MGoMix 2015

We're back!  After a summer of Harbaugh, Harbaugh, Harbaugh, we're back with our breakdown of our new playlist for the 2015 season.  We tried to mix it up a bit while following our rules: no more than 80 minutes of music, make every effort not to repeat non-Michigan songs from previous years, and try to capture the mood of the season while driving to Ann Arbor and walking to Michigan Stadium.  With that in mind, here we go:

1). "Hymn to Red October" by Basil Poledouris
Yes, this was a late addition to the list.  Here's to Jim Harbaugh, who makes the hard part of beat reports job's easy and the easy part of their jobs hard.  Besides, how else better to celebrate control of dissemination of information to only friendly, state controlled sources than a Soviet anthem?

2). "Wounded" by Third Eye Blind
"Let me break it down 'till I force the issue 
You never come around, and you know we miss you 
Well nobody took your pride away 
I said, that's something people say 
Back down the bully to the back of the bus 
'Cause it's time for them to be scared of us 
'Till you're yelling, how we living cause you got the ball 
Then you rock on baby, rock on, you rock on, on and on." 

We love something and sometimes its hard to see it going through something wrong, or bad, and you wish you could help.

3). "Garands" by Young the Giant
"Got what's left
Lost my rights when I was young
Taken by the 
Ones I trust
Long before I knew of love
All the things I understood
Fighting for the greater good
Now tell me why this feels so wrong
Feels so wrong, to hold this gun

Now look what I've become
Before the day is done
Now that we have won."
OK, maybe a little ahead of schedule, but still, great song.

4). "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic
"Every thing that kills me makes me feel alive."
It's kind of a nice summary of Michigan football fandom, isn't it?

5). "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons
"I've tried to cut these corners
Try to take the easy way out
I kept on falling short of something

I coulda gave up then but
Then again I couldn’t have 'cause
I've traveled all this way for something."

Or a summary of the Michigan Athletic Department 2010-14.

6). "Fire Escape" by Fastball
"I can be myself, how 'bout you?"

Welcome back (hopefully) to Michigan football as we have known it.

7).  "This is Your Life" by The Killers
"And the sky is full of dreams 
But you don't know how to fly 
I don't have a simple answer 
But I know that I could answer 
Something better.
Wait for something better."
It's an exciting time, folks, but we're also going to need to wait for something better.  We can't fall prey to the expectations that border on absurdity.  Things take time.  Anything great this year is a bonus.

8). "Bulletproof" by La Roux
"I won't let you turn around
And tell me now I'm much too proud
To walk away from something when it's dead
Do, do, do your dirty words
Come out to play when you are hurt
There are certain things that should be left unsaid.
This time...baby...I'll be...Bulletproof."

Michigan football, ladies and gentlemen.

9). "Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde
"This is the start of how it all ends
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it
I’m speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
We're at the start, the colours disappear
I never watch the stars, there’s so much down here
So I just try to keep up with the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart."

I'm sure it's just coincidence that there are a couple of songs from soundtracks to The Hunger Games movies, right?

10). "Neon Tiger" by The Killers
"I don't wanna be kept, I don't wanna be caged, I don't wanna be damned, oh hell
I don't wanna be broke, I don't wanna be saved, I don't wanna be S.O.L.
Give me rolling hills and tonight can be the night that I stand among the thousand thrills
Mister cut me some slack, 'cause I don't wanna go back, I want a new day and age

Come on girls and boys, everyone make some noise!"

I want a new day and age.
11). "Sleepwalker" by the Wallflowers
"The sleepwalker in me
And God only know that I've tried."

Also known as what the last three games of the season looked like.

12). "I Bet My Life" by Imagine Dragons
"I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams
Would I come running home to you
I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth
There's you in everything I do."

Welcome home Captain Comeback.

13). "Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men
"I know I'll wither so peel away the bark
Because nothing grows when it is dark
In spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
I see it all so clear"

14). "Red Hands" by Walk Off The Earth
"I've seen it all before, you back out, and everything's changing
I needed something more, you stepped down, so what are you chasing?
I'd put it on rewind for this time only
(Is that what you really want?)"

15). "Atlas" by Coldplay
"Carry your world.  I'll carry your world."

16). "Roll Tide" by Hans Zimmer
Why can't we have the 20th anniversary version of this movie with Nick Saban in the Gene Hackman role and Lane Kiffin in the Denzel Washington role?

