In this episode of “Baseball Related Songs,” we pay attention to another song of singer song writer Willy Tea Taylor: “Knuckleball Prime,” which is the title song of his sophomore album with the same name.
Willy Tea Taylor grew up on Oakville, California, a town that is know as cowboy capital of the world as it has produced many rodeo champions. Despite living in a cowboy town, he was attracted to baseball. He stood out as a catcher until he was eighteen when a knee injury ended his career.
As a result he turned his attention to music as he had a broad variety of influencers: from Bob Dylan to Kiss, from Weird Al Yankovic to Willy Nelson. Willy’s songs are full of his own experiences in life. Not only in baseball but also his life in the area of his hometown Oakdale, and the raising of his son.
The term Knuckleball Prime refers to the age on which knuckleball pitchers flourish. Where regular pitchers flourish at a younger age, knuckleball pitchers start to blossom at a later age, somewhere in their thirties and forties.
The song “Knuckleball Prime” describes a (likely) last game of a knuckleball pitcher at the end of his career. A pitcher who wants to pitch one more game for the championship, knowing he can paint the corners but also knowing that one hanging pitch can be gone for a home run.
Like the previous song we paid attention to, Brand New Game, Knuckleball Prime is another little gem.
The lyrics of Knuckleball Prime are as follows:
One shot at the title, in my knuckleball prime
Dogs are tired but they still got fight
Won’t hang it our boys, not this time
I’m hittin’ all the corners, goin’ to shed some light
When she hits that note boys, it’s all done
Oh I’m gonna win this one, oh here I come
It’s been a hell of a road, boys, one hell of a time
And all my heartaches have turned to wine
You grab your fiddle, and I’ll grab mine
Hand me that pearl, boys, I believe it’s time
Just wish he said no boys, it’s all done
Oh I’m gonna win this one, oh here I come
Give me a shot at the title, I won’t let you down
We’ll be drinkin’ champagne when I get to town
All these miles, just kissin’ the wind
Every step of the way has come to this
When she hits that note boys, it’s all done
Oh I’m gonna win this one, oh my time has come
It’s been a long night waitin’ on the sun
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