Hang on Sloopy
Encyclopedia
"Hang on Sloopy" is a song by the pop
group The McCoys
which was #1 in America in October 1965
and is the official rock song of the state of Ohio
and The Ohio State University. It was written by Wes Farrell
and Bert Russell and is named for singer Dorothy Sloop
, who used the name "Sloopy" on stage.
The song was originally titled "My Girl Sloopy" and was first recorded by The Vibrations
in 1964 on Atlantic Records (45-2222), becoming a top thirty hit. It was the title track of a live 1965 recording (released on Rhapsody in 1966) by the Ramsey Lewis Trio
which earned a gold record. It has also been recorded by The Ventures
(Liberty 1965) as well as by Arseno Rodriguez (Bang 1966), The Supremes
(Motown 1966), The Kingsmen
(WAND 1966), Little Caesar and the Consuls
, The Yardbirds
, Saving Jane
, Jan & Dean (Liberty-LP "Folk'n'Roll" 1965), David Porter
(Enterprise "Into A Real Thing" 1971), Lieutenant Pigeon
and Die Toten Hosen
(2002). It was also recorded by Ric Mango of Jay and The Americans
and Johnny Maestro as a duet for an uncompleted album project. It was released on a 2011 CD titled "The Ric Mango Story". It has also been performed by Johnny Thunders and the Oddballs in a medley with "Louie Louie
" and can be heard on the "Add Water and Stir" live Japan bootleg.
, a rock band who purported to be from Australia
, decided to make the song the follow-up to their hit single "I Want Candy
", and began performing the song in concert. However, the Dave Clark Five, with whom they were touring, told the Strangeloves that they were going to record their own version of the song, copying the Strangeloves' arrangement. The Strangeloves realized that the Dave Clark Five's version would probably outsell their own, but they were still enjoying success with "I Want Candy" and did not want to release a new single yet. So the trio—who were, in reality, three successful writer/producers from Brooklyn, New York— recruited a group from Union City, Indiana
, Rick and the Raiders, to record the song instead. The group's name was changed to The McCoys
(to avoid confusion with another popular band of the era, Paul Revere and the Raiders), and their 16-year-old leader, Rick Zehringer, became known as Rick Derringer
. The group added vocals and a guitar solo to the already-completed Strangeloves backing track, and the single was released on Bang Records
. It entered the chart on August 14, 1965, effectively beating the Dave Clark Five to the charts. The single went on to hit number one on October 2.
Originally written and recorded with three verses, "Hang on Sloopy" was edited down to two verses for the single and original Hang on Sloopy album. The unedited three-verse version first appeared on the 1970 Bang various artists compilation Bang & Shout Super Hits (BLPS-220), then again in 1995 on the Sony Legacy compilation Hang on Sloopy: The Best Of The McCoys
The song gained an association with The Ohio State University after its marching band
began playing it at football games; it first played it October 9, 1965 after a band member, John Tatgenhorst, begged the director to try playing it. After finally convincing the director, Tatgenhorst arranged the song and the band played. After the crowd reaction, the band began to play it at every game and now it is a Saturday tradition to play the song before the start of the fourth quarter of every Buckeye game. Since then, "Sloopy" has been appearing on the band's CDs is available as a free download on its website.
The song has also become a feature at the home games of professional sports teams throughout Ohio where, as is the case at Ohio State, fans usually chant the letters "O, H, I, O" during the pauses in the chorus while mimicking the shape of the letters with their arms.
