Yardbarker
x
Jock jams: The 25 best songs about sports
Getty Images

Jock jams: The 25 best songs about sports

There are plenty of songs about sports out there. Many are worth celebrating, and we're not talking about songs that have become associated with teams or sports-venue regulars, such as "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions or "The Final Countdown." These are songs about actual games, athletes, or leagues.

 
1 of 29

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by Edward Meeker (1908)

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by Edward Meeker (1908)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game: America's Favorite Pastime in Song

This tune has become a baseball staple from Major League Baseball to your local little league. A tradition in the middle of the seventh inning and a song that just about anybody should be able to recite on command. 

 
2 of 29

"Mr. Touchdown USA" by Percy Faith (1958)

"Mr. Touchdown USA" by Percy Faith (1958)
Percy Faith

While this song was initially written as a poem in the early 1930s, according to lore, Percy Faith's version from the late 1950s is often considered the most popular. It had long been a regular piece for college bands to play before, during, and after Saturday games. The song was also briefly featured during the talent show scene in the 1980s' classic Revenge of the Nerds.

 
3 of 29

"It's A Beautiful Day For A Ball Game" by The Harry Simeone Songsters (1960)

"It's A Beautiful Day For A Ball Game" by The Harry Simeone Songsters (1960)
Patrick Gorski/USA TODAY Sports

This classic baseball tune is played prior to the first pitch in many stadiums.  Aside from "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," no other song defines the live game-day baseball experience better than this.

 
4 of 29

"Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)" by The Treniers (1961)

"Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)" by The Treniers (1961)
Oakland Tribune/ZUMA Press/Icon Sportswire

The Treniers were a well-regarded R&B outfit that spanned six decades together, starting in the late 1940s. Throughout the band's long run, this song paying homage to legendary New York Giants outfielder Willie Mays remains one of its most popular hits. It was even used during Ken Burns' massively successful Baseball documentary from the early-to-mid 1990s.

 
5 of 29

"Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys (1963)

"Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys (1963)
Daniel Gluskoter/Icon Sportswire

When the Beach Boys released one of their most popular songs back in the day, it was not really drawing attention to competitive surfing. However, it was still an ode to Southern California's athletic surf lifestyle and culture. Numerous popular beaches are mentioned, and the song remains one of the most recognizable in rock and roll history. It also played a prominent role in the 1980s' Michael J. Fox hit Teen Wolf

 
6 of 29

"The Carl Yastrzemski Song" by Jess Cain (1967)

"The Carl Yastrzemski Song" by Jess Cain (1967)
Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire

This is the creation of famed Boston disc jockey Jess Cain. The song about the beloved Red Sox legend ("The man they call 'Yaz') was part of a compilation record celebrating the club's improbable run to the 1967 World Series. It's got a ragtime kind of sound and is rather annoyingly catchy. It was also featured in the 2005 film Fever Pitch about a man's (Jimmy Fallon) obsession with the Red Sox.

 
7 of 29

"Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces" by Cheech and Chong (1973)

"Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces" by Cheech and Chong (1973)
Cheech and Chong

A spoof on the hit "Love Jones," Cheech Marin, in a memorable falsetto take, sings about teenager Tyrone Shoelaces' love for basketball and how he relates the game to just about every aspect of his life. It reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually became an animated short film following its initial success as a song. Some of the musicians who took part in the track were George Harrison, Carole King, Billy Preston, and Michelle Phillips.

 
8 of 29

"The Hockey Song" by Stompin' Tom Connors (1973)

"The Hockey Song" by Stompin' Tom Connors (1973)
Tim Flores/USA TODAY Sports

Written and performed by this notable Canadian country/folk singer, "The Hockey Song" has enjoyed a consistent presence in ice arenas throughout Canada and the United States. The song's verses are broken down into the three periods of a hockey game, which is a unique and creative way to sing about the game.

 
9 of 29

"Hurricane" by Bob Dylan (1975)

"Hurricane" by Bob Dylan (1975)
Jimmy Ellis / The Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC/USA TODAY

More than 8 1/2 minutes long (album cut), the great Bob Dylan chronicles the arrest, questionable trial, and controversial conviction of celebrated boxer Ruben "Hurricane" Carter in association with a 1966 triple murder in Patterson, N.J. Story songs have been a regular part of Dylan's career, and this is one of the best. It's also considered one of the great protest songs that Dylan ever recorded.

 
10 of 29

"Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti (1976)

"Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti (1976)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; United Artists

One of the most well-known soundtrack songs in movie history. There are only 30 words in the tune composed and co-written by the renowned Bill Conti (who also scored such films as The Right Stuff and The Karate Kid). The theme of the original Rocky film and synonymous with the Philadelphia boxer's training montage, culminating with his famed ascent up the Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs.

