We Love That Dirty Water

Boston is known for a great many things. Birthplace of The Revolution (American, not the group who played with Prince). Home of the Kennedys. Only having twenty-five letters in our alphabet. Wicked snowstorms. A Dunkin’ Donuts on every corner. But maybe above all else, our sports teams. Yes, sports are the true lifeblood of the city, the one binding and common theme that runs through all native Bostonians. Let’s face it…we’ve had it good the past 10 years. Every major professional team has won a championship! Even the Revolution (the soccer team, still not the group that played with Prince) has come close to winning the MLS Cup. I’ve come to realize during these championship runs how specific songs always make me think of a certain team or moment, and the emotions and memories that those conjure up. Here are the five songs that will forever hold a place in my heart, and a key to teleport me back to some of the best sports related moments in Boston history.

Beautiful Day U2/ Crazy Train Ozzy Osbourne

Honestly, could there be two more contradictory songs that evoke memories of triumph for me? Doubtful. Back in 2001, when the country was in turmoil following the 9/11 attacks, somehow our beloved Patriots made it to the Superbowl. Sparked by an upstart backup quarterback who would soon become the face of the franchise, The Pats made it all the way to New Orleans for the big game. The halftime show that year was U2, with Bono running around a heart shaped stage, singing “It’s a beautiful day…don’t let it get away” to the thousands in attendance. And sure it was, for all New England, when Adam “Golden Toe” Vinatieri knocked that field goal down as time expired. The underdogs were now the champs, and Boston had its first sports title in more than a decade. Chaos ensued. For the rest of my life, I’ll forever link “Beautiful Day” to the Pats first championship title, due to the amazing performance and the fact that, yes, it was a beautiful day for all of Patriots fandom. 

Fast forward 8 months. Standing in the seats of Gillette Stadium, awaiting kickoff. Bouncing up and down as the initial chords strike. The entire crowd as one screaming “ALL ABOARD!! aye aye aye!” as Golden Toe himself runs down to boot the opening kickoff at the game I was attending. From this point forward I make it a point to get to the game in time for kickoff, because this exact routine happens every home game without fail. No matter who’s kicking off, the opposing team knows where they are when its game time. Nothing like having thousands of New Englanders who’ve been tailgating since 10am screaming Ozzy lyrics at you. I’m shocked there aren’t more fumbles on the return.

Kernkraft 400 Zombie Nation

Now you may not know the name of the song, or the band, or dj, or…whatever these guys are. And you really don’t have to. Why? Because I guarantee once you hear it, you’ll know it. Doubt me? Go ahead, search for it. I’ll wait. No really. Do it.

Told you you’d know it! Nothing to me is more Bruins than this song. Well, besides the fights and bears and Marchand’s nose. Lighting the lamp for the black and gold means one thing: This song BLASTS through the speakers at the Garden and get the crowd into a tizzy. I first remember hearing this song before the Bruins became the team they were today, when they were habitually losing to, well, everyone. Watching Glen Metropolit bury the puck, this song started to pump through the arena. Hey! It’s that weird techno song that foreign kid at school always listens to! I thought to myself. But it got the crowd into the game, clapping along to the beat. And here were are some 6 years later, and it still echoes through the Garden after the lamp gets lit. Even at home, you can hear it hitting your speakers, and even at home, I bet you can’t help yourself but chant “Ohhhhh uh-oh oh ohhhhh oh oh oh oh, ohohohohohoh” I know I sure can’t. Nothing was more fitting than watching the Bruins raise Lord Stanley’s Cup on home ice to this song. Or watching Marchand climb on top of every bar he saw when it played. Forever, this song will embody a win for the good guys in my book.

Tessie Dropkick Murphys/Dirty Water The Standells

Ok, these are obvious. These are slam dunks right? 2004, the Red Sox won their first World Series in almost a hundred years, all those decades of heartache gone with one underhand lob from Keith Foulke to Doug Mientkiewicz. I know the obvious choice would have been “Sweet Caroline” but bear with me. That’s just too easy. I remember the first 3000 times I heard “Tessie” that season I hated it. Loathed it actually. But something happened during that playoff run with the Yankees. I heard the song right before Game 4, when all hope was lost. But wait…we won? Meh, they’ll blow the next one. Heard the song again right before Game 5. And they won that one too. Now, much like any other Boston fan, I am superstitious to a fault. So if hearing this song right before the game was the key to the Red Sox success, you’re damn skippy I was cranking it every day right through the World Series. When the Sox won the World Series, following the immediate emotional collapse, the bar I happened to be in played this song for about an hour straight. And you know what? I’m ok with that. I’m still ok with this song. Because in my mind, if it weren’t for hearing this every day before the game, we’d never have won a thing.

Few things truly need to be said about the city’s unofficial theme song, “Dirty Water” by The Standells. Played at the end of every Red Sox victory, Bruins victory, most weddings, some bat-mitzvahs, and the occasional funeral, no one song better holds the essence of the town in chords and vocals. Gritty, tough, kind of dirty…but wholly open to great sing alongs, upbeat, and fun. That sums us up, doesn’t it? Warm, welcoming, but always that hint of “those guys are sketchy” to outsiders (you know, my Uncle worked for Whitey…). 

A victory by any of our teams isn’t the same without “Dirty Water” accompanying the game ending high fives and hugs. Boston Sports and The Standells…forever linked. Because we love that dirty water, oh Boston you’re our home.