At least one source includes a possible connection between the song and Charles J. Givens
.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band also covered this song live in concert on May 2, 2009 in Greensboro
, North Carolina
. Rick Derringer
was still playing the song live with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
in November, 2011.
s during the 1960s, being used on such songs as The Weeds
' "It's Your Time" and Kit and the Outlaws
' "Dude and the Sundowners" and "Don't Tread on Me." The song was covered by The Beau Brummels
on the band's 1966 album Beau Brummels '66
. A 1973 cover version by Ramsey Lewis
won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance
in 1974. Punk rock band, Youth in Asia (New Jersey) recorded the song on their 1984 album Pulling Out the Plug. A parody named "Hang on Snoopy" was included on Swiss
rock group Patent Ochsner
's 1994 album Gmües
. Prior to this, a "Hang on Snoopy
" parody was used in The Royal Guardsmen
's hit single "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron
," but was removed after copyright threats. All-girl Japanese punk band Lolita No. 18 covered the song, which is a testament to its far-reaching influences. The song was also covered by the German
punk-rock band Die Toten Hosen
as b-side for their 2000 single "Bayern." Also in 2000, Aaron Carter
recorded his version, included as a bonus track on his second album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It)
. In 2006, the rock group Saving Jane
recorded the song also. There is a character in the novel The Wanderers by Richard Price
named "Hang on Sloopy." The song also appears in several Peanuts cartoons but the words are altered slightly to "Hang on Snoopy". The family of the late Bert Russell Berns call their music publishing company Sloopy II Music. In Mexico was covered by the Rock & Roll group Los Teen Tops (The Teen Tops) and known as "Lupita mi Amor" (Lupita, My Love). The Smashing Pumpkins
also released a cover of the song in their Live Smashing Pumpkins
album series. The band Islands
uses the chorus in a b-side named "Two Dogs."
"Sloopy" is commonly misheard as "Snoopy
" in the song (Snoopy is a dog from the comic strip Peanuts
by Charles Schulz).
into action and it designated "Hang on Sloopy" the state rock song by House Concurrent Resolution 16 on November 20, 1985, with clauses including:
and
who play at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio
. The song is played during the middle of the 8th inning. It was chosen in response to a tradition in many ballparks of choosing an 8th inning song for the fans and team. It has received overwhelming support from the fanbase and has high participation.
at UFC 96
.
"Hang on Snoopy", modified to say "Ride on Snoopy" was used by the Ohio
theme park Cedar Point
. Snoopy is the official mascot for both the park and its parent company, Cedar Fair. Snoopy appears at all Cedar Fair parks. In Oliver Stone
's film, The Doors
, the song can be heard when Jim Morrison
encounters Ray Manzarek
on the beach.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group The McCoys
The McCoys
The McCoys were a rock group that started in Union City, Indiana, in 1962.-Career:The original members, all from Union City, were guitarist Richard Zehringer , his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the...
which was #1 in America in October 1965
Hot 100 number-one hits of 1965 (USA)
These are the Billboard magazine Hot 100 number one hits of 1965.-See also:*1965 in music*List of number-one hits *Cashbox Top 100 number-one singles of 1965...
and is the official rock song of the state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and The Ohio State University. It was written by Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s...
and Bert Russell and is named for singer Dorothy Sloop
Dorothy Sloop
Dorothy Sloop , also known as Dorothy Sloop Heflick, was an American jazz musician. She was born in Steubenville, Ohio. She went by the nickname Sloopy. During her performing years, she was best known as a pianist with a number of all female jazz bands in the New Orleans area, primarily from the...
, who used the name "Sloopy" on stage.
The song was originally titled "My Girl Sloopy" and was first recorded by The Vibrations
The Vibrations
The Vibrations were an African-American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were "My Girl Sloopy" and "Love in Them Thar Hills"...
in 1964 on Atlantic Records (45-2222), becoming a top thirty hit. It was the title track of a live 1965 recording (released on Rhapsody in 1966) by the Ramsey Lewis Trio
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
which earned a gold record. It has also been recorded by The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
(Liberty 1965) as well as by Arseno Rodriguez (Bang 1966), The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
(Motown 1966), The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen is a 1960s garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks...
(WAND 1966), Little Caesar and the Consuls
Little Caesar and the Consuls
Little Caesar and the Consuls were a Canadian rock music group, originally active from 1957 to 1971. Originally known as The Consuls, the band added Little Caesar to their name after a number of fans commented that lead singer Bruce Morshead resembled Edward G...
