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I was told many years ago that I should never become a fan of the New York Jets. I remember the fan saying “why would you want to become a fan of the loser Jets?” Despite his fair warning, I became a fan and eventually purchased season tickets for my two sons and myself when they opened up at MetLife Stadium 12 years ago. Before that, despite their many years of losing, it was very difficult to get season tickets for any New York football team.
When the team was building a new stadium along with the New York Giants I jumped on the chance of getting season tickets for the New York Jets. I had been on the waiting list for years and never heard from them. Finally, I got great season tickets. For the first two seasons, I was a season ticket holder, the Jets made the playoffs with Mark Sanchez as their quarterback. They actually made the NFL championship game two years in a row. I kept hearing that Fan’s voice telling me not to become a fan of the loser Jets. I laughed at how wrong he was watching this team make the playoffs, the NFL Championship nonetheless two years in a row.
Now some people may be thinking that was only 12 years ago. Jets fans have been suffering for over 50 years. They are right. However, my journey into Jet fandom comes from a different place. It doesn’t really matter where that came from right now, all that matters is for the past decade I have been a part of the misery of being a Jet fan. I have heard stories non-stop of all Jet fans who have suffered many more years than I have in the stands. Consequently, I stand with all Jet fans, I understand the misery, I understand the pain and quite frankly I realize that that curse is never going to end. All it takes is two words to realize that…. Aaron Rodgers!
So where do fans go who live in misery? What do people do every day to deal with the despair and drudgery at least from the heart and soul of a sports fan? They turn to two things. Beer and music. Well of course there’s something else but let’s not get into that right now.
Here at classicrockhistory.com, we’ve put together a list of 10 songs that New York Jets fans can relate to. These songs come from all different directions, all different feelings and serve somehow as a way to relieve ourselves of the pain, the bitterness, the letdowns and the lost hope that every New York Jet fan feels after the first game of every season has begun.
# 10 – You’re Breaking My Heart – Harry Nilsson
We open up our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list getting straight to the point. This legendary Harry Nilsson song is usually played by a man or a woman as the ultimate f.u.song. It feels good to play this one when you thinking about an ex. Everyone wants to play this song with their ex standing right next to them. Just to see their reaction is priceless. We picked this song not to be played towards the NY Jets. We love the New York Jets despite them breaking our hearts every single year. No, this song goes out to “The Curse.” All New York fans know what I’m talking about. This one is for “The Curse.”
# 9 – Against All Odds – Phil Collins
Continuing with our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list we present the voice of legendary rocker and pop artist Phil Collins saying it like it is. The song was originally released as the title song to the motion picture Against All Odds. If you ask a New York Jets fan what are the odds that they will make the playoffs every single year, well the title of this song says it all.
# 8 – Sleepwalk – Santo And Johnny
In the past fifteen years, the New York Jets have drafted three quarterbacks in the first round in the top six picks. Mark Sanchez, Sam Donald, and Zack Wilson. Out of all three of these quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez delivered the most. He gave us hope, he actually made us believe that the Jets could get to the Super Bowl. He brought us as close as we had gotten since Vinny Testaverde. However, he was not the most hyped of these three quarterbacks. That acknowledgment belongs to Sam Donald.
There were many teams the year before Sam Donald was drafted that were accused of kind of throwing in the towel to be able to get the opportunity of drafting him number one. He was that hyped. My youngest son Jagger always said to me, he’s not that good dad, not that good. When the New York Jets drafted him and he began playing his first season with the team, in the stands my son would look at me almost every game and say he’s not that good dad, he’s not that good. We dedicate this classic Santo And Johnny song to Sam Donald.
# 7 – Achilles Heel – Toploader
Sorry, but we just could not help ourselves with this one. Actually, I keep hearing that haunting tagline at the end of the verse of this song every time I see a reply of Aaron Rodgers falling to the ground on that fourth play of the game Monday night. Uggh The song was released by Toploader in 2011.
# 6 – Cross Roads – Robert Johnson
And speaking of New York Jets quarterbacks. Landing in the number six spot on our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list we present the song Curse Of The Crossroads by blues legend Robert Johnson. The Cross Roads story which has been told over and over again throughout music history is about a guitar player making a deal with the Devil at the crossroads in selling his soul to become the world’s greatest guitar player. Long-time Jet fans always said that’s the same exact deal Namath made with the Devil, except Joe Namath made a deal with the Devil to secure a Super Bowl championship in exchange for the Devil to curse the New York Jets until the end of time.
# 5 – ‘Poor Poor Pitiful Me’
At the halfway point on our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list is the song entitled “Poor Poor Pitiful Me.'” This classic song was written by Warren Zevon in 1976. The lovely Linda Ronstadt would record the ultimate version of the song was released a year later in 1977. The song became a top 40 hit for Linda Ronstadt. No need for any explanation as to why Jets fans can relate to this one.
# 4 – Hang Down Your Head – Tom Waits
If there ever was a singer and songwriter who with every lyric and vocal nuance defined the sound of pain it is Tom Waits. The song “Hang Down Your Head,” was released in 1985 on the spectacular Rain Dogs album. I can’t tell you how many Jet games I have been to over the years when we all walked out of the stadium with our heads hanging down low, shaking back and forth cursing our brains out before having to sit in traffic for 3 hours before we even got out of the stadium.
# 3 – The Pain Goes On Forever – John Rowles
Moving along on our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list we present the desperate song entitled “The Pain Goes On Forever.” The song was released on the album entitled The Exciting John Rowles. The album was released in 1968. Out of all the songs on this list, this one may be the one that most Jets fans can relate to. Anyone under 60 really did not get a chance to enjoy the 1969 Super Bowl.
# 2 – I’m Going Down
Just of the top spot on our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list we celebrate the song entitled “I’m Going Down.” This classic and very underrated song was composed by Bruce Springsteen. It was released on the Born In The U.S.A. album which sold millions of copies in 1984 back when people actually used to buy music. Brice composed the song at the time for the millions of men who have suffered through countless relationships where nothing ever seemed to go right and every day just got worse and worse. Sound familiar Jet fans?
# 1 – That’s It – I Quit – I’m Movin’ On – Sam Cooke
We close out our 10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To list with the song entitled “That’s It – I Quit – I’m Movin’ On” by Sam Cooke. Originally released in 1962, there is just something about this song in the music that feels right. It’s that bouncy sort of I’m about to fall off a cliff feel that Jets fans can relate to. Of course, the lyrics come right out the mouths and words of Jets fans in just about every game they have played since the start of the 1970 season.
10 Songs New York Jets Fans Can Relate To article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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