There have been several Geeklists that link songs and games. But, I could not find one that listed real songs that reference actual boardgames in their titles or lyrics.
The criteria for this list is that the game itself must be mentioned (or strongly alluded to) by the song. A song and game cannot just have the same subject matter, i.e. Led Zeppelin's Ramble On and the game The Lord of The Rings do not belong on this list.
I have 10 to award to the best contributor(s) to this list. I will divide up the in whatever way I deem appropriate. All contributions submitted before Friday, Sept 5th 2008. will be considered. The will be distributed on Sept 5th.
WINNERS:
1) Everyone who submitted a song received a geekdime.
2) Everyone who submitted a song that had not been submitted to a different Geeklist sometime in the past, received another geekdime.
3) And IanthePez won the remainder of the GG prize money (4.30) for submitting the song "Squints on a Triple" by Jonathan Ochshorn.
Deaf Pedestrians' Hail to the Geek includes the following verse:
I play dungeons and dragons I got a 13th level halfling fighter thief got seven hit die on my backstab sometimes you know it's good to be a geek. It's good to be a geek It's good to play the freak It's good to comb my mullet once every other week As far as I can see It's good to play the Wii Then stay up painting miniatures til 2 or 3 Cuz no one ever...
R.E.M.'s "Man on the Moon" contains several consecutive board game references:
Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Monopoly, twenty one, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah See you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I have not heard that song in quite a while, but I do remember it now. I see that you are in Georgia, are you getting a kickback from R.E.M.? If you are, that automatically diqualifies you from my "big" prize.
I have not heard that song in quite a while, but I do remember it now. I see that you are in Georgia, are you getting a kickback from R.E.M.? If you are, that automatically diqualifies you from my "big" prize.
While I am in Athens, GA, home to REM, I unfortunately am NOT sponsored by them and have never even seen them play. It might be why they came to mind first, though.
I'll be your best friend And you'll be mine, valentine Yes you can hold my hand if you want to 'cause I wanna hold yours too We'll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds But it's time for me to go home It's getting late, dark outside I need to be with myself in center, clarity, peace, serenity yeah
I'd never heard of them being called Spacehoppers. We always called them Hoppity Hops or something similar. I believe my kids have one out in the garage.
Beneath this mask there is an idea.....and ideas are bulletproof.
At the risk of a total loss of street cred for knowing this.. the song 'Spanish Train' by Chris De Burgh contains the following lines...
And far away in some recess The Lord and the Devil are now playing chess, The Devil still cheats and wins more souls, And as for the Lord, well, he's just doing his best...
This follows an earlier high stakes game of 'poker' between God and the Devil for human souls.
Anybody seen a knight pass this way I saw him playing chess with Death yesterday His crusade was a search for God and they say It's been a along way to carry on
Wow, after reading through the lyrics once, I have no idea what the song is about. Here is the second verse:
Salad nicoise Good to meet you Carcasonne hon' Stands next to no one The rake at the door has been taking a tour Of this tar (and) feather land and good lord knows that I am now Falling out of line I'm calling upon North Carolina to help me out here
The song is Squints on a Triple by Jonathan Ochshorn.
Here is what he says about the song: "The song, Squints on a Triple, is based on a true story: my daughter Jennie beat me in a game of Scrabble by putting the word “squints” on a triple word square on her last turn. Scrabble fans know that putting the letter “Q” on a triple word square generates many points; having the letter “Q” simultaneously on a double letter square makes the points scored even greater, and the pain of defeat that much more severe."
Jonathan Ochshorn also teaches architecture at Cornell University which is just pretty cool.
1. she put squints on a triple with q on the double i thought i was winning but now i’m in trouble all of my hopes, false expectations burst like a bubble
2. it’s the first rule of offense to cover your back protect all your troopers from a flanking attack don’t let the lineman in for a sack
[chorus] how could i let myself relinquish control let my constructions collapse into rubble on the very last play, on the very last roll she put squints on a triple with q on the double
3. she has flung in my face all those skills that i taught her now i’m left in disgrace it’s a moral that’s sought here you better be careful when playing games with your daughter [chorus]
bridge: just look at the score nothing will be the same in this game anymore
4. she giggles and she claps but her face seems to soften i think she’s perhaps rolled the dice once too often so come on now, one more for the road baby i’m not yet in my coffin [chorus]
A gaming moment worthy of a song, a triple-double on the last word for the win! I listened to the song, a folksy tune recorded at home with pretty good production value.
This is the submission that I picked as the overall winner! I had originally thought I would pick a song that was "famous" and was known to all, but this song struck a special chord with me.
I am thrilled that my song, Squints on a Triple, was discovered and honored through your 2008 contest. I have just created a music video starring the real-life characters who played that fateful game of Scrabble upon which the song was based. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr0bZ2St-XM
i got my twelve sided die and im ready to roll with a wizard and my goblin crew, my friends are comin over to my moms basement bringin funyuns and the mountain dew, i got a big broad sword made out of cardboard and that stereo's a-pumpin zeppelin, its that time of the night we turn on the black light let the dungeons and the dragons begin, it's d&d! fighting with the legends of yore. it's d&d! never kissed lady before (nope).
I am not a fan of musicals, but I never knew there was one based Chess! The are multiple songs from that production that reference Chess, of course, including at least one that was a pop hit.
