The Story Behind “Go Cubs Go” And The Man Who Wrote It

Curious City

WBEZ Chicago

Investigation, Chicago, Radio, Arts, Society & Culture, Public, Education, Curious, City

4.6 • 661 Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2022

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Folk singer Steve Goodman grew up going to Cubs games in Chicago, and this diehard fan had a lifelong goal—to write a hit song about baseball. This week we revisit his story.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Go go go!
0:02.9	Go!
0:05.2	That is the sound of more than 40,000 Chicago Cubs fans singing Go Cubs Go, which the Cubs
0:11.4	always play and the fans always sing when they win a game at Wrigley Field.
0:16.5	And here's a cleaner version of the song.
0:18.1	They're singing, Go Cubs Go! Go! And here's a cleaner version of the song.
0:33.2	Two years ago, there was some real uncertainty about whether that tradition of singing the song after the Cubs win a home game would continue.
0:36.9	That led Curious City to explore where their tradition came from in the first place and
0:41.2	why it's endured.
0:42.8	It took us on a journey to a school and synagogue in the suburbs, inside the brain of a radio
0:48.2	executive at WGN, and the ongoing dream of a songwriter and baseball fan.
0:54.7	I've been trying to write a song about baseball for four years,
0:57.9	and I get about three quarters and away through it,
1:00.3	and then I walk somebody and take myself out.
1:03.5	I never get to finish the damn thing.
1:06.3	That story coming up.
1:08.8	We're singing out.
1:09.8	Go Cubs, go! Go! Cows! Hey! story coming up.
1:31.5	What's up? What's up Chicago? Come out to Thalia Hall free for all this Saturday, August 23rd, for a free building crawl to benefit the Pilsen Food Pantry.
1:37.7	Explore the venue at your own pace with live music, a pop-up market, and a curious city scavenger hunt.
1:40.9	More info at wbiz.org slash events.
1:49.7	Hey, Alex, as you said, the Cubs have played the song Go Cubs Go over the PA at the home games at Wrigley Field for many years.
	...

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