, The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
, Saving Jane
Saving Jane
Saving Jane is a band from Columbus, Ohio who are most famous for their hit songs "Girl Next Door", "Come Down To Me", and "SuperGirl".-2002-2008: Girl Next Door, One Girl Revolution & SuperGirl:...
, Jan & Dean (Liberty-LP "Folk'n'Roll" 1965), David Porter
David Porter (musician)
David Porter is an American soul musician. Porter is best known as the songwriting and production partner of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records during the 1960s...
(Enterprise "Into A Real Thing" 1971), Lieutenant Pigeon
Lieutenant Pigeon
Lieutenant Pigeon was a British novelty popular music group, originating from Coventry.-Career:Lieutenant Pigeon was a British musical group popular in the early 1970s. A spin-off from an experimental music band Stavely Makepeace, it was fronted by Rob Woodward and managed by David Whitehouse....
and Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
(2002). It was also recorded by Ric Mango of Jay and The Americans
Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans was a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their initial lineup consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane , Kenny Vance and Sandy Deanne , though their greatest success on the charts came after Traynor had been replaced as lead singer by Jay Black.-Early years:They were...
and Johnny Maestro as a duet for an uncompleted album project. It was released on a 2011 CD titled "The Ric Mango Story". It has also been performed by Johnny Thunders and the Oddballs in a medley with "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
" and can be heard on the "Add Water and Stir" live Japan bootleg.
History
In 1965, The StrangelovesThe Strangeloves
The Strangeloves were the creation of an American songwriting/production team in the 1960s who were from New York, but pretended to be from Australia. Their biggest hits were "I Want Candy," "Cara-Lin" and "Night Time"....
, a rock band who purported to be from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, decided to make the song the follow-up to their hit single "I Want Candy
I Want Candy
"I Want Candy" is a song written and originally recorded by The Strangeloves in 1965 that went to number 11 in the United States. It is a famous example of a song that uses the Bo Diddley beat.-Original version:...
", and began performing the song in concert. However, the Dave Clark Five, with whom they were touring, told the Strangeloves that they were going to record their own version of the song, copying the Strangeloves' arrangement. The Strangeloves realized that the Dave Clark Five's version would probably outsell their own, but they were still enjoying success with "I Want Candy" and did not want to release a new single yet. So the trio—who were, in reality, three successful writer/producers from Brooklyn, New York— recruited a group from Union City, Indiana
Union City, Indiana
Union City is a city in Wayne Township, Randolph County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 3,584.Union City was a stop along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, a forerunner of the Pennsylvania Railroad that connected Pittsburgh to...
, Rick and the Raiders, to record the song instead. The group's name was changed to The McCoys
The McCoys
The McCoys were a rock group that started in Union City, Indiana, in 1962.-Career:The original members, all from Union City, were guitarist Richard Zehringer , his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the...
(to avoid confusion with another popular band of the era, Paul Revere and the Raiders), and their 16-year-old leader, Rick Zehringer, became known as Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
. The group added vocals and a guitar solo to the already-completed Strangeloves backing track, and the single was released on Bang Records
Bang Records
Bang Records was created by Bert Berns in 1965 together with his partners from Atlantic Records: Ahmet Ertegün, Nesuhi Ertegün and Jerry Wexler...
. It entered the chart on August 14, 1965, effectively beating the Dave Clark Five to the charts. The single went on to hit number one on October 2.
Originally written and recorded with three verses, "Hang on Sloopy" was edited down to two verses for the single and original Hang on Sloopy album. The unedited three-verse version first appeared on the 1970 Bang various artists compilation Bang & Shout Super Hits (BLPS-220), then again in 1995 on the Sony Legacy compilation Hang on Sloopy: The Best Of The McCoys
The song gained an association with The Ohio State University after its marching band
The Ohio State University Marching Band
The Ohio State University Marching Band performs at Ohio State football games and other events during the fall quarter...
began playing it at football games; it first played it October 9, 1965 after a band member, John Tatgenhorst, begged the director to try playing it. After finally convincing the director, Tatgenhorst arranged the song and the band played. After the crowd reaction, the band began to play it at every game and now it is a Saturday tradition to play the song before the start of the fourth quarter of every Buckeye game. Since then, "Sloopy" has been appearing on the band's CDs is available as a free download on its website.
