I went to a Seahawks pre-season game last week. In between being surprised that we now had male b-boy cheerleaders, and also being incredibly perplexed that Geno Smith was vying for back-up quarterback position, a thought had crossed my mind.

I missed the days when the team entered the field to The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony.”

First of all, it makes little sense as a team rock anthem. It doesn’t get you that pumped up, especially when a light drizzle is coming down during many times I’ve been at a game. The opening chords —- samples from an Andrew Oldham Orchestra cover of “The Last Time” which, thanks to a plagiarism dispute, meant that The Rolling Stones were credited as songwriters —- puts you in a dreary mood.  (The Verve regained rights to the song earlier this year.) Like you’re in an episode of a 90’s TV teen drama on the WB or something.

Secondly… what a defeatist song to have a team entrance! You’re not winning a Super Bowl when the team has to listen to “trying to make ends meet, you’re a slave to money, then you die.”

They really didn’t get to the lyrics part, though.  It was just the orchestral portion. The lyrics were just implied, probably just sung in my head.  Wait… shouldn’t this really be the “Andrew Oldham Orchestra cover of Rolling Stones’ The Last Time Night Thread”?

Still…

I very much associate that with the Seahawks, and as an old man now I do not cotton to the new hype jam they play when the team exits the tunnel. Give me a bleak existential mood to start the game off right, I say.  It’s very 1990’s to mid-2000’s Seattle.