Welcome to "Beats & Bleachers," where music meets the game! This is your ultimate destination for everything music and sports! Each week on Thursdays, the "Beats" segment will bring you reviews and recommendations for five songs, each from a different genre of music, helping you discover new tunes and artists. Meanwhile, in "Bleachers," I will be highlighting top sports stories, including game recaps, athletic achievements, and more. Whether you're here for the rhythm or the roar of the crowd, there's something for everyone. "And-uh-one, two, three... play ball!"
Beats :
Every week, I will be posting my "Beats of the Week"! For this segment of the blog, I will be choosing five songs, one from each genre of music: pop, rock, hip-hop, country, and jazz. I will be giving a brief review of each song, along with my reasoning as to why I believe they are worth a listen. Here are this week's best beats!
It hurts to call this song a throwback, but believe it or not, "Hey Ya!" is over 20 years old... This song just makes you feel like you're dancing on a warm Summer day with an ice-cold drink in hand. At least, that is how I feel when I hear this song. This 2003 hit talks about love and relationships while maintaining an upbeat vibe that just makes you want to dance. Take a break from the cold winter weather and jam to "Hey Ya!" by the OutKast this week.
This song has been stuck in my head for the entirety of the last week. You cannot help but nod your head to the beat of this rockin' Elton John ballad. The 1974 hit is all about vulnerability and longing, expressing feelings of loneliness and the need for connection. It features powerful vocals and emotional lyrics, making it a timeless classic.
I couldn't help but include this song, as I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. This song gained extra popularity after the song and dance were in full display at Arrowhead Stadium as the Kansas City Chiefs took down the Dolphins on January 13, 2024, 26-7. The 2009 track is known for its catchy beat and fun, energetic vibe. It became popular for its dance, where people mimic surfing motions while moving side to side. The Chiefs played in the AFC Championship on Sunday, and "Swag Surfin'" rang through the rafters at Arrowhead once again as the Chiefs won 32-29 over the Buffalo Bills.
PS Believe it or not, I wrote the "Beats" segment before the games on Sunday, and I included a 31-28 score prediction for the Chiefs game... I was SO. FREAKING. CLOSE.
I find it difficult to listen to this song without making a 'stank' face to Chris Stapleton's soulful vocals. Originally recorded by David Allen Coe in 1981, "Tennessee Whiskey" quickly gained massive popularity after Stapleton's rendition in 2015. The song uses the metaphor of Tennessee whiskey to describe a love that's smooth and comforting, contrasting it with the burn of burn brandy and the sweetness of strawberry wine. Ultimately, Stapleton's powerful and emotive vocals make this recording a country classic.
"Take Five" is arguably one of the best jazz standards of all time. Composed by Paul Desmond and performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1959, "Take Five" is famous for its distinct 5/4 time signature. All of my music theory nerds out there know that a 5/4 time signature is rare and, therefore, often unwelcomed by the musicians who have to play it. However, "Take Five" has such a groovy feel and melody that jazz musicians actually love this chart. If you're looking to expand your listening this week, try out some jazz in 5/4 with "Take Five"!
Bleachers:
Welcome to the "Bleachers"! Here, we will take a dive into the thrilling world of sports, bringing you anything from the latest highlights, game analyses, athletic achievements, and much more! Whether you're celebrating a big play or witnessing a nail-biting finish, the bleachers are where the magic of sports truly comes alive. This week, we will be covering the NFC and AFC Championship Games of the NFL Playoffs.
NFC Championship Game -- Eagles 55 - Commanders 23:
The NFC Championship game between the Eagles and the Commanders was nothing short of electrifying to start! The Eagles started strong, with Jalen Hurts delivering one of the best games of his career and their defense making nothing easy for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. However, the Commanders remained resilient until late in the second quarter when the Eagles scored a touchdown, followed by a fumbled kick return and another Eagles touchdown. Although the task was tall, a chance to come back was still within reach for the Commanders by the end of the first half.
In the end, four touchdowns off of four turnovers ended up costing the Commanders the game. On top of that, Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley simply could not be stopped. Saquon, who rushed for over 2,000 yards during the regular season, appears to be Philadelphia's biggest weapon as the Eagles eye revenge against the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. As for the Washington Commanders, first-year head coach Dan Quinn and likely Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels led this team to an outstanding turnaround season. After finishing the 2023-24 season at 4-13, they finished at 12-5 in 2024-25, and they made it to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991-92.
AFC Championship Game -- Chiefs 32 - Bills 29:
The AFC Championship game saw another round of what has become a classic NFL playoff rivalry between Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs got out to a quick and early lead 7-0 after driving 90 yards down the field for the first score. However, everyone knew that this game was never going to be a one-sided blowout by either team. By the end of the first half, the game was already nail-bitingly close at 14-13 after a questionable choice by the Bills to go for two before halftime.
As usual, the game continued to go back and forth between these two teams, and then it went down to the wire. The fourth quarter was full of action because of it, including a controversial Bills 4th down & 1 that was stopped just barely short by the Chiefs. NFL fans are furious after different angles of the play seemed to show different results, with some showing Josh Allen being short and some showing him having the 1st down. Unfortunately, these debates will continue to happen as long as the NFL rules regarding "the ball marks the spot" stay the same and as long as no digital technology is implemented for the current "chain gang" method of measuring said spot of the ball, first down markers, and the line of scrimmage.
Ultimately, Josh Allen and the Bills had a chance to tie or go ahead in the game late in the fourth quarter but came up just short. While they retained all three of their timeouts with a chance to make a stop, they could not do so as a pass from Patrick Mahomes to off-season pickup Samaje Perine sealed the deal for the Chiefs to move to victory formation. Josh Allen moved to 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs, while the Chiefs moved on to their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. They are officially the only team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls and return for a third time in a row. Mahomes and the Chiefs now look to cement their names even deeper into the history books as the only team in NFL history to ever pull off the "three-peat."
That's a wrap for this week's "Beats & Bleachers"! Thanks for tuning in! I hope you enjoyed my song reviews and recommendations in "Beats of the Week," as well as the hottest sports stories from the bleachers. Whether you are here for the music, the sports, or both, I appreciate you joining me. Stay tuned for more beats to move to and games to cheer for. Until next time, keep the music playing and the spirit of the game alive!
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