“Dancing on my own”. Is it the sound of success? Or is it the sound of second place?
After falling short in the World Series and National League Championship Series (NLCS) to the Astros and Diamondbacks respectively, a rift was torn in Philadelphia fandom.
This rift was torn over the use of the song “Dancing on my Own” as the playoff anthem (And it wasn’t just about the preferred artist: Callum Scott or Robyn). Almost as if the song determined the team’s fate, fans went back and forth, deciding whether the tune should be put on the shelf or not.
As a Phillies playoff berth is looking almost certain, the debate over the song will only intensify over the coming months. Should the Phillies keep dancing? Or is it time to look at other options?
At the end of the day, it isn’t the fans’ decision. The members of the team are the ones making the decision.
In 2022, Kyle Schwarber suggested the song and it stuck with players and fans alike.
In February 2023, Schwarber declared on the “Take Off with John Clark” podcast, that the song was to be retired. Despite this, “Dancing on my Own” was still blared at the bank, as the Phillies made a trip to the NLCS.
The song’s return in 2023 makes it feel inevitable that the song continues to be the team’s favorite song to celebrate to. I don’t think these guys can help it and that is not a bad thing.
Clearly, the players enjoy it so why try to fix what isn’t broken?
If this song helps put a smile on the team members’ faces, the fans should all be on board. When the players are loosened up and having fun, the team seems like it’s firing on all cylinders. Team morale is way more pivotal to a team’s success than a silly superstition.
“We’re just a bunch of dudes having fun playing the game, honestly,” Garrett Stubbs said in an interview with Tom Dougherty of CBS Philadelphia. “Obviously, a bunch of guys who are really good at playing this game, but I think keeping it light and all that type of stuff helps us being at our highest level” he continues.
After all, the Phils are trying to win baseball games, and most importantly, they’re trying to raise trophies.
When the team is winning and having fun, so are the fans. What is there really to complain about?
And on the other side of the story is the singer himself, Callum Scott. The English pop star caught wind of the song’s popularity in the area and embraced it fully. Scott even went as far as saying that he would perform at a potential Phillies championship parade.
Since the 2022 World Series run, Scott still aligns himself with the Philly faithful today, as he often mentions how he still loves the fanbase and is still willing to perform.
In only its short presence in Philadelphia, “Dancing on my Own” has already become a staple of the culture in this new era.
By using the song every year, a sense of identity is created. To me, that is special. This song clicked. Who is to say we strike gold again? Having a song to encapsulate this era of Phillies baseball can bring a sentimental value to the future reminiscent fans. Besides, everyone already knows all the words anyway.
While I understand the eagerness for success, this whole battle over a song has been majorly blown out of proportion.
After a disappointing collapse to the 2023 season, people were grabbing at straws to try and pin where this team went wrong. As fans do, they will look for something they think will get the team over the hump.
The answer will be revealed to us when Red October arrives. Does the teams’ music taste determine their fate? I guess all we can do is sit back and watch.
