Music soothes the soul, but more importantly, it makes the road trip a little smoother.
For the past week or so, a lot of our basketball teams have hit the road for a basketball game here, a basketball game there.
There are still a few road trips remaining for the few remaining teams we have in state competition, and at least at Evergreen, music will help the Plainsmen to their destination.
The Evergreen boys and girls basketball teams are scheduled to play in Richland on Friday. (Provided, of course, they can get through the 14 feet of snow we’re expecting. Or an inch. One or the other.)
The boys might just punch a button on an iPod and hear a song about themselves. It’s called, simply enough, “Green and Yellow.” The music comes from a current hit, “Black and Yellow” by rapper Wiz Khalifa. That song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Feb. 19.
But it’s “Green and Yellow” that is No. 1 at Evergreen.
Danitrius Worthy, who played for Evergreen last season and now attends Eastern Washington University, is the voice. He also wrote the lyrics — all about Evergreen basketball.
In the song, he celebrates Evergreen’s league championship, as well as Evergreen’s legacy of being the first school from Vancouver to win a boys state championship back in the day. He also sings a little trash talk in the direction of an Evergreen rival. All in good fun, though.
But here’s the thing: The song sounds great.
“Green and Yellow” debuted at Evergreen’s gym during warm-ups for Evergreen’s bi-district playoff game against Gig Harbor. I actually know the “Black and Yellow” song. (I listen to a lot of 107.5 and Z-100 these days. Really. More now than I did when I was in the target demographic.) So when I heard this song, I wondered if Wiz Khalifa recorded a bunch of different combination of colors, for sports teams to use.
In other words, I thought “Green and Yellow” was done by the original artist because “Green and Yellow” sounded so good.
Once I listened to the words, though, I realized it was Evergreen specific. Figured Wiz Khalifa was not an Evergreen grad, so I had to find out who did such an amazing job.
Turned out, Worthy — stage name D-Worthy — was in the gym. He told me it took him a day to write the song, then record it. There is a recording of the tune on YouTube. Or, you can find his work at his own website: worthymusic.bandcamp.com.
In his song, D-Worthy noted the team’s coach, Kelly Blankenship, the man with the plan. He noted many of the players, including Caleb Dressler grabbing the rebounds and O’Shay Piper making the passes.
“Yup you know what it is.
Evergreen Plainsmen up in the gym.”
These are the fun tidbits that make a season even more memorable, more enjoyable. A fan with the talent for music put his spin on a famous tune, to pump up his former team.
Then there was the celebration of the Evergreen girls when they clinched a berth to the Class 4A state tournament. They were up in Tacoma, getting ready for