Music for that show is by the guys from Abba. Lyrics by Tim Rice (who did lyrics for a number of pieces of Andrew Lloyd Webber treacle like Phantom and (guilty pleasure) Jesus Christ, Superstar.
Moxy Fruvous mention Crokinole in the song "King of Spain"
Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) Oh... my unspeakable wife, Queen Lisa (now I eat humble pie) I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) And now I work at the Pizza Pizza
Royalty, lord it looked good on me Buried in silk in the royal boudoir or going nuclear free Or playing Crokinole with the Princess of Monaco Telling my jokes to the OPEC leaders, getting it all on video
Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) A palatial palace, that was my home (now I eat humble pie) I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) And now I vacuum the turf at SkyDome (once he was the King of Spain)
I can't wait, I'm lowering interest rates, my people say: "King, how are you such a genius? There's a roof overhead and food on our plates!" It's laisez-faire, I don't even give a care Let's make Friday part of the weekend And give every new baby a chocolate eclair
Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) Hey Clinton! Hey Yeltsin! Got problems? You phone me (now I eat humble pie) I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) Now the Leafs call me up to drive the Zamboni (once he was the King of Spain)
Now some of you are probably wondering how I cam to be living in Canada after being royalty in Spain. Should I tell them, guys? Tell us, King!
You see late one night when the palace was asleep Out of my royal chambers and into the garden I creep And I wait till the appointed time, when the moon is lighting the pitch At which point my peasant friend, who looks just like me Arrives and we make a switch Prince and pauper, junior and whopper World made up of silver and copper Out of my own volition, I took a change of position So next time you drool in the pizza line Remember, slower pizza's more luscious The King of Spain never rushes!!!
Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble) I was looking for off-handed ways to improve us (now I eat humble pie) I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie) And now I'm jamming with Moxy Frvous! (once he was the King of Spain)
Went in from the weather when I got wheezy I play some pachinko I play pachisi And St. Anne is still making it breezy In the valley of tar that once was L.A.(hey, hey)
I don't know how "real" you considering MC Frontalot. And though he doesn't *say* Magic: The Gathering, it is clear from his lyrics what he's talking about.
Ha! John, you reminded me of another one. This song refers to your song, but it still names the same games.
311's Misdirected Hostility:
So much angst an pain it's so wack You should take a tip from the one Frank Black Play some pachinko play some parcheesi Cause all the angst s**t is just cheesy
Thanks to edensong's entry (#14) I rediscovered a song from way back in my younger days. With the added bonus that I have actually been to the city, here are the lyrics from One Night in Bangkok:
Bangkok, Oriental setting And the city don't know that the city is getting The creme de la creme of the chess world in a Show with everything but Yul Brynner.
Bangkok, just another stop in The chess world circus -- masters drop in, Play, checkmate, check out and then you Move on to another venue.
Like Iceland -- or the Philippines -- or Hastings -- or -- or this place!
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free You'll find a god in every golden cloister And if you're lucky then the god's a she I can feel an angel sliding up to me.
One town's very like another When your head's down over your pieces, brother.
It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity To be looking at the board, not looking at the city.
Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town, ya seen 'em all.
Tea, girls, warm, sweet Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite.
Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist Whose every move's among the purest.
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble Not much between despair and ecstasy One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble Can't be too careful with your company I can feel the devil walking next to me.
Siam's gonna be the witness To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness This grips me more than would a Muddy old river or reclining Buddha.
I don't see you guys rating The kind of mate I'm contemplating I'd let you watch, I would invite you But the queens we use would not excite you.
So you better go back to your bars, your temples, your massage parlors...
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free You'll find a god in every golden cloister A little flesh, a little history I can feel an angel sliding up to me.
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble Not much between despair and ecstasy One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble Can't be too careful with your company I can feel the devil walking next to me.
"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.
Know when to walk away, and know when to run. You never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin', when the dealin's done."
Roger's Reviews: check out my reviews page, right here on BGG!
Who let this guy become wargame subdomain moderator anyways?
Jethro Tull has a song called "Only Solitaire" that mentions chess and solitaire...
Brain-storming habit-forming battle-warning weary winsome actor spewing spineless chilling lines --- the critics falling over to tell themselves he's boring and really not an awful lot of fun. Well who the hell can he be when he's never had V.D., and he doesn't even sit on toilet seats?
Court-jesting, never-resting --- he must be very cunning to assume an air of dignity and bless us all with his oratory prowess, his lame-brained antics and his jumping in the air. And every night his act's the same and so it must be all a game of chess he's playing --- "But you're wrong, Steve: you see, it's only solitaire."
"Now I'm one with the living and I'm feeling just fine I know just what I gotta do Play the game of happiness and never let on That it only lives on in a song - oh Well there's nothing you can do when you're next in line You've got to go domino."
to award to the best contributor(s) to this list. I will divide up the 
Posted Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:26 pm
If you are, that automatically diqualifies you from my "big" 
While I am in Athens, GA, home to REM, I unfortunately am NOT sponsored by them and have never even seen them play. It might be why they came to mind first, though. 
. Mötörhead: 
. Sorry, I'm just not a fan.
Unspecified
Unspecified
Spokane Valley
Washington
Cincinnati
Ohio
Ain't that the truth... I've had a couple of ideas recently but... someone's already beat me to them.
Diis
Glen Arm
Maryland
-M
Spokane Valley
Washington
-M
I will pick a winner/winners tomorrow.