number of beats for chest compression
• Parodied by Weird Al Yankovich as “Another One Rides the Bus”

Another one bites the dust ow
Another one bites the dust he he
Another one bites the dust haaaa

8.  Sweet Caroline / Neil Diamond, 1969

• Inspired by Caroline Kennedy, who was 11 when it was released
• Was really for Diamond’s wife Marsha, but he needed a name with 3 syllables 
• Introduced to stadiums by the Boston Red Sox, who played it for a baby girl named Caroline
• Very popular with soccer teams in the UK
• Bowing to COVID-19, Diamond changed the lyrics to "Hands ... washing hands ... don't touch me ... I won't touch you”

One, touching one
Reaching out, touching me, touching you

7.  Seven Nation Army / White Stripes, 2003

• Jack White debuted it to a record executive who told him he “could do better”
• Originally intended as a Bond theme
• Title came from White’s childhood mishearing of “Salvation Army”
• According to White, “The song's about gossip. It's about me, Meg, and the people we're dating.”
• Does not have a chorus
• Grammy for best rock song

I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera forevermore
I'm gonna work the straw
Make the sweat drip out of every pore

6.  Blitzkrieg Bop / The Ramones, 1976

• Music was inspired by the Bay City Rollers’ “Saturday Night”
• Lyrics were inspired by the Rollings Stones’ “Walking the Dog”
• Original title was “Animal Hop”
• Is about some kids going to a rock concert
• Recorded at Radio City Music Hall
• Opening track on their debut album
• Has appeared in films, video games & commercials (including Taco Bell)

Hey ho, let's go! Hey ho, let's go!
Hey ho, let's go! Hey ho, let's go!

5.  YMCA / The Village People, 1978

• Reached #1 in 15 countries (but not alas the US)
• The arm movements originated on American Band Stand
• Was once used as the wake-up call on the Space Shuttle
• Was the dance number when  over 44,000 people danced to it to set a Guinness World Record 
• The band settled out of court with the actual YMCA for trademark infringement
• Is used by the grounds crew at Yankee Stadium when they groom the field

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do what ever you feel

4.  Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye / Steam, 1969

• “Na na na na hey hey” were originally written as placeholder lyrics
• Written in 1961, but not released until 8 years later
• Originally intended as a B side
• Introduced as a sports anthem by the White Sox organist after hearing fans sing it spontaneously in the stands
• Featured in Remember the Titans, where it is sung – reverently – at a funeral
• Has been sung by members of Congress, in Congress

Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbyeNa na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye

Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye

Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye

3.  We Are the Champions / Queen, 1977

• Inspired by crowd singing "You’ll Never Walk Alone" after concert in Stafford
• Was the B side to “We Will Rock You”
• Voted the world's favorite song in a 2005 poll
• In 2011, a team of scientific researchers concluded that the song was the catchiest in the history of popular music
• Official theme song for the 1994 World Cup

And bad mistakes
I've made a few …
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls

[What is this, “I Did It My Way”?]

2.  Rock n Roll Part 2 / Gary Glitter, 1972

• Debut single on debut album
• Gary Glitter’s real name was Paul Francis Gadd
• He was convicted of child sex offenses (pornography in England & abuse in Vietnam)
• Song is generally discouraged from being played these days
• Has appeared in Meet the Fockers, The Simpsons, Joker & The Office
• There is a Part 1

Rock'n Roll Rock, Rock'n Roll, Rock'n Roll Rock, Rock'n Roll
Rock'n Roll Rock, Rock'n Roll, Rock'n Roll Rock, Rock'n Roll

1.  We Will Rock You / Queen, 1977

• Also inspired by the Stafford concert
• There is a fast version
• Most played song the year after it came out in NFL, MLB & NHL
• Was in a Pepsi commercial
• Has been covered by Celine Dion, Nirvana, My Chemical Romance & Blake Shelton
• Parodied by the Muppets & Big Bang Theory (“We Will Percussive Shock You”)

We will, we will rock you (sing it)
We will, we will rock you (everybody)
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
Alright