17). "I Can't Turn You Loose" by The Blues Brothers
18). "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" by The Blues Brothers
"We're so glad to see so many of you lovely people here tonight and we would especially like to welcome all the representatives of the Big Ten officiating community who have chosen to join us here in the Michigan Amphitheater at this time. We do sincerely hope you'll all enjoy the show and please remember people, that no matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there're still some things that make us all the same. You, me, _them_, everybody, everybody."

19). "I Can't Turn You Loose" by Michigan Marching Band
And suddenly, I am craving cake and electronic dis-co.

20). "M Fanfare" by Michigan Marching Band
21). "The Victors" by Michigan Marching Band
22). "Temptation" by Michigan Marching Band
23). "Hawaiian War Chant" by Michigan Marching Band
24). "Varsity" by Michigan Marching Band
25). "Star Spangled Banner" by Michigan Marching Band

Penn State can't steal from the public domain

The recent posts about Special K's P.A. RAWK music have emphasized that the RAWK music would be better if the songs in question had ties to Michigan. Ace at MGoBlog is angry because

Penn State, for better or for worse (okay, definitely worse), stole "Seven Nation Army" from the heart of Michigan and made it so I can't hear that song without thinking of Beaver Stadium, of all things. Why? Because that song is amazing, and they played the living hell out of it.

Had PSU chosen any other White Stripes song to overplay, I could agree with this sentiment. However, the famous seven-note riff from "Seven Nation Army" is not a Jack White original. It was actually lifted directly from Bruckner's Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major.

 

The popularity of the opening riff of "Seven Nation Army" at sporting events is probably is large part due to the fact that it's #1 on Tommy Boy's collection of "Greatest Public Domain Jock Jams." Perhaps, in a cost-saving measure, Special K can use more public domain hits, like Mozart's Dies Irae (especially appropriate when Notre Dame's in town), Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (cannons are always awesome), or Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks (fireworks are also awesome).

Special K for a Day - HSR version

I am morally obligated to say that Michigan Stadium does not need rock music, let alone RAWK music from the PA during breaks.  We have the finest marching band in the land, one so good it needs no nickname.  But if we must have RAWK music, let's not suck at it.  This is Michigan, fergodsakes.


We appreciate Ace's efforts. We agree with several of them. That said, if we're making suggestions.

After the jump and in no particular order, any and all of the following songs would serve well to be added to the Michigan Stadium playlist.

Geoff's MGoMix 2010

1. Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out

"Dig me out, dig me in / Outta this mess, baby, outta my head" is an apt description of how much of the summer, and the past three years, has gone. We're hoping and pleading for better things, but it's not in our hands.

2. Tegan and Sara - The Con
Yes I'm guilty of this
You should know this
I broke down and wrote you back
Before you had a chance to
Forget forgotten
I am moving past this giving notice

The allegations leveled against the Michigan football program were true - practices ran long by an average of 15 minutes, which rises to the level of a major violation. More embarrassing was the record-keeping fiasco and the grad assistant who lied to NCAA investigators, not to mention the miserable battle with the Freep. Now is the time to start putting the past in the past.

3. The Thermals - I Let It Go
I looked my fear in the eyes!
Looked at the water below!
I knew I could love or live!
I let it go!

There's been a point in 3, maybe 4 of the last 5 seasons where I've had to pull back from how much I put into the Michigan football team, how much I live and die with wins and losses. Losses have traditionally been such a painful thing for this team, and learning how to want them to win so badly without getting too crushed by a defeat has been a difficult process. But that's just it: Wins are so precious and so sweet, and we need to celebrate them that way. Let go of unrealistic expectations and media hype and watch Denard find his passing game or an unheralded Carvin Johnson grab a starting spot as a true freshman. There's joy to be found in that.

4. The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait

Such a great song. And I can never wait for the season to start. We're just a few days away.

5. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
It's sixteen miles
To the promised land
And I promise you, I'm doing the best I can

Everyone involved in this team is doing their damnedest to get to that promised land. The coaching staff's jobs probably depend on making a bowl game, and any kid that's stuck it out is playing for more than just his own pride.

6. Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town
Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away

Mike Martin wrecking fools. Tay Odoms blocking some dude who's got 50 pounds on him. Tate Forcier juking a Notre Dame safety out of his jock and taking it to the house. Denard dropping the snap, picking it up, and scoring a ridiculous 40+ yard TD on his first touch as a college player. Goosebumps.

7. Stars - Take Me To The Riot

I've only watched one Michigan home game on TV since I became a student -- I had enough time to watch the first half of EMU last year before my cousin's wedding, and I just wanted to be there, to here the crash of the helmets and the thud of a good hit.

