Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer had never seen a baseball game when they wrote this classic celebration of the sport. Norworth saw a sign on the subway advertising "Baseball Today — Polo Grounds" and was inspired to write the words to the song. Von Tilzer later set them to music. The song became an instant hit, with sheet music flying off the shelves. It was first recorded in September of that year and innumerable times since. Norworth wrote new lyrics in 1927. It is sung at baseball games all over the country every year and remains one of the most well known and popular songs of all time. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America selected 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' as one of the "Songs of the Century".
Edward Meeker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-gsdLSSQ0
The Haydn Quartet with Harry MacDonough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g0qS9L-fhY
Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly performed the song for the film 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' in 1949.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZYQ4VmGmPM
1908 version:
Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou
Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:"
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.
Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names.
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along,
Good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.
1927 version:
Nelly Kelly loved baseball games,
Knew the players, knew all their names.
You could see her there ev'ry day,
Shout "Hurray"
When they'd play.
Her boyfriend by the name of Joe
Said, "To Coney Isle, dear, let's go",
Then Nelly started to fret and pout,
And to him, I heard her shout:
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.
Nelly Kelly was sure some fan,
She would root just like any man,
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along,
Good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Nelly Kelly knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.
