PicoBlog

Maybe only a moment
May be the time of your life

—Justin Townes Earl

It’s the greatest two days in sports so we’re finding ways to connect songs, albeit loosely, to March Madness. Our Bonus Track hits right on the nose though - a tribute to the goat of sports tributes, One Shining Moment.

4 teams from Alabama made the tournament this year. I need you to know that Sister Hazel had an absolute STRANGLEHOLD on the Alabama college music scene when I was a student in the mid-aughts. I saw Sister Hazel in Auburn, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham. Our four teams hail from these three cities. Maybe this recommendation is a stretch, but thinking about college made me revisit good ole Sister Hazel. It has been a minute since I listened to them, but I still enjoy my favorite track of theirs—“Your Winter.” Oh, and War Eagle!

Also available on Apple Music.

When I ponder the NCAA tournament, two thoughts come to mind. First, it's almost a given that Kansas will be in the mix. Second, there's the mesmerizing video recap accompanied by the haunting melody of "One Shining Moment." Interestingly, the song "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas really captures the essence of the tournament—it's all fleeting, particularly if victory evades you. Each moment slips away like dust in the wind; blink, and it's gone. So savor the tournament while you have it, everyone.

Also available on Apple Music.

The Barbie soundtrack produced some bops. I think this one is perfect for March Madness. The media team in charge of tournament coverage has to get this song on a highlight reel. Picture it with me. JACK GOHLKE hits one of his ten threes against Kentucky. There’s a time-out. What do you do? You fire up a quick highlight of Jack celebrating to the tune of WATCH ME…DAAAAANCE, DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY. March Madness is the best.

Also available on Apple Music.

My wedding day

The births of my three children

The day I was baptized

The time I got a text from Kody asking if I could do the write-up for The Music Swap.

There are moments in every person’s life that will endure in their memory beyond anything else that may happen to them. In the vast depths of the mind, they are illuminated by the overwhelming emotions that inevitably come with moments of great significance. One might say that these moments……shine.

March is here, and even those who are not college basketball fans can’t escape the Madness that comes with it. Homes and workplaces all across the country have been filled with conversations about brackets and buzzer-beaters. Middle-aged men as well as 10-year-old girls are debating ridiculous possibilities, such as if the James Madison Dukes have what it takes to upset the Duke Blue Devils. So many of us have put so much misplaced pride in our bracket, even though we know it always gets busted before the first weekend is over.

But this is what makes March Madness so fun, isn’t it? We get to involve ourselves in the same journey as these college students as they pursue their ultimate prize. All the blood. All the sweat. All the time spent in the gym. All the losses that made them stronger. All the wins that made them bolder. All leading to One Shining Moment.

If you are a fan of the tournament, you know exactly what I’m referring to. At the end of every championship game, the geniuses at CBS Sports bless all those watching with a highlights package of some of the best moments from that year’s tournament. If you’re like me, these 3 minutes are some of the most “grin-inducing” minutes of the entire year. The visuals take you back to a month well spent, as you relive yet another historical NCAA tournament (at least that’s how it feels in the moment). And the song….oh baby, the song. “The ball is tipped, and there you are…” Chills. Every single time. For me, it doesn’t feel like Spring until I’ve heard those glorious words written by David Barrett and sung best by Luther Vandross (which, supposedly, was the last song he recorded before passing away).

Take a listen yourself and tell me it doesn’t hit you directly in the feels….

Or maybe you prefer this version, which features the only time it was performed by Jennifer Hudson…

Or this one, which was performed by Barrett and came at the end of the most memorable tournament for me personally…

Whichever version you prefer over the song’s 35+ year history, no one can deny the significance of this fixture of American sports. Good luck this year to all the teams seeking their One Shining Moment (and Go Duke!)

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Jared Kathcart lives in Kansas City, MO, and loves basketball, especially his beloved Dallas Mavericks. He thinks 90s alternative is the greatest genre of music, and has seen the Goo Goo Dolls in concert more times than he can count.

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What a great swap! What songs can you force into March Madness tracks? Here are some keywords to get you started - traveling, paint, hardwood, pressure, bank, and Cinderella. Let us know what you come up with.

-TheMusicSwap

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