8. The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
One foot in and one foot back
But it don't pay to live like that
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks
For never to return

It feels like this team can never get moving in the right direction, whether it's a great non-conference followed by a disastrous Big Ten season, or an offseason of progress derailed by a key injury, or any of the countless PR contrivoversies. But we're doing our best to make a clean break with all of that, to do the difficult thing and to trust in the future.

9. The Gaslight Anthem - Meet Me By The River's Edge
See I've been here for 28 years.
Pounding sweat beneath these wheels.
We tattooed lines beneath our skin.
No surrender, my Bobby Jean.

NO RETREAT, NO REGRETS.

10. Warren Zevon - Lawyers, Guns and Money
Send lawyers, guns and money
The shit has hit the fan

Barwis will handle THE GUN SHOW, Bill Martin already sent the lawyers in, and David Brandon can take care of the money. But man, it's a deep pile we're standing in.

11. The Pixies - UMass
It's educational!

Such an obvious choice. So unlikely that the MMB does a Pixies tribute. What a waste. (NSWF language)

12. PJ Harvey - Victory

I love the bass line in this song

13. Gnarls Barkley - Going On
And you can stand right there if you want
But I’m going on
And I’m prepared to go it alone
I’m going on

The Puma campaign that used this song as the soundtrack for their World Cup spot was pretty good, but I like the original video better. And my fundamental belief is that Rodriguez didn't forget how to coach and will eventually successful again. I hope it's at Michigan.

14. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees

I would like that "swarm of bees" to be half a dozen Michigan helmets and the "I" to be "Terrell Pryor's spleen"

15. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Bad Reputation
An' everyone can say
What they want to say
It never gets better anyway
So why should I care
'Bout a bad reputation anyway

The media story on Rich Rodriguez hasn't varied from the same basic template ever since he decided to leave West Virginia - He turned his back on his home, he's engaged in various shady activities, he's no MICHIGAN MAN. Rodriguez can't do a lot to change opinions on this. He can only coach football. So suit up and get to work.

16. Drive-By Truckers - Never Gonna Change
Mean and strong like liquor.
Mean and strong like fear.
Strong like the people from South Alabama and mean like the people from here.

The DBT's are Alabaman to the core, so no use transplanting this to Michigan, but you want your football team to hit like a truck and run twice as fast, and there's a lot of that toughness in this song.

17. Silversun Pickups - Future Foe Scenarios

The Big Ten has now released their 2011 and 2012 schedules. Now you just have to find a way to beat them.

18. Guided By Voices - Teenage FBI
Someone tell me why I do the things
That I don't wanna do
When you're around me I'm somebody else

Sometimes it really does feel like "Michigan Football" died when Bo did. I know this is ridiculous, and there have been some bright spots, but sometimes you feel like you're watching a different school, one that just can't get it right, but one that has the potential to put it all together.

19. Barenaked Ladies - The Old Apartment

Sometimes the urge to compare the way things are versus the way they were is overwhelming.

20. Josh Ritter - Empty Hearts
Singing don't let me into this year with an empty heart
With an empty heart
Don't let me into this year with an empty heart

Don't let this team go out without a bowl game to reward them for the last few years of disappointment. Get them over the hump and back in the postseason. A win over OSU is probably too much to ask for, but a man can dream...

Craig's MGoMix 2010

[Author's note: Today, I'll be breaking down the songs that I put on this year’s MGoMix, the "mix tape" that I make for driving to Michigan football games. It should be noted that this is not a hype mix, it’s more in line with Will Ferrell's character in The Other Guys having Little River Band on as they drive to the call, these are songs which reflect where I am right now as a Michigan football fan. As is the rule, until Michigan wins a Big Ten title, no repeat non-Michigan songs from the previous year’s MGoMix. Also, this entire endeavor owes a debt of gratitude to Geoff for giving me the idea to do it in the first place.]

1). "L'estasi dell'oro (The Ecstasy of Gold)" by Ennio Morricone (from the soundtrack to the 1966 film The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.)

Metallica has used this as their introductory music for every concert since 1983, and it is a perfect mood setter for wanting to get something done.  The Red Wings also used it as part of their pre-game video this past season.
In the film, this track plays while Tuco is frantically searching a graveyard for the grave that holds $200,000 in gold coins.  Which is sort of an apt parallel for Michigan fans the last two seasons when you think about it.  Searching through a graveyard, looking for something shiny and beautiful.

2). "Duck and Cover" by Glen Phillips (from his 2005 album Winter Pays for Summer)

I've always been a huge Toad the Wet Sprocket fan since I was in high school, and so when this track from Glen's solo album came up on Pandora, I was immediately drawn to it.  The lyrics are simply amazing and speak deeply to the Michigan fan experience of the last couple of seasons.  To wit:

Everybody here's got a story to tell
Everybody's been through their own hell
There's nothing too special about getting hurt
Getting over it, that takes the work

Or...

