The Voice loves a good Sportz x Leisure crossover, and I am here today to provide a playlist for all those loyal Hoya fans out there still buzzing over Georgetown’s shocking Big East Tournament upset. This is an eclectic playlist, but then again, so are the Hoyas. Sit back and let these tunes wash over you as you reminisce about Patrick Ewing giving the Ric Flair “Woo” in MSG. This one goes out the Jahvon Blairs, Dante Harrises, Jamorko Picketts, Qudus Wahabs, Chudier Biles, Donald Careys and Timothy Ighoefes in your lives.
“Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G.
For anyone who tuned into Fox before the game, the player introductions were accompanied by this song. The correlation bears out that Georgetown has never lost when entering to this song. Then there is the fact that Biggie is Coach Ewing’s favorite rapper and this song is on his favorite album. It all adds up to the perfect song to start a journey with Hoyas basketball.
Lyric of Choice: “Biggie Biggie Biggie can’t you see, sometimes your words just hypnotize me (Coach Ewing talking about gumbo) And I just love your flashy ways, (the Big John towel over the shoulder) guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid (the loads of respect that Ewing has gotten versus coaches actually in the hot seat).”
“New York” by St. Vincent
The Biggie to St. Vincent pipeline is not one easily braved, yet I choose ambition. Like he has been doing all his life, Patrick Ewing left New York differently than he found it. This song is being sung from the perspective of Madison Square Garden, the arena that Ewing has made the most famous in the world. New York, the Knicks, and the Big East have all tried doing their own thing, but it always comes back to the Beast of the East, Patrick Ewing.
Lyric of Choice: “New love wasn’t true love (Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudamire, Jeremy Lin, etc.), back to you, love (Pat). So much for a home run with some blue bloods (The rest of the Big East). If I last-strawed you on 8th Avenue (Not letting Ewing into MSG) where you’re the only motherfucker in the city who can stand me.”
“When I was Your Man” by Bruno Mars
Speaking of leaving, listen to this pithy little ditty from the perspective of Mac McClung. McClung saw the pictures of Blair, Pickett, and Harris hugging Coach Ewing and holding the Big East Championship Trophy and remembered his days as Georgetown’s golden child. Mac is trying to find that same love with Chris Beard at Texas Tech and it just doesn’t compete.
Lyric of Choice: “My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways (I don’t mean to badmouth Mac, but) caused a good strong woman (program) like you to walk out my life. Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made (will never lead Georgetown to glory), oh and that haunts me every time I close my eyes.”
“Georgetown Press” by Wale
I was first put on to this song by the Voice’s Sports Executive Nathan Chen in Part 3 of his fantastic series on Georgetown basketball (Go read it, it’s good!). I will let his words describe why this song fits on our playlist.
“The song also reveals the program’s nuanced history. Wale references [Rayful] Edmond several times in the track, acknowledging his impact as a Hoyas fan on D.C. youth while also exposing that the cocaine business driving Edmond’s wealth and notoriety ultimately oppressed Black people in D.C. too… He recalls Kevin Braswell, the tenth-leading scorer and leader in career assists for the Hoyas, who hasn’t been referenced by the program for many years. He also invokes Victor Page, the fiery guard who followed in Iverson’s footsteps and left school early for the NBA. Both Braswell and Page are players that more casual fans may not have previously heard of, but Wale and many other rappers bridge the gap between Georgetown basketball’s past and the kids of today.”
Lyric of Choice: “And there is no I in team, but can you read the eye on Vic’s Page. Otto Porter with all the water servin’ the corners. Rayful callin’ up ‘Zo Mourning before the tourney (Isn’t wild that this ragtag group of players put their names down as Hoya legends? Some might be stars in the NBA like Alonzo Mourning or might wash out like Victor Page {though hopefully under different circumstances}. But no matter what, no Hoya fan will forget what they did this past week).”
“The Boys are Back” by Corbin Bleu and Zac Efron
Georgetown is back where it all began! Chad Danforth and Troy Bolton were truly in their bag when they sang this in the third High School Musical installment and the song holds up today. The world is in the right place when Georgetown is successful and is in the tournament. It’s the same thing to see Chad and Troy together in an abandoned scrap yard. Kinda.
Lyric of Choice: Keep coming with the right, win the fight every single time (4-0 in the conference tourney). Undefeated here in our house, yeah (MSG is Georgetown’s house) We can rock, we can shock, anytime we like (The Hoyas can beat anyone in the country) And tonight we’re going all out (what Chudier Bile wakes up and says every morning).”
“Can We Dance” by The Vamps
Do the members of the Vamps know basketball? Perhaps not! Does this song have literally anything to do with the sport? No! Can I turn every single lyric to talk about my relationship with the NCAA Tournament? Helllllll yes. All that matters is that after 6 long years, the Hoyas are back in the Big Dance!
Lyric of Choice: “I talk a lot of shit when I’m drinking, baby, I’m known to go a little too fast. (Me getting excited about an early season non conference win) Don’t mind all my friends, I know they’re all crazy but they’re the only friends that I have. (The Voice Sportz GroupMe) I know I don’t know you (Never been to the tourney while I was a student) but I’d like to skip the small talk and romance (the bubble), girl, that’s all I have to say so, baby, can we dance? (Tournament Bound!)”
“The Georgetown Fight Song” by The Georgetown Chimes*
Lyrics of choice: IT’S BEEN SO LONG SINCE LAST WE MET, LIE DOWN FOREVER, LIE DOWN; OR HAVE YOU ANY MONEY TO BET, LIE DOWN FOREVER, LIE DOWN. THERE GOES OLD GEORGETOWN, STRAIGHT FOR A REBOUND, SEE HOW THEY GAIN GROUND, LIE DOWN FOREVER, LIE DOWN, LIE DOWN FOREVER, LIE DOWN. RAH! RAH! RAH! HURRAH FOR GEORGETOWN, CHEER FOR VICTORY TODAY. ‘ERE THE SUN HAS SUNK TO REST, IN THE CRADLE OF THE WEST, IN THE CLOUDS WILL PROUDLY FLOAT THE BLUE AND GRAY. WE’VE HEARD THOSE LOYAL FELLOWS UP AT YALE BRAG AND BOAST ABOUT THEIR BOOLA-BOOLA. WE’VE HEARD THE NAVY YELL; WE’VE LISTENED TO CORNELL; WE’VE HEARD THE SONS OF HARVARD TELL HOW CRIMSON LINES COULD HOLD THEM. CHOO CHOO, RAH RAH, DEAR OLD HOLY CROSS; THE PROUD OLD PRINCETON TIGER IS NEVER AT A LOSS. BUT THE YELL OF ALL THE YELLS, THE YELL THAT WINS THE DAY, IS THE “HOYA, HOYA SAXA!” FOR THE DEAR OLD BLUE AND GRAY.
*(This is the only version on Spotify. Makes you wonder about the stranglehold the Chimes have on the Georgetown a capella scene. Superfood your silence is deafening.)
