By Jack Norworth & Albert Von Tilzer1908
For this Superbowl Sunday, I give you the unofficial anthem of America's true pastime and greatest sport. Norworth was inspired to write the song by a sign on the subway advertising New York Giants baseball at the Polo Grounds. Von Tilzer would later add lyrics, and the song became a hit on the vaudeville circuit, introduced by Norworth's then-wife Nora Bayes. Interestingly, it would not be played at an actual major league baseball game until the mid 1930s--ironically, right around the time that Norworth and Von Tilzer actually saw their first live game.
Lyrics:
Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou
Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:"
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.
Recorded By:
Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly
Bob Dylan
Neil Sedaka & Jerry Lee Lewis
Dr. John
Esther Williams
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2 comments:
Wow. I always thought this song was by "traditional," with lyrics by "anonymous." You live and learn. The great Alber von Tilzer wrote the lyrics? Thanks, B-sol!
I just recently acquired a bunch of Nora Bayes .mp3s from archive.org, and this isn't among them. IP issues, maybe?
I have you in my RSS feed, and although I rarely comment, stuff like this is why I read this blog.
Nope, it's far too "new" to be a "traditional" song like, say "Auld Lang Syne", which is about 250 years old. I don't think I've heard Nora Bayes, believe it or not.
As always, thanks for reading Howard. Folks like you are why I keep working so diligently on Standard of the Day!
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