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Unless I'm missing it, many Mets players' walkup music has been barely audible during television and radio broadcasts of home games this year...
...that is, except for that of Yoenis Céspedes. When Céspedes began walking out to "The Circle of Life" last year, I thought it was silly fun -- for anyone who missed it, Oh My Disney contributor Cate Scott Campbell posted a fitting article about this last season (see link below). However, the more I've thought about this choice, the more I've been impressed by the multifaceted beauty of juxtaposing his appearance at the plate with this theme from Disney's The Lion King. For one, it is a memorable song that instantly transports the listener back to the experience of this film, or at least the emotional valence it conjures. Like an iconic Disney film, baseball seems to have the power to transport adults back to an earlier, ostensibly simpler time, and if that emotional charge is catalyzed by Céspedes' walkup music, then all the better for the experience of rooting for him and the Mets. Since he started using this music, people have participated, including bringing Simba dolls to CitiField and holding them up as he emerges from the on-deck circle to take his rightful place in the batter's box. I imagine this is done for different reasons: fans of The Lion King recognize a fun way to bridge two cherished universes, fans of Céspedes find in it a way to support or even to bond with their idol, fans of the Mets recognize Céspedes as the individual who has filled a void high up in the team hierarchy where prolific slugging ought to be, etc. On the other hand, there must be fans of the team or Céspedes -- or fans of the relevant rival team -- who find this all a bit foolish or undignified. For these folks, his choice of music functions as a challenge of sorts, or at least a statement: I'm comfortable with who I am, and I can be a handsome, muscular, home run-hitting superstar at the same time as I walk out to Disney music. Who will criticize him? Certainly no one on the home side should, especially not when he's hitting home runs three times per game, as he did last night. So, I take it back: walking out to "The Circle of Life" is not simply silly fun. It is that, of course, but it can also serve as a reminder to us all to break down barriers built by terms such as "cool" or "manly" or the like, and it is a fine form of juxtaposition that more of us might try in our own lives. Am I making more of this than exists or than I should? That is very possible, but if you've read all the way to the end of this post, perhaps you think that maybe I'm not. SOURCES: Campbell, Cate Scott. "Here is Proof That Every Baseball Player Should Walk Out to a Disney Song." Oh My Disney. https://ohmy.disney.com/news/2016/09/13/here-is-proof-that-every-baseball-player-should-walk-out-to-a-disney-song/
Mufasa
4/12/2017 09:07:06 pm
The song is fitting given the rise of Cespedes through the past few seasons. He is fitter than ever, and playing baseball with even more focus. He has renewed life into the Mets, and the song fits him well as the young prince who is about to become king.
Chris
4/13/2017 09:58:53 am
Well-put! Thanks for reading! 4/19/2017 03:23:39 pm
In my lifetime, the walk-up music has been a big thing. I specifically remember clutch Mets outfielder Bernard Gilkey had a distinctive song when he'd walk up to bat. Also, who could overlook Jose Reyes' walk up song (Ole!) that the crowd retrofitted with his name? Starting an inning or game with that interaction was like a high-flying wrestling match kicking off a show. However, the greatest example in my relatively short/feels like forever life as a Mets fan is the man before Cespy swept our town as the hero. Mike Piazza. The epitome of limitless power and timeless swag walked out to a song that personifies just that- "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix. Nothing instilled fear into the pitcher quite like hearing those opening, muted guitar chucks and strong solo tear through the loudspeakers and the Italian stallion walked up with a bat the size of a telephone pole and an all-business attitude on his face. Comments are closed.
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Mets Chats are posts about the New York Mets. They may be editorial, historical, or otherwise in nature. All are invited to read, but be warned that these posts are written by an admittedly biased fan of the Metropolitans!
WftF.com is a blog by a baseball fan -- and a Mets fan specifically -- who is learning his way into the wide world of baseball history, current events, debates, literature, and personal connections to the above.
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