Musical Aged

Three years ago, in a blog far, far away, I dissected the musical choices of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. This past weekend, I set out to reprise that conceit for the G:TB community. What happened instead shone a bright light on my failing as a consumer of popular media (and possibly, on my advanced age).

Things began innocently enough, as leadoff hitter Cole Miles came to the plate to the classic Manfred Mann tune, 'Blinded by the Light'. Ironic choice, this, given that Miles had lost a popup in the early evening glare during the top of the first inning. Low marks for the song itself, at least in the context of at-bat music. What batter wants to be blinded, by the light or anything else? Given Miles' career .687 OPS, perhaps a change of motivational music is in order.

Dan Nelson followed Miles, and I had no earthly idea what song played. Generic hip hop of some sort. Travis Jones and Mike Jones were next, and again and again I whiffed. Snoop, maybe? My wife was no help, nor were my children. Desperate, I turned to Shazam to identify Calvin Culver's music, and voila, 'Forever', by Drake, featuring Kanye West, Little Wayne, and Eminem.

Jesus Sucre left the on-deck circle to a pulsing reggaeton beat. Daddy Yankee? Shazam to the rescue again, telling me that I was close: 'Hasta Abajo' by Don Omar featuring Daddy Yankee.



No problem, then. I could fake my way through this post by consulting my iPhone for the entire lineup, and nobody would be the wiser. Hell, I might've even convinced a few people that I know more than three hip hop acts not promoted by Mark and the zman. Alas, there is no joy in Myrtle Beach; the mighty Shazam struck out on the remainder of the lineup, and I was left without a hook.

There was a time, before the advent of satellite radio, Pandora, blip.fm, and iTunes, when I had a grasp on the most popular songs of the day, even if they didn't often match my personal taste. But in an era where the finale of Lost attracted 10 times fewer viewers than did the last episode of M*A*S*H, where no fewer than four XM Radio channels are dedicated to the alternative bands I generally prefer, where I can get to Greasetruck with one click, my entertainment mindspan isn't nearly as wide.

In all this lies a lesson, I'm sure. And it's probably that old people, when confronted by a wide range of choices, tend to stick with what they know. Also, that minor league baseball players have relatively shitty taste in music.