 
11 of 29

"Willie, Mickey, and the Duke (Talkin' Baseball)" by Terry Cashman (1981)

"Willie, Mickey, and the Duke (Talkin' Baseball)" by Terry Cashman (1981)
Terry Cashman

Back in the early 1980s, Cashman didn't get much mileage out of this ode to baseball greats. Yet over time, it has aged well. Though today's younger fans probably have never heard this tune, it's been able to find a place in the lore of a game that brings back numerous memories for those generations nostalgic for the likes of Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle.

 
12 of 29

"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor (1982)

"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor (1982)
United Artists

Another nod to the Rocky film franchise. Sylvester Stallone requested a song for the third installment of the film series, and Survivor obliged with what became the defining tune of the band's legacy. It's about hunger, passion, and determination. The song was a massive hit for the group, which won a Grammy Award and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for six straight weeks.

 
13 of 29

"Basketball" by Kurtis Blow (1984)

"Basketball" by Kurtis Blow (1984)
Kurtis Blow

While the pre-Michael Jordan NBA of the early 1980s might not always have been exciting, there was plenty to celebrate. Rapper Kurtis Blow loved the game so much that he wrote about it. It's his favorite sport, and he spoke of legends like Pistol Pete, Magic, Bird, and even Bernard King. Don't forget Jerry West or Moses Malone.

 
14 of 29

"Go, Cubs, Go" by Steve Goodman (1984)

"Go, Cubs, Go" by Steve Goodman (1984)
Owen C. Shaw/Icon Sportswire

Recorded and released in 1984 by die-hard Cubs fan and underrated singer-songwriter Steve Goodman, who died of leukemia late during the team's run to the NL East title that season. To this day, the song is still a major part of the team's everyday operation. In fact, it's played over the Wrigley Field sound system following each Cubs' victory.

 
15 of 29

"Centerfield" by John Fogerty (1985)

"Centerfield" by John Fogerty (1985)
John Fogerty

It might be safe to say that after "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," this John Fogerty classic is the song most played at baseball games. Fogerty claims he drew inspiration for the tune by watching televised games at Yankee Stadium and being enamored by the center field position, specifically legend Joe DiMaggio. The song has even been honored at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

 
16 of 29

"Super Bowl Shuffle" by The Chicago Bears Shufflin Crew (1985)

"Super Bowl Shuffle" by The Chicago Bears Shufflin Crew (1985)
Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Talk about confidence. Or some would say cocky. Amid their run to a resounding Super Bowl XX victory, the Bears released their own song and schlocky video, essentially highlighting some of the top players from a group that knew it would win it all. Walter Payton, William Perry, and Jim McMahon were just some who were part of the fun. The song and video were massive hits, even outside the Chicago area. 

 
17 of 29

"Football" by LL Cool J (1986)

"Football" by LL Cool J (1986)
Warner Bros.

Part of the 1980s Goldie Hawn movie Wildcats in which she takes the job as head coach of an underachieving Chicago high school football team with a bad reputation. It fell in line with LL Cool J's early rap style. It also pays homage to such NFL greats as Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Sam Huff, and Otto Graham. Heck, we even get a Sid Luckman reference in there.

 
18 of 29

"One Shining Moment" by David Barrett (1987)

"One Shining Moment" by David Barrett (1987)
David Barrett

Singer-songwriter David Barrett has said he got the idea for the song while watching Larry Bird play. The piece eventually made its way to CBS. It was first played on air as a montage segment following Indiana's last-second win over Syracuse in the 1987 men's basketball national championship game. Since then, the song — most notably Luther Vandross' version — has been a staple of the NCAA Tournament and something fans eagerly await following the title contest.

 
19 of 29

"One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston (1988)

"One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston (1988)
Danielle Richards/NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY

While the initial influence for the song reportedly was not sports-related, the overall theme was about achieving that one great moment of a lifetime. Thus, it became the highlight of the 1988 Summer Olympics AlbumOne Moment in Time. In fact, following the legendary Olympic theme (John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme"), this should be the most recognizable song associated with the international games. It helped that the massively popular Houston was the voice.

 
20 of 29

"Zamboni" by Gear Daddies (1990)

"Zamboni" by Gear Daddies (1990)
Buena Vista Pictures

Those from Minnesota and elsewhere throughout the upper Midwest should be aware of the Gear Daddies. A regionally popular alternative-rock country act from the late 1980s into the 1990s, the band was popular on the college bar scene and known for this classic about a person's quest to drive the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine. The song has a cult following among hockey fans, is often played during games at all levels, and has been featured in such films as Mystery, Alaska.

