By Brian Hoffman
From the July 6, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
Thank you very much, but it will be a baseball life for me.
There’s been mixed reaction to a “new tradition” at the Salem Buccaneers games this summer. A new song has joined the ranks of past favorites, but more on that later.
The music played at the ballpark can set the tone for the entire evening. At Salem Municipal Field, there’s been a mixed bag over the years.
When I started working for the Carolina league back in the mis-seventies, there wasn’t much music at all. You’d hear an occasional baseball song and some light rock, but not much.
That all changed when Larry Schmittou bought the team in 1980. His group of investors included Conway Twittty and the Oak Ridge Boys, so country music became the predominant theme. Among the I remember most were “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” and the traditional “Elvira” for the seventh inning stretch.
When Schmittou sold the team, out went the country. Jeff Dickerson, now a program director at WROV, became te public address announcer and brought his box of rock tapes with him. Now fans were listening to “Queen” instead of “Conway,” for better or worse.
I’ve had my ballpark favorite over the years. Who can forget “Birdmania,” the intro song when the team was the known as “Redbirds?” It became synonymous with losing baseball. I still have a copy of the tape somewhere, and it’s always good for a few laughs.
Jim David, who subbed for Dickerson on the mike on occasion, brought a tape of a Spanish language version of the hit “Secret Agent Man” one night and played it at the park. “Hombre Secreto” was an instant hit, and I still find myself humming it on occasion.
Of course the seventh inning stretch is still the keystone of the music presentation, and Terry Cash’s presentation of “Baseball and the Bucs’ has endured for the past eight or 10 years. Regulars at Salem Municipal Field can sing most of the song except for the last verse, which is always interrupted by the bottom of the seventh.
This year Craig Wright of Lite 95 FM radio took over behind the mike, and somewhat lightened up the music.
He eliminated some of Dickerson’s harder rock numbers, and he even sings the lead-in song for the mascot himself.
Wright has a tape of theme songs from popular television shows, and he has one tape of tunes from various Disney productions that includes the song from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride at Disney World. You might recognize it as the “Yo,ho,ho,ho; a pirate’s life for me,” song. It fits right in with the “Buccaneers” motif.
Craig plays this song after each and every Buccaneers game, and a couple times during the game. Some folks love it and some folks hate it, but most everyone remembers it when they leave the park. I find myself unconsciously singing it and driving people around me nuts.
The “Yo Ho Song” is one of those songs where everyone knows the chorus, but you can barely understand the other words; like “Louie, Louie,” for example. I didn’t think much of it until one night Craig said, “You know, if people could understand the words to that song they might be surprised.”
“What are the words?” I replied, my curiosity now awakened.
Craig said he wasn’t sure, but he’d take the tape home and listen real close. He not only did that but, he wrote down the words so we could all learn exactly what those Pirates are singing about when the visiting pitcher is relieved of duty.
Here goes, and remember the chorus is “Yo, Ho, Ho, Ho, a Pirate’s life for me”
FIRST VERSE
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot.
Drink up, me hardee’s, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot.
Drink up me hardee’s, yo ho.
(Chorus)
Now at first glance you might think that’s a Columbian soccer song, but it’s not. Also, the Buc’s might use it to get a little advertising out of a certain hamburger chain if you get my drift.
SECOND VERSE
We kindle and char and flame and ignite.
Drink up me hardee’s, yo ho.
We burn up the city-we’re really a fright,
Drink up me hardee’s yo ho.
(Chorus)
Did Vance Coleman ever play for the Pirates?
FINAL VERSE
We’re rascals and scoundrels, we’re villians and mates.
Drink up me hardee’s, yo ho.
We’re damaged and blacksheep, and really bad eggs.
Drink up me hardee’s, yo ho.
There you have it. It sounds like a song about the 1994 Phillies, doesn’t it?
The only thing in this song I can relate to our Salem Buccaneers is the part about burning and igniting. Thos could easily describe the bullpen.
Other than that, it’s not much of a song for kids. While the Indians are being chastised for using “Chief Wahoo” as their logo, our baseball team is promoting kidnapping. Next thing you know concerned mothers will be picketing outside Salem Municipal Field. They’ll start a group called MAPS(mothers against Pirate Songs).
All thing considered; I like the song. Besides, if you don’t read this column, you can’t understand the words anyway.
If you don’t like it, they can always go back to singing “Elvira.”
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