Cause one way or another
One way or another
You won't get what you wanted
You'll get enough, for sure
One way or another
Winter pays for the summer
Won't get what you wanted
What you got'll be good

It is my hope that this is pretty much what will happen this season.  You won't get what you wanted, but what you got will be good.

3). "19th Nervous Breakdown" by the Rolling Stones (from the 1966 single "As Tears Go By/19th Nervous Breakdown")

When I was making the mix this year, I had it down to this track or "The Last Time" and I took it to Dave, my college roommate and longtime Michigan football partner in crime to make the decision.  He chose "19th Nervous Breakdown", not simply because it represented how we both feel about the Michigan secondary this season, but also because of the line "Well, nothing I do don't seem to work / It only seems to make the matters worse."  That's the last two seasons in a nutshell.

4). "Don't Let Me Down" by the Beatles (from the 1969 single "Get Back/Don't Let Me Down")

What is an anguished love song/plea from John Lennon to Yoko doing on a college football mix?  Because as a Michigan football fan, you're not rooting for victories, you're rooting not to be disappointed, or to have your heart ripped out in memorable fashion.  "Don't let me down" is the perfect sentiment for this.  It's trust, but verify, at its finest.

5). "Don't Let Go" by Weezer (from the band's 2001 album Weezer (Green Album)

This is the flip side of the "Don't Let Me Down" coin, not letting go.  It would be so easy to give up right now, wait for another losing season, and a new head coach and say "I never liked him, he didn't feel right."  It would be easy, but it doesn't make you a good fan.  Anyone can do that.  You picked the team for a reason, you don't just get up and leave in the middle of it because it's not going the way it had for so long.  Loyalty is a two-way street.  "Confrontations in my mind / Got me running out of time."

6). "Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers (from his forthcoming 2010 debut solo album Flamingo)
As many of you know, I am a huge fan of the Killers.  So when this rotated in on my Pandora in May 2010, I knew this was going to end up being in this year's MGoMix.  Why?
"And we're caught up in the crossfire / of heaven and hell / And were searching for shelter."  Yep, Michigan football for the last two years.

7). "Radiation Vibe" by Fountains of Wayne (from the band's 1996 self-titled album)

I was going to try and connect this to the "I went to Pittsburgh / and joined a pro team / What a bad dream / I broke a knee." but the reality is, I just really like this song and wanted to include it in the mix.  It's that simple.

8). "Reptilia" by The Strokes (from the band's 2003 album Room on Fire.)

This is where we enter the "need to get pumped" section of the MGoMix.  It's upbeat, it's guitar driven, and "I said please don't slow me down / If I'm going too fast / You're in a strange part of our town...", well, that's the Rodriguez offense for you...

9). "Let's Go Blue" by the Michigan Marching Band (from the 1993 album A Saturday Tradition)

Think of it as an interlude, a little intermission before moving on to other things.  Worth noting, "Joe Carl, a tuba player from 1973 to 1976, and Albert Ahronheim, a drum major from 1972 to 1974. It originated as a cheer at Michigan hockey games before moving to the Big House."  I can't verify this with a second source, but it sounds reasonable to me.

10). "Not Afraid" by Eminem (from his 2010 album Recovery)

I am fully and wholly expecting this will show up in a Michigan hype video for 2010, official or otherwise.  Let's run down why:

Chorus that is essentially defiant and calls for a return to previous glory?  Check.
Michigan born and raised product?  Check.
#1 song at some point during 2010? Check.

So yeah, I'm totally going cliche here and I know it.

We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just lettin you know that, you're not alone
Holla if you feel like you've been down the same road (same road)

11). “Time Won't Let Me Go" by The Bravery (from their 2007 album The Sun and the Moon)

"Whenever I look back / On the best days of my life / I think I saw them all on T.V."
If I had to figure out a way to describe so much of my early Michigan fandom, this would be it.  Desmond's catch against Notre Dame in 1991, "Hello Heisman", Biakabutuka's 313 yards against Ohio State, Woodson's interception against Michigan State, Navarre's rumble against Minnesota, the Trick Play in Champaign...all of them on TV.  (Yes, I realize that I have also been there for many great moments, Braylonfest, The comeback against Wisconsin, Forcier to Matthews, but it's just still what stuck with me.)

