A letter to the editor from Mike Heaps of Forest Hill suggests that John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” deserves a replacement at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, where the song has long been played during the seventh-inning stretch — the brief interlude when the visitors have finished their at-bats in the seventh inning and the home team Orioles are about to take their swings. It is traditionally a moment when fans are encouraged to stand and “stretch” (hence the name) as many have likely been sitting for two hours or so, and, let’s face it, can start to feel a bit drowsy, especially at a night game with requisite hot dogs and beer consumed. You want the Orioles to win? We need ticket holders in loud, energized, foot-stomping, hand-clapping form.
The letter writer thinks the Birds deserve something new and more reflective of Baltimore, which is not exactly a country town — and he’s got a point. Still, the history here is instructive.
The song was first played in the mid-1970s, when it was a Billboard hit, as a replacement to “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” which had been written in 1908. It was catchy, it was popular, and it ear-wormed its way into the hearts of those both in the stands and on the field. Some players — including Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer Doug DeCinces — were soon pretending to perform the tune at Memorial Stadium, air guitars and all. The tradition stuck and, as recounted by former Sun baseball writer Dan Connolly in his book, “100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die,” manager Earl Weaver insisted they keep doing it lest they interfere with the team’s winning mojo.
The song has played off and on ever since, right up until today, when we’re seeing another burst of winning mojo. Some might ask: And why would we want to mess with that? It’s a fair question, but considering the rough times the O’s have had in the recent past, it’s likely the song didn’t deserve the superstition applied to it. Today’s outstanding players can thank one another for their current position vying for the team’s first AL East title since 2014. (Go O’s!)
While we’re not yet sold on the idea of replacing the song, we are open to other options. So what could play during the seventh-inning stretch instead? Attempts to swap songs have been made before. Die-hard fans may recall the original “Orioles Magic (Feel It Happen)” song, which still pops up from time to time, and a brief flirtation with “Old Time Rock and Roll.” As Major League Baseball’s website has reported, the Orioles dropped “Country Boy” during the Eli Jacobs ownership era (1988-1993), but it came back under Peter Angelos.
Ideally, a replacement tune would already have a broad following and be relatively easy to sing. And it’s critical, as they used to say on “American Bandstand,” that you can dance to it. A Baltimore connection would be nice, of course. Maybe something from Baltimore natives like Toni Braxton or Frank Zappa or Tori Amos? What about “Good Morning, Baltimore” from “Hairspray?” Well, maybe that’s not everyone’s taste. Bruce Springsteen mentions he had a “wife and kid in Baltimore, Jack” in “Hungry Heart,” but perhaps the narrator’s decision to leave his family behind isn’t exactly the inspiration we’re looking for. Joan Jett reportedly loves the O’s; maybe she could write a song for us to the tune of “I Love Rock-n-Roll” — something like “I Love Balt-i-more, put another win in the column, baby!”
The obvious solution, as noted by Mr. Heaps, is to ask fans to come up their own playlists and see who crushes one onto Eutaw Street. After a reasonable period of soul searching and evaluation of the nominees, an assembled team of community leaders and Orioles players could hold a “Battle of the Bands” night at the Yard with live performances to review the finalists. Fans can then vote like it was the MLB All-Star Game and choose a seventh-inning stretch song for a team that is (fingers crossed) committed to signing a long-term lease — which is going to happen any day now, right, John Angelos?
We have nothing against the late John Denver, or his catchy tune, but do these lyrics — life on the farm is kinda laid back … I got me an ol’ fiddle … I got cakes on the griddle — say O’s, Baltimore and Maryland to you?
A playoff-bound, soon-to-be-division-winning team (we hope) deserves to launch its own traditions. Why not now?
Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.
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