New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Musicians find inspiration for their songs in many unlikely places. It can be things that have an emotional connection, such as when Ed Sheeran wrote "Castle on the Hill", taking inspiration from his hometown. Other times, it can come from frustration, like when The Beatles wanted to express their anger about high tax rates in the UK by writing "Taxman".
Many other artists have turned to sport to find inspiration, either using it as a metaphor for other areas of life or writing explicitly about their chosen competition. Here are some great examples of times where sport has inspired musicians.
Two of a Kind Workin' on a Full House
Anyone who has used poker training sites to improve their knowledge of the game's rules and mechanics will know that a full house is one of the best hands you can have, while a two of a kind can be beaten quite easily.
Country singer Garth Brooks used these hands for a metaphor when he was working on his song "Two of a Kind Workin' on a Full House".
Mixing some classic country music elements, like violins and a heavy drum beat, Brooks sings about building a life with his partner, describing his relationship as "two of a kind" and saying that they're working towards a "full house".
Basketball
While Garth Brooks' song is a very subtle nod to the game of poker, Kurtis Blow's 1984 song "Basketball" is about as obvious as you could ever imagine. With lyrics in the chorus like "we love that basketball", there's no doubt that basketball is one of Blow's favorite pastimes.
Between renditions of the chorus, Blow raps about different elements of the sport, with lyrics like "I like it when they dribble up and down the court".
The song and the accompanying music video scream 80s, from the hairstyles and fashion to the heavy electro beat. There's even an inexplicable martial arts battle with comic-esque "POW!" graphics appearing on screen.
It's a catchy tune, despite not performing well in the US charts when it was first released. It was used in the NBA 2K12 video game, giving it a new lease of life in the early 2010s. Blow did fare better with other singles though, including the 1979 hit Christmas Rappin'.
Schumacher Song
The Schumacher Song, which was officially known as Formula '98, is another conspicuous nod to both the sport of Formula 1 and the German driver Michael Schumacher. It was created by the Danish artist DJ Visage, who worked with a German music producer after being inspired by the 1997 Italian Grand Prix.
The Schumacher Song is an odd name to give a song inspired by that race, since the German driver finished 9th behind his brother Ralf.
Unsurprisingly, the song was a hit in Germany, where several other similar versions of the song were released, each with the lyrics "Schumacher ist Weltmeister" (Schumacher is World Champion), which sound like they're taken from a TV commentary.
The Schumacher Song is a techno track that mixes real Formula 1 engine noises with a high tempo track, making it the perfect song for a rave hosted by petrol heads.