"I am so homesick now for / Someone that I never knew / I am so homesick now for / Someplace I will never be."
(aka The Carr Years)

12). “Show Me What I'm Looking For” by Carolina Liar (from the band’s 2008 album Coming to Terms)

Of any song on here, I think the lyrics for this track best represent Michigan football 2008-09:

Don't let go / I've wanted this far too long / Mistakes become regrets / I've learned to love abuse / Please show me what I'm looking for

Save me, I'm lost / Oh lord, I've been waiting for you / I'll pay any cost / Save me from being confused / Show me what I'm looking for / Show me what I'm looking for…oh lord.

13). “Twilight Zone” by CSS (from the 2009 Lincoln ad campaign.)

Somewhere in a lonely hotel room there's a guy starting to realize that eternal fate has turned its back on him. It's 2 AM.
And then discussing the Michigan fan civil war:

Help, I'm stepping into the Twilight Zone
The place is a mad-house, feels like being cloned
My beacon's been moved under moon and star
Where am I to go now that I've gone too far


Soon you will come to know
When the bullet hits the bone
Soon you will come to know
When the bullet hits the bone

14). “Singular Girl” by Old 97s (a bonus track from the band's 2001 album Satellite Rides)

You've got the teeth of the hyrda upon you.  I love the T.Rex reference.  Plus, Old 97s is one off from Old 98 and Old 97 is a pretty good year in Michigan football history.  Plus, I frequently used "Murder or a H(e)art Attack" to reference Mike Hart runs during his Michigan tenure.  Oh, also:

"I've been trying to find you / May I remind you, I'm under oath now / I've been trying to see you / 'cause I can see you, want the truth now."

15). “In Hiding” by Pearl Jam (from the band's 1998 album Yield)

It's been about three days now
Since I've been aground
No longer overwhelmed and it seems so simple now
It's funny when things change so much
It's all state of mind

It's all State of Mind.  If you believe that there's something good to be seen, we can find it.  Otherwise, we're just doing to keep seeing the bad things, finding fault, and hating life.

16). "A Better Son/Daughter" by Rilo Kiley (from the band's 2002 album The Execution of All Things)

It's highlights set to a waltz!  It makes sense.  Because sometimes when you're on, you're really fucking on and your friends they sing along, and they love you!   But the lows are so extreme, that the good seems fucking cheap! And it teases you for weeks in its absence!
I know it didn't work out last year, but I still believe this to be true.

17). "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" by Mike and the Mechanics (from the band's 1985 self-titled album.)

OK, so it's a song about a country being over run by a war, civil or otherwise.  Instructions are being giving to someone who is caught in the middle of it.  It's not hopeful, it's practical, and honest.  If I were making a Michigan hype video for this season, it would be to this song (save the fact that you would need to find six minutes of highlights from last season.  Perhaps it's best not to think about it too much...)

Swear allegiance to the flag
Whatever flag they offer
Never hint at what you really feel
Teach the children quietly
For some day sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stood still

The mix then finishes with the Michigan songs run:

18). "Across 110th Street" by J.J. Johnson & His Orchestra
(aka the Michigan Replay theme.  Plus, a bonus Yaphet Kotto reset!)

19). "I Can't Turn You Loose" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
(aka the Blues Brothers theme, but more importantly, sometimes there is cake.  You need to get a chance to hear master bluesmen practicing their craft.)

20). "The Hoover Street Rag" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
(yeah, like I couldn't have the HSR on this.  The ragtime arraignment of "The Victors." Worth noting, the 1993 album A Saturday Tradition was picked this year in part because it is the album that my brother-in-law was a member of the band for.)

21). "Temptation" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
(I have no idea how a standard, made popular by Perry Como, became one of the most beloved songs in the MMB arsenal, but there it is.)

22). "Hawaiian War Chant" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
(because you can't have one without the other.)

23). "M Fanfare" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)

24). "The Victors" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
(the standard full version of the Victors.)

25). "The Yellow and Blue" by the Michigan Marching Band (1993 edition)
Closing with the alma mater.  Hoorah for the yellow and blue.  Hail! [small fist raise])

So that's it, that's the list, 78 1/2 minutes of mix.  Probably a bit too depressed for it's own good, but who knows?  Comments, concerns, questions, you know where to find me.  Go Blue!

MGoMix 2009--Barker Edition

Geoff was right, I do indeed have my own mix for this season and here it is, with some explanations. Unlike 2008, no holdovers from last season (for obvious reasons):

1). Elvis Costello -- "Pump It Up"

Always a good way to start off any hype mix.

2). The Black Crowes -- "Twice As Hard"

In many ways, I suspect that this season will have the phrase "Twice as hard As it was the first time" feeling very appropriate from time to time.

