By John Lee
As the creative musical genius behind NTFS I am always tuned in to new and interesting sounds and songs that we could possibly incorporate. Tuesday night’s viewing on Channel Cricket and League had a show purporting to countdown the top 20 Rock Ballads of all time. Now as much as I worship the Rolling Stones, “Satisfaction (I Can’t Get No)” ain’t no ballad, let alone #2, ever!
As all Stones nuts will know, the original “Rock Power Ballad” is a song called ‘Sway’ on the Stones first release post-Decca “Sticky Fingers” side 1, song 2. All the rest are pretenders (That’s you Boston and REO Speedwagon fans).
Now apart from the fact that Channel C&L has no idea about the Parthenon that is Rock, it did get me thinking as to what are the best songs to get you ‘up’ for sport. It doesn’t matter what the genre, maybe a bit of Edith Piaf gets the blood curdling, maybe it’s Anthrax, it could even be Liszt or Woody Guthrie. I am not talking about songs like “We Are the Champions”, that’s for after the game. What songs put you in the frame of mind to stand 5 metres away from a bloke who is about to hit a hockey ball in your general direction, with the very good chance he is just as unfit, and his skills just as rusty, as yours?
For me, it is Thin Lizzy, Jimi Hendrix and the Stones live album “Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out” that helps me to think that I would be able to avoid any sort of airborne projectile that would come off the opposing players stick
Now for you, it may be getting smacked in the gob with a leather glove, maybe the studs coming up in a challenge. Could be you hang off mighty cliffs, or the rim of a basket, what is it that gets the blood pumping? I am not really interested in who is the most popular, more the breadth and scope through which people seek or find inspiration through music. I have already pencilled in Bach’s ‘Toccata in Fugue in D minor’ (or the theme to the film “Rollerball”, for Spandau Ballet lovers like Ashley) as #01, so get suggesting.
Let us know at NTFS on ntfs@inforadio.com.au and we will look to play the most popular or even the ones we had not even thought about, who knows we may even give you a prize.
Eye of the Tiger – Just came across your site. Brilliant stuff, will try and tune into the show
I’m a Rocky theme man!
I used to listen to U2’s where the Streets have no name, before playing football, Loved the begining and it was perfect for the build up to a game!
John, as a superstitious cricketer, when I had my best season I happened to be singing dare I say Madonna’s “Papa don’t Preach” in the field, when I took seven wickets, I made sure that I listened to that on my way to every game. Had a similar spell with David Bowie’s “Red Sails” off the Lodger. I used to hum this when I was batting. In recent times when still playing it was Four Non Blondes – What’s Going On.
Tended to go with a song if I played well, and stuck with it until form dropped.
General Motivation was “Reach out” by Giorgio Moroder from the ’84 Olympics