 
21 of 29

"This Used to Be My Playground" by Madonna (1992)

"This Used to Be My Playground" by Madonna (1992)
Columbia Pictures

Not only did Madonna star in this Penny Marshall-directed film starring Tom Hanks, but she co-wrote and performed the theme song for the popular flick. The song relates to the fictionalized account of the movie's story about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, showcased during World War II and beyond. Madonna earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for the song.

 
22 of 29

"All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night" by Hank Williams Jr. (1989)

"All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night" by Hank Williams Jr. (1989)
Independent Mail file via Imagn Content Services, LLC/USA TODAY

The longtime country music favorite Hank Jr. reworked and revised his early '80s' hit "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" to serve as the theme for Monday Night Football. From 1989-2011, Williams' song, often charged to fit the matchup for the night, was featured in the intro. In 2017, it was reworked again by Williams, Jason Derulo, and Florida Georgia Line. The song was cut completely from Monday Night Football in 2020.

 
23 of 29

"Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" by Warren Zevon (2002)

"Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" by Warren Zevon (2002)
Warren Zevon

One of the great things about the legendary Zevon was his wit, which usually ended up in the lyrics to his music. "Hit Somebody" is a perfect example of that. Found on his 11th studio album, My Ride's Here, the song is about a boy who grew up on a farm in Canada, dreaming of being a hockey star. He wasn't a skilled player but was strong and tough to excel as a hockey goon. 

 
24 of 29

"Tessie" by Dropkick Murphys (2004)

"Tessie" by Dropkick Murphys (2004)
Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports

The Boston-based Celtic punks gave this 1900s old-timey anthem of the Boston Red Sox a more modern update during the club's run to its long-awaited World Series title in 2004. Though hardcore Murphys fans consider it nothing more than a forgettable novelty effort in the band's arsenal, it's become rather popular with Red Sox fans. It was also featured in Fever Pitch, starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore.

 
25 of 29

"All the Way" by Eddie Vedder (2008)

"All the Way" by Eddie Vedder (2008)
Dennis Wierzbicki/USA TODAY Sports

A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, the Pearl Jam frontman spent part of his youth in the Chicago area and plenty of time at Wrigley Field. In 2008, Vedder released this song on the 100th anniversary of the club's most recent World Series crown (before 2016). It celebrated the team's storied past while optimistically looking toward a successful future, which sports fans know came true with that long-awaited championship.

 
26 of 29

"Kobe Bryant" by Lil Wayne (2009/2020)

"Kobe Bryant" by Lil Wayne (2009/2020)
YouTube

Lil Wayne originally released his ode to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar at the start of the 2009 NBA Finals, when they faced Orlando. However, following Bryant's death in late January 2020, it took on more of a true tribute. During the summer of 2020, Lil Wayne performed an updated version of the track at the BET Awards, which mentioned to Bryant's daughter Gianna, who also died in that devastating plane crash. In terms of sports fandom, one does not have to be a supporter of Lil Wayne, or the Lakers, to appreciate this rap now more than ever. 

 
27 of 29

"Do the John Wall" by Troop 41 (2010)

"Do the John Wall" by Troop 41 (2010)
YouTube

Early in his NBA career, John Wall was partial to doing "The Dougie" during his pregame introduction. Over the years, he would incorporate some of his own moves. Which then inspired North Carolina-based rap/hip hop outfit Troop 41 to pay tribute to the five-time NBA All-Star and his sweet dance moves. Complete with Wall's popular flex move, the jump shot, and even a little bit of the "Superman." When it comes to underrated sports tracks, "Do the John Wall" needs to be in consideration for the best.

 
28 of 29

"The Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney (2010)

"The Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney (2010)
YouTube

A huge sports fan, football in particular, Chesney delivers his ode to those "Friday Night Lights." A former high school football player while growing up in Knoxville, Tenn., Chesney has said the song pretty much details his life playing the game, and what prep football means to towns and communities, especially those small ones, throughout America. Longtime NFL coach Sean Payton is featured in the music video for "The Boys of Fall," which topped Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and reached No. 18 on the Hot 100 in the U.S.

 
29 of 29

"Go Go, Red White and Blue" by Susan Mooring (2016)

"Go Go, Red White and Blue" by Susan Mooring (2016)
Thomas B. Shea/USA TODAY Sports

Inspired by the popularity of the aforementioned "Go, Cubs, Go" after the Chicago Cubs ended their 108-year World Series drought in 2016, Washington D.C. area-based jazz vocalist Susan Mooring created this intended victory song for her beloved Washington Nationals. Encouraged by her Nats-season-ticket-holder husband Jim Cooke, according to The Washington Post, Mooring delivered a jazzy number, complete with a cowbell intro. We can always use more cowbell. DC DJ and R&B musician Todd B. provides the lyrics for a song that the couple still hope will be adopted by the team as its official victory tune.

A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for nearly 30 years. If he could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High and Grand Lakes University.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.