3). Cracker -- "Get Off This"

New era, new coach, so the line "Get off this, get on with it. If you wanna change the world, shut your mouth and start this minute." seems wholly fitting.

4). Foo Fighters -- "Times Like These"

Sort of self-explanatory, also a rocking number.

5). The Wallflowers -- "Everybody Out of the Water (New Frontier)"

A song about an impending apocalypse. No, I am not developing a theme here.

6). AC/DC -- "Thunderstruck"

I think I am legally required to include this on any pumped play list.

7). The New Pornographers -- "Challengers"

I was playing this all the time that when Michigan was headed back to the NCAA Tournament last season, so I rolled it over here.

8). R.E.M. -- "Living Well is the Best Revenge"

Another one that sort of speaks for itself.

9). Oasis -- "Supersonic"

In honor of Coach Rod: "You need to be yourself, You can't be no one else."

10). U2 -- "Desire"

In honor of the spread offense and its rising ubiquity: "Over the counter with a shotgun, Pretty soon everybody got one."

11). Coldplay -- "The World Turned Upside Down"

Partly chosen to reflect last season, partly because this line I think speaks deeply to the fans: "What is this feeling that I can't explain, and why am I never gonna sleep again. What is this thing I've never seen before, a little boy lost in a breaking storm."

12). The Animals -- "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"

"I'm just a soul whose intentions are good, oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood." Remind you of anyone?

13). The Dandy Warhols -- "Bohemian Like You"

"You got a great car, yeah what's wrong with it today?" Yep...

14). The Hives -- "Tick Tick Boom"

It's not hockey, but it also just gets one pumped up listening!

15). Pearl Jam -- "Dissident"

Solely picked for the gallows' humor aspect of it in light of this past week.

16). Beck -- "E-Pro"

A favorite of my college roommate and game day partner in crime.

17). The Smithereens -- "Time Won't Let Me (cover)"

A fantastic cover from Time Cop. I think the line "I can't wait forever, even though you want me too." Yeah, I think we can see the theme clearly now.

18). Tom Petty -- "I Won't Back Down"

"Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out. Hey, I, will stand my ground. And I won't back down." Well, here's to hoping anyway.

19). Dropkick Murphys -- "Cadence to Arms"

Bagpipes into a rocking version of a call to arms. Yeah, somehow this makes perfect sense to me.

20). J.J. Johnson & His Orchestra -- "Michigan Replay (Across 110th Street Theme)"

21). Michigan Marching Band -- "The Hoover Street Rag"

22). Michigan Marching Band -- "Temptation (Blue Album)"

23). Michigan Marching Band -- "Hawaiian War Chant (Blue Album)"

24). Michigan Marching Band -- "M Fanfare"

25). Michigan Marching Band -- "The Victors"

So that's it, that's the list. I hope you enjoy it and Go Blue!

Game Day Mix, 2009

Here's mine. Craig will have his own up, I'm sure.

1. The Gaslight Anthem – Great Expectations
2. Rilo Kiley – A Better Son/Daughter
3. The Mountain Goats – This Year
4. Pixies – Gouge Away
5. Gram Rabbit – Devil's Playground
6. The Hold Steady – Constructive Summer
7. Neko Case – This Tornado Loves You
8. Sleater-Kinney – start together
9. Andrew Bird – Dark Matter
10. PJ Harvey – The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore
11. Drive-By Truckers – The Righteous Path
12. Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City
13. Dinosaur Jr – Out There
14. The Black Lips – Short Fuse
15. Ms Dynamite – Don't Stop
16. Clash – I'm Not Down
17. The Budos Band – Up From The South
18. Better Than Ezra – All In
19. Gillian Welch – Wrecking Ball
20. Heartless Bastards – The Mountain

On The Origins Of The Victors

A post on mvictors discusses whether The Victors was "ripped off" from the 1898 march "Spirit of Liberty" by George Rosey.

The short and insufficient answer: The second trio of Spirit of Liberty sounds very similar to the trio of The Victors.

Listen for yourself around the 1:40 mark:

But does this constitute "ripping off," to use the parlance of our times? Interestingly, the song can be found on the album "Karussells of Europe," where its Amazon listing describes Spirit of Liberty as "traditional carousel tune."

Some guy on a forum posed the same question to the Library of Congress via their "ask a librarian" function, and got this answer:

"The Spirit of liberty march" was composed by George M. Rosey (AKA Rosenberg) and it was published in 1898. "The Victors" march was composed by Rosey's friend, Louis Elbel in 1899. The trio of "The Victors" is similar to the last section in Rosey's march which had been written a few months earlier. The two composers were reported to be good friends and the arrangement [Elbel's trio] was presumably made by mutual agreement.

