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04 June 2010

New Theme Song For The Belmont




After supplanting 1980's song "Sidewalks Of New York" with Sinatra's New York New York now Sinatra has been vanquished for JZ's "Empire State Of Mind". This is one small steps in the effort to modernize the Belmont stakes.

NYRA marketing director Neema Ghazi clearly is looking to direct the Belmont Stakes to a 21st century theme for New York City. We all know that the racetrack is a place that can be disconnected from the latest in modern culture. Music is a known way to connect to the latest trends. The public is conditioned to listening to recorded music and when they hear this song they will feel like Belmont is a familiar place where they are used to consuming and having fun. Sort of like when Pavlov rang his bell and the dogs salivated NYRA marketing is hoping that the younger generation will "salivate for fun" at Belmont when they hear a song like this that is endlessly played on the radio. The old songs said grandma is ready to make another exacta box.


"Empire State Of Mind" celebrates what modern New York means to the world. Materialism, intense self interest and the jettisoning of the Judea-christian moral code. This song covers all three themes as JZ brags about his riches from narcotic sales. He moves on to boast about his Lexus and restaurant and then moves on to commenting on how we treat treat female visitors "Mommy took a bus trip and now she got her bust out, Everybody ride her, just like a bus route" Since we were just bragging about our material possessions and treatment of women why not comment on religion? "Hail Mary to the city your a Virgin, And Jesus can't save you life starts when the church ends." Reagrdless of the content this song is played endlessly on the radio and it will conect with a younger demographic not often seen at New York racetracks.

It is good that NYRA has selected a song that Neema Ghazi says is "quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City". Now that the Belmont has a song that will connect with young people hopefully the marketing cues will get them feeling happy and in the mood to spend at Belmont Park.

3 comments:

Bklyn Best said...

Terrible song by a "former" thug with no class....
What's a former thug in $ 1000 suit and flashy car= Still a thug only dressed better and driving a nicer car.
What was NYRA thinking....oh that's right, they don't !!!!

Joseph B. said...

The LI trash out there will be too wasted to remember the song being played before the Belmont stakes. This song sucks, Sidewalks of NY was the best introduction to a triple crown race.

Anonymous said...

First time I haven't watched the Belmont for decades. I won't watch it again unless they remove that trash as their theme song.