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A 1987 photo of Journey with Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon (l-r). AP file photo
Written by Zack Jerome/Special to LAist
For as long as I remember, the Dodgers always did one thing very right. When the Dodgers win a game, Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” blared through the stadium speakers with the lyrics on the scoreboard accompanied by palm trees. The song is a little silly, but it’s our tune. It’s by a guy who does movie music. He calls out street names in it. They play it when the L.A. Marathon starts (I know, I ran in it). Even the Lakers play it when they win.
Like I said, it’s our song.
Since the stretch run of last season, the Dodgers have gotten in a habit of playing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” in the eighth inning of home games. They aren’t just playing it. These days, they are featuring it. They are making it a battle cry. I know this because they put the lyrics on the scoreboard, encouraging us to sing along. For those of you not familiar with this song, for those of you who ignored the series finale of The Sopranos, this is a song about “a city boy born and raised in South Detroit”. It’s a song about “a smoky room” and “a smell of wine and cheap perfume”. It’s a karaoke song, and a good one at that.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not against playing this song at a ballgame, or anywhere for that matter. It is one of those songs that has drunk people singing at the top of their lungs no matter what bar it is played at. But why have we chosen this song as our new battle cry?
It screams “rip off”. It seems like we wanted to emulate the Boston Red Sox with their “Sweet Caroline” sing-alongs, only it just doesn’t ring true. We play it before the second half of the 8th inning, just like the Red Sox do with Neil Diamond’s 1969 hit. It seems like someone flew over there and caught a game at Fenway and decided to bring it back, only with a song that screams high school lip sync contest, 1981.
It gets worse. The White Sox already made it their unofficial battle cry in 2005. It is played at every Detroit area sporting event, including the 2006 World Series the Detroit Tigers played in. We are ripping off lesser teams.
It’s not like Los Angeles doesn’t have plenty of bands we could rally behind. We could sing the Eagles’ “Hotel California” if we wanted some kitsch. How about “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses? I know it’s a little rough, but we had no problem blasting “Welcome to the Jungle” when Eric Gagne was around. “Under the Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers might be depressing, but it is at least definitively our song and you know everyone would sing.
It’s nothing personal, just for me, I am proud of my city and my teams. We’re Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the universe. Let’s find a way to be original. And if that doesn’t work, we could just wait for a victory and enjoy some Randy Newman. We all seem to agree on that.
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New suggestion for the 8th inning - Eagles of Death Metal "Wanna Be In LA"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj3kTdx1QBw
Wait. Have they STOPPED playing 'I Love LA?' I hope not. And actually, Paradise City would be awesome.
A little sing-along prior to the (potentially decisive) final two innings is welcomed, says me. Even this song.
may I suggest the Dr. Dre produced "California Love?"
I mean... Journey blows chunks...
I always thought that "the strangers waiting, up and down the blvd" part was about Hollywood and don't stop believing was about making it in LA.
it's because our owner is a lifelong Red Sox fan...that is also why they play sweet caroline at the game. it's cheeseball, and I don't want dodger stadium to be mini - Fenway. seriously...think really hard, how many cool die hard Red Sox fans have you met? that's right...none!
I thought they just played "Don't Stop Believing" only when the Dodgers are losing? Y'know, like a rah-rah-sis-boom-bah type deal. I didn't realize it was such a common thing at home games.... and I love our Randy Newman anthem as much as the next person, but the "With a big nasty redhead at my side" never really did tickle my fancy.
Um... would it be so wrong to request a little Rick Astley for the 8th?
Journey is a S.F. band and their "Lights" is an eponymous tribute to S.F. By extrapolation "DSB" is a Giants anthem. How about Hollywood Nights for the Dodgers' 8th (granted, can't get by the Detroit thing AGAIN with Bob Seger), but it has a a great driving beat and it's about our Hollywood Hills...
And can they stop playing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch? That fucking prayer is such a buzzkill and has no place in baseball.
I don't even stand up for that portion any more. It's not like the terrorist win if we don't praise god.
As for the song, at least they stopped trying to ram "Brown Eyed Girl" down our throats at the stadium. That was just a silly 8th inning song.
THANK YOU! I thought it was a rally song if the team was down, but it's still misplaced. The only sports memory this song evokes is the absolutely atrocious rendition the White Sox performed at their championship parade. Call me old school, but I miss the days when the only music played between innings at Dodger Stadium came from the organ.
I agree with the article, the song is corny, the band were corny and the Dodgers should find a different rally song or music.
thanks for all the comments. i wrote this post to start the movement away from this song and i hope you share this around. we're a proud town with a proud tradition, none of which needs Journey going on.
keep it real, LA.
how about California Dreamin by the Mamas and the Papas? Or Going Back to Cali?
I agree about Journey, it's fun but this is supposed to be MY DODGERTOWN or whatever the hell that stupid billboard campaign is saying.
100% agree with ZackJ on this. Journey's ballad is great but lets not continue to water it down with the overexposure its received from Sopranos/Glee. We're better than that.
Can we at least reserve it for games that we're losing in the 8th?
No I agree - kill it completely...bring back Macarena!!
I vote for "Let's Get Rid Of New York." Or the one by NOFX that goes "Hey Hey / Get outta my way/ Can't you see I'm from LA/ I bet I know way more people than you"
NoFX FTW.
Journey sucked in the 80's, and they still suck.
people love to bag on the Journey, and they surely have their cheezy moments, but steve perry is widely considering among the top 5 rock vocalists all time.
the dudes got range.
The fact that the Dodgers use a song that comes from San Francisco is great. it demonstrates that we are the great southern marauders come up to pillage SF's cultural achievements, such as they are. It's like we're taking SF's girlfriend to the prom, and dirty dancing with her in front of everyone (RIP Swayze). And the fact that it irks Steve Perry, and he's foolish enough to publicly admit it, is just icing on the cake.
The use of Don't Stop Believing is broad, and it's timing may be unoriginal... but, um, it's a baseball game, dude. Should they stop serving peanuts because other clubs do?
Originality, if it exists, is overrated.
The Dodgers are the greatest franchise in the history of baseball. If they do something that another team did first, we should think of that other team's innovation as a gift, offered up by the other club for the Dodgers consideration... If the Dodgers choose to adopt it, it's because the lesser team stumbled upon a good idea. In the world of baseball, all roads lead to Chavez Ravine and the Dodgers are the final arbiters of taste.
Oh, and Under the Bridge? I think they don't use that song because it's such a bad song. I'm surprised to find it in your list of suggestions.