Guy on a Forum isn't exactly a rock of journalistic integrity, but the LoC librarian gave his source as William H. Rehrig's "The Heritage encyclopedia of band music", published at Westerville, Ohio by Integrity Press, vols.1-2, in 1991, with a supplemental vol. 3, published in 1996.

So, yes, most of the melody of the chorus of The Victors is the same as the Spirit of Liberty march. Whether this constitutes deliberate plagiarism is largely irrelevant and debatable, both on the grounds that they were friends, and that this happened before the 1909 Copyright Act was passed.

Supposing it were corrected, it would be "The Victors, music by Louis Elbel and George M. Rosey, lyrics by Louis Elbel." Or, "The Victors, music by Louis Elbel, chorus inspired by a trio from "The Spirit of Liberty March" by George M. Rosey, aka Rosenberg, lyrics by Louis Elbel." Regardless, the lyrics are Elbel's, Rosey never called him out on it, and may have in fact given Elbel his blessing. If the Easter Bunny is dead, it's a good thing he gave his friend the recipe for Peeps a hundred years ago.

"It's a Know-Nothing Party School"

We turn to Detroit morning rush hour DJ Dick Purtan and his classic circa-1977 parody for the appropriate sentiment on this week's game.

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me

We pulled into the Blue Lot at the stadium a little before 9:30 on Saturday morning, tailgated until 3:00, and then went in. When we were on defense, I yelled so loudly that the 9-year-old kid in front of me in the Brady jersey first covered his ears with his hands, then switched seats with his dad. Then his dad covered his own ears with his hands. When Oregon made it 25-7, I was in agony. When they made it 32-7, though, it stopped hurting. The game's importance just dropped away from me and I fell into the bitter sarcasm familiar to all Lions fans.

I came to the realization that I just can't put the same emotional investment into this team that I usually do. The Year of Infinite Pain is still fresh in my mind, and I know that I wasn't always pleasant to be around then. I don't want to know what I'd be like when faced with this season's Year of Impossible Torment if I took every loss as hard as I did then.

I'm not abandoning the team. I'm going to show up to nine games this season where I'll cheer loudly enough to distress small children, but I can't put as much of myself into this as I usually do. I still care, and care deeply, but I'd rather not be an alcoholic by December and I don't need the little black raincloud of despair following me every day. I probably won't be as vigilant in keeping up with all of my blogroll, and there's no way I'm reading the collective rending of garments in the game day open threads. Perpective is what I'll be striving for.

Of course, all of this detachment is going out the window as soon as the team shows some signs of life, only to kick me to the curb the next week.

I went up to Wazoo Records for the first time in a while on Saturday and bought The Sunset Tree, which has a line I like in it, even if applied under very different circumstances.

There will be feasting
and dancing
in Jerusalem next year.
I am gonna make it
through this year
if it kills me.

Step back off the ledge, people.

The Mountain Goats – This Year

HSR Preview: Oregon

work yourself up and sharpen you wings to conquer and circulate lower and upper case As, Bs & Cs, sign, shout, swear, organise prose into a form that is absolutely and irrefutably obvious, prove its ne plus ultra and maintain that novelty resembles life in the same way as the latest apparition of a harlot proves the essence of God. His existence had already been proved by the accordion, the landscape and soft words. * To impose one's A.B.C. is only natural - and therefore regrettable. Everyone does it in the form of a crystalbluff-madonna, or a monetary system, or pharmaceutical preparations, a naked leg being the invitation to an ardent and sterile Spring. The love of novelty is a pleasant sort of cross, it's evidence of a naive don't-give-a-damn attitude, a passing, positive, sign without rhyme or reason. But this need is out of date, too. By giving art the impetus of supreme simplicity - novelty - we are being human and true in relation to innocent pleasures; impulsive and vibrant n order to crucify boredom. At the lighted crossroads, alert, attentive, lying in wait for years, in the forest. * I am writing a manifesto and there's nothing I want, and yet I'm saying certain things, and in principle I am against manifestos, as I am against principles (quantifying measures of the moral value of every phrase - too easy; approximation was invested by the impressionists). *

Michigan is a state in the Eastern time zone. Oregon is in the Pacific. Both have trees. Sometimes it rains. I have no idea what will happen on Saturday, but I am very afraid. The trick is, you find the ones without the hoe-downs. Tennis shoes.

(PS: The video is "What's A Girl To Do?" by Bat For Lashes and the first paragraph is lifted from Tristan Tzara's 1918 Dada Manifesto. Potato chip. It's a ferris wheel. So what I'm really trying to say is plastic bag plastic bag plastic bag.)

