While gliding down a freeway at 90 mph in the middle of nowhere, after a weekend of debauchery in the city of sin, a good buddy of mine informed me of a not very well-kept secret. “”Dark Side of the Moon”” by Pink Floyd, those of psychedelic rocker fame, plays in sync to the cinematic classic “”The Wizard of Oz.””
Trippy things happen when you play the album while watching the movie, such as how certain lines describe what’s happening on the screen, and the munchkins boogie down to the rhythm of the tunes. Was it intentional or not, the band is not saying.
All of this gave me an idea. While watching certain athletic events, it would be a good idea to shut out the annoying announcers and pop in some of your favorite CDs. Here are a few suggestions for more pleasant viewing experiences:
While watching the San Diego Chargers play, you can pop in Beck’s album “”Mellow Gold”” for one reason: to listen to the song “”Loser.”” While watching the team again pull defeat from the jaws of victory, you can hear Beck sing the anthem of a generation.
This system works much in the way Pink Floyd does with “”The Wizard of Oz.”” You can pop in the group’s 1975 classic “”Wish You Were Here”” while watching either the XFL or the NBA.
In the XFL’s case, they wish that the fans were here, which they aren’t if you check out the latest raings.
The NBA’s sync goes even deeper than that. It sure as hell wishes Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were still roaming the court to bring back some fans.
For baseball, lay down in some of Guns ‘n’ Roses’ 1987 classic “”Appetite for Destruction,”” which is exactly what baseball is doing to itself — imploding.
The marathon song “”Shine on You Crazy Diamond,”” also on that album, can be an ode to those great stars who have moved on in the NBA.
The list would not be complete without a Beatles tune somewhere in the grand mix. The Beatles’ “”Let it Be”” would bode well while watching the Lakers play and Shaq and Kobe not get along. Or as least the media’s perception of the “”feud.”” Just let it be, let it be.
Heck, this can work here at UCSD. Pop into your portable CD player a little “”We Are the Champions”” by Queen next time you check out the women’s soccer team. It works fine.