The song has also become a feature at the home games of professional sports teams throughout Ohio where, as is the case at Ohio State, fans usually chant the letters "O, H, I, O" during the pauses in the chorus while mimicking the shape of the letters with their arms.
At least one source includes a possible connection between the song and Charles J. Givens
Charles J. Givens
Charles J. Givens was a bestselling author of two books on Financial literacy.-Personal history:Givens was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois. His father, a construction company owner, deserted the family and left them poor. This situation made things tough around the house, and it affected the...
.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band also covered this song live in concert on May 2, 2009 in Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
was still playing the song live with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
To date, Ringo Starr has toured with eleven versions of his All-Starr Band where "everybody on stage is a star in their own right." Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band is a concept that was created by producer David Fishof...
in November, 2011.
Legacy
The basic riff of the song became a staple of garage bandGarage band
The term garage band can refer to:* A band that performs garage rock* GarageBand, audio production software published by Apple Inc.* GarageBand.com, a website that helps publicize emerging bands...
s during the 1960s, being used on such songs as The Weeds
Fred Cole
Fred Cole is the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Pierced Arrows and formerly Dead Moon.-The Lords:In 1964, Cole began his recording career in Las Vegas with his band, The Lords, at the Teenbeat Club, releasing a single called "Ain't Got No Self-Respect." His next single, from 1965,...
' "It's Your Time" and Kit and the Outlaws
Kit and the Outlaws
Kit and the Outlaws were an American Garage/Protopunk band, active in the mid-1960s. Their music was typical of the era, using familiar riffs, not unlike those used by more well-known bands such as The Rumours, The Weeds, or The Vibrations....
' "Dude and the Sundowners" and "Don't Tread on Me." The song was covered by The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino , Ron Elliott , Ron Meagher , Declan Mulligan , and John Petersen...
on the band's 1966 album Beau Brummels '66
Beau Brummels '66
Beau Brummels '66 is the third studio album by American rock group The Beau Brummels, and their first on Warner Bros. Records. The album consists of twelve cover songs and no originals...
. A 1973 cover version by Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance
Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance was awarded from 1970 to 1990 and in 1993. The award had several minor name changes:*From 1970 to 1985 the award was known as Best R&B Instrumental Performance...
in 1974. Punk rock band, Youth in Asia (New Jersey) recorded the song on their 1984 album Pulling Out the Plug. A parody named "Hang on Snoopy" was included on Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
rock group Patent Ochsner
Patent Ochsner
Patent Ochsner is one of Switzerland's best-known rock bands, all of whose studio albums but one have topped the Swiss charts. Hailing from Bern, they perform songs in Swiss German.- Current line-up :* Büne Huber * Monic Mathys...
's 1994 album Gmües
Gmües
-Track listing:# Autwybersummer – 1:56# Ludmilla – 5:27# Varazze – 3:25# Hotelsong – 3:25# Todestal – 0:55# Balkon – 2:21# 9-10-100-4 – 3:03# I ha letscht Nacht e Troum gha – 3:34# Don Juan – 1:21# Kohl yu Rolf – 2:07# Summer – 0:30# Bilbao-Kuss – 3:04...
. Prior to this, a "Hang on Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
" parody was used in The Royal Guardsmen
The Royal Guardsmen
The Royal Guardsmen are an American rock band, best known for their 1966 hit single "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron".-Snoopy vs. the Red Baron:...
's hit single "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron
Snoopy vs. the Red Baron
Snoopy vs. the Red Baron is a flight combat game released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and PC in 2006. As the name implies, the protagonist is Snoopy, the dog in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip, Peanuts...
