"(Shipping Up To Boston) That's the Closer's Song"

For those who don’t know, I’m a big fan of Dropkick Murphys. I was able to go to one of their concerts last year in Des Moines, Iowa with my cousin, Amy. Great concert, great time. I even met my first and only Rays fan there. The reason why I like Dropkick Murphys so much is their music just seems to motivate me to get up and go, and I love the fact that they play a wide range of instruments. Seriously, guitars, drums, and basses are normal, but banjos, accordions, and bag-pipes are something special. The photo above was taken at the Dropkick Murphys’ concert last year.

Dropkick Murphys are not strangers to the Boston-sports world. Besides “Shipping Up To Boston” being played every time Papelbon took the field for a close, “Tessie” was also played during home Red Sox games. “The Warrior’s Code” was written for Mickey Ward (if you watch “The Fighter,” the live version of the song is played). “Time to Go” is about the Bruins and the fight for a Stanley Cup (written and recorded before last year’s triumphant season). Numerous Boston sports icons appear in the video for “Going Out in Style,” like Kevin Youkilis, Bobby Orr, and Mickey Ward, to name a few.

Anyway, for the past five years, Papelbon has used Dropkick Murphys’ song “Shipping Up to Boston” as his walkout music. I’ve already touched on an earlier post how Bailey’s considering Boston-based bands for his walkout music. Obviously, Papelbon can’t use “Shipping Up to Boston” in Philadelphia.

During an interview with ESPN Radio (evidently, there is such a thing. Here’s the link to the website with this article: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/music/news/story?page=120305-dropkick-murphys-papelbon ), Ken Casey, the frontman for DropkickMurphys, said the following:

He (Papelbon) can't use 'Shipping Up To Boston.’ That's a Boston song. One of the Philadelphia radio guys suggested 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya.’ And I have to get with the new Sox closer [Andrew Bailey] to let him know he can use 'Shipping Up To Boston.’ That's not Pap's song. That's the closer's song.

A set closer’s song? For some reason, I kind of like that idea. Of course, it would be up to the closer whether or not to use the song, but I like the idea of “Shipping Up To Boston” being the Red Sox closer song, no matter who’s closing. It might be too soon after Papelbon’s departure to actually use the song because let’s face it, Papelbon made the song his:



Who could ever forget the infamous “Irish Jig” dance? Plus, there’s the fact that he did it after winning the World Series. In fact, I recall watching a NESN program where they interviewed random people on the Boston streets and asked them to do “The Papelbon.” It was hilarious!

So, we’ll see if Ken Casey persuades Andrew Bailey to use “Shipping Up To Boston” as the official closer song, or maybe another Dropkick Murphy song. Again, I kind of like the idea of having the song an official Red Sox song. Plus, it’ll give the Fenway workers running the sound one less thing to worry about during games.