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Spring is finally here! I know we got snow this week, and it hasn’t really felt like springtime weather yet, but there is one surefire sign that points to the glorious return of the sun.  Nope, not the day marked “spring begins” on the calendar.  The cherry blossoms blooming would be a good guess, but still wrong.  The grand indicator is, of course, the Opening Day for the Major League Baseball season! I can already smell the freshly cut grass and stale beer, staples of any solid baseball experience.  While we get ready to watch the Nationals attempt to turn regular season dominance into post season success, and I watch (Wish? Pray? Shut my eyes so I don’t have to deal with more heartbreak?) my Red Sox try to get out of whatever funk they’ve been in, here is a playlist of songs to get you in the mood for baseball season (and spring in general).

Take Me Out to the Ballgame- Jimmy Buffett I feel like there really isn’t any explanation needed on this one.  But just in case, baseball’s classic anthem sung by the president of Margaritaville.  What better way to get started?

Dancing in the Dark- Bruce Springsteen I don’t know about you, but when I go to a game with a 7pm start time, I expect to do a lot of dancing in the dark.  Especially in April: it can get cold.

Beautiful Day- U2 A great song about enjoying the day, no matter where you are or what it’s like.  Perfect for cruising with the windows down on your way to a game, or while sitting inside waiting for it to stop raining.

All Star- Smash Mouth Where did Smash Mouth go? I mean really, there are very few artists with as much influence on my childhood as these guys.  You couldn’t go anywhere for at least all of 2000 without hearing that song.  More to the point, it talks about all-star athletes.  Doesn’t get much more baseball than that.

You Get What You Give- The New Radicals Just another great spring/summer song.  It just makes you feel good and want to move around. What else is there to say?

Walk of Life- Dire Straits I have great memories listening to this song on the way to tee-ball games, inspired by the player going through the “walk of life”.  Playing baseball, for me anyways, was all a part of that same walk.

The Boys of Summer- Don Henley While this one is about the end of the season, the boys of summer are about to come out for the next six months, so no need to be sad; just enjoy the song!

Dirty Water- The Standells Hopefully I’ll get to hear this song get played a few more times this year than last year. For those of you that don’t know, this song (about the Charles River in Boston) is blared over the loudspeakers at Fenway Park after every Red Sox victory.  It’s especially fitting for Georgetown, too, as we get to look out at our own dirty water every day.

Don’t Stop Believing- Journey Bottom of the ninth, two outs, all hope lost? Don’t fret, and play some Journey.  Seriously.  I’m pretty sure everything is possible with this song playing.

Centerfield- John Fogerty Is there a better baseball song than this one? I don’t think so.  It talks about baseball legends, playing baseball, baseball weather.  Everything’s baseball, and I can’t get enough of it.  Man, I’m glad the season is here.