," but was removed after copyright threats. All-girl Japanese punk band Lolita No. 18 covered the song, which is a testament to its far-reaching influences. The song was also covered by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
punk-rock band Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
as b-side for their 2000 single "Bayern." Also in 2000, Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter
Aaron Charles Carter is an American singer. He came to fame as a pop and hip hop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among pre-teen and teenage audiences during the early-first decade of the 21st century....
recorded his version, included as a bonus track on his second album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It)
Aaron's Party (Come Get It)
Aaron's Party is American pop singer Aaron Carter's 2nd studio album to follow-up to his international debut album. This album was released in the fall of 2000. This album was also certified 3x Platinum by the R.I.A.A. for selling over 3 million copies in the United States...
. In 2006, the rock group Saving Jane
Saving Jane
Saving Jane is a band from Columbus, Ohio who are most famous for their hit songs "Girl Next Door", "Come Down To Me", and "SuperGirl".-2002-2008: Girl Next Door, One Girl Revolution & SuperGirl:...
recorded the song also. There is a character in the novel The Wanderers by Richard Price
Richard Price (writer)
Richard Price is an American novelist and screenwriter, known for the books The Wanderers and Clockers.-Early life:...
named "Hang on Sloopy." The song also appears in several Peanuts cartoons but the words are altered slightly to "Hang on Snoopy". The family of the late Bert Russell Berns call their music publishing company Sloopy II Music. In Mexico was covered by the Rock & Roll group Los Teen Tops (The Teen Tops) and known as "Lupita mi Amor" (Lupita, My Love). The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
also released a cover of the song in their Live Smashing Pumpkins
Live Smashing Pumpkins
Live Smashing Pumpkins is a joint venture between the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and the music distributor Nugs.net Enterprises to sell audio recordings "mastered directly from the soundboard" of The Smashing Pumpkins concerts from the band's 2008 20th anniversary tour of...
album series. The band Islands
Islands (band)
Islands is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2005 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York.-Return to the Sea:In mid-2005 Islands recorded a debut album titled Return to the Sea, which was released in April 2006...
uses the chorus in a b-side named "Two Dogs."
"Sloopy" is commonly misheard as "Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
" in the song (Snoopy is a dog from the comic strip Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
by Charles Schulz).
Official rock song of the state of Ohio
In April 1985, a columnist for the Columbus Citizen-Journal, Joe Dirck, saw a wire service story about a proposal to designate "Louie, Louie" the state rock song of Washington and wrote a column about it. This goaded the 116th Ohio General AssemblyOhio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
into action and it designated "Hang on Sloopy" the state rock song by House Concurrent Resolution 16 on November 20, 1985, with clauses including:
- "WHEREAS, "Hang on Sloopy" is of particular relevance to members of the Baby Boom Generation, who were once dismissed as a bunch of long-haired, crazy kids, but who now are old enough and vote in sufficient numbers to be taken quite seriously"
and
- "WHEREAS, Adoption of this resolution will not take too long, cost the state anything, or affect the quality of life in this state to any appreciable degree, and if we in the legislature just go ahead and pass the darn thing, we can get on with more important stuff."
Cleveland Indians and Progressive Field
"Hang on Sloopy" is now also the official song of the Major League Baseball team the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
who play at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. The song is played during the middle of the 8th inning. It was chosen in response to a tradition in many ballparks of choosing an 8th inning song for the fans and team. It has received overwhelming support from the fanbase and has high participation.
In popular culture
"Hang on Sloopy" was used as the entrance song for deaf fighter Matt HamillMatt Hamill
Matthew S. Hamill is a retired American wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion in wrestling while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York...
at UFC 96
UFC 96
UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship . It was held in Columbus, Ohio on March 7, 2009 at Nationwide Arena.-Preliminary card:...
.
"Hang on Snoopy", modified to say "Ride on Snoopy" was used by the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
theme park Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
. Snoopy is the official mascot for both the park and its parent company, Cedar Fair. Snoopy appears at all Cedar Fair parks. In Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
's film, The Doors
The Doors (film)
The Doors is a 1991 biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson , Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger,...
, the song can be heard when Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
encounters Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
on the beach.