Game Day Mix 2007

Yes, you were all hanging on, waiting to know what became of that mix that I promised. Here it is. If you really want a copy of it, leave an email for hooverstreet(at)[university of michigan domain]; we can probably arrange something.

Just missing the cut:

• Elastica – Connection
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Gold Lion
• Pavement – Cut Your Hair
• Dan Hawkins – IT'S DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL (Go Play Intramurals, Brother)

I'm most disappointed that Dan Hawkins was left out, but the disc clocks in at 1:19:01 and there wasn't enough time. The Colorado head coach's rant was just priceless. "Gold Lion" would've been included for Penn State and "Cut Your Hair" would've been for Illinois's J Leman (thanks, Colin, for that suggestion). "Connection" would've been for Justine Frischmann.

Game Day Mix 2007

1. Bo Schembechler – The Team, The Team, The Team
   I could stop the CD right here and I'd be fired up for the next six hours.

2. Camera Obscura – Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
   Can any title better capture the inherent pessimism of the Michigan fan? Sky-high expectations every year that are almost impossible to meet, except for that one glorious season.

3. Dinosaur Jr. – Almost Ready

4. LCD Soundsystem – Daft Punk Is Playing at My House

5. The Arcade Fire – Keep the Car Running

6. R.E.M. – Cuyahoga
   Things in Ohio (rivers, couches, cars) have an unfortunate tendency to burst into flames.

7. Modest Mouse – Never Ending Math Equation
   86 = 1 may seem like simple, if confusing, statement; however, the proof is very long.

8. AC/DC – Thunderstruck
   I almost always end up in my seat just in time for "Thunderstruck" to come over the PA (HT: Bryan)

9. The Hives – Main Offender
   Perfect offseason forever.

10. Heart – Magic Man
    I think we can all agree that Hart is a magic man, making 5 yards out of nothing like he does.

11. Neil Young – Rockin' in the Free World
    Appalachian State's punter is Neil Young, so this is an obvious choice.

12. Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer
    Has anyone else heard that Tom Zbikowski sometimes engages in the sweet science? I don't know that it's been mentioned anywhere in the press or on TV.

13. The New Pornographers – The Bleeding Heart Show
    Welcome to Ann Arbor. There may be a few liberals here.

14. The Futureheads – Hounds of Love

15. The Clash – I Fought the Law
    Legal troubles were spread far and wide around the Big Ten this year. Illinois, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota...just about everyone showed up in the Fulmer Cup. What a disaster.

16. Saturday Looks Good to Me – Parking Lot Blues
    They're from Ann Arbor, the name reflects my mood, and the song title describes where I'll spend half my Saturday. They go in.

17. The White Stripes – Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine
    Well, someone from Detroit needs to be in here.

18. Jimi Hendrix – Purple Haze
    This describes what CJ Bacher will see after Shaun Crable levels him for the third time on September 29.

19. TV On The Radio – New Health Rock

20. Sleater-Kinney – Entertain

21. Michigan Marching Band – G.Y.B.

(Note: A full six titles here are complete, grammatically-correct sentences)

Football + Music = ???

We're barely a week away from actual football returning, and next week we'll have actual football content here. For me, the return of football also means it's time for me to create a new mix CD to listen to while driving to Ann Arbor. I did that for the first time last year and we went 7-0 at home, so QED. This is the 2006 Game Day mix:

1. Sleater-Kinney – The Fox
2. AC/DC – Back in Black
3. Neko Case – Hold On, Hold On
4. The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
5. The Gossip – Listen Up
6. Björk – Army of Me
7. M.I.A. – Galang
8. Idlewild – Roseability
9. Nirvana – In Bloom
10. REM – Orange Crush
11. Franz Ferdinand – This Fire
12. Mirah – Light the Match
13. Pavement – Summer Babe (Winter Version)
14. Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot
15. Lucinda Williams – Out of Touch
16. The Black Keys – Girl Is On My Mind
17. The Clash – Brand New Cadillac
18. Sleater-Kinney – Jumpers
19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
20. Michigan Marching Band – The Victors (Trio)

Several tracks are tributes to other universities. "This Fire" is for Ohio State, "Teen Age Riot" is for MSU, and "Light the Match" is for West Virginia. "Brand New Cadillac" is for Oklahoma, even if it was a Kia dealership that got them in trouble. And I realize now that I should've saved "Orange Crush" for this year, but hindsight is 20/20.

Now it's time to reload for 2007, which I'll be posting next week as soon as I've decided what's going on there. Any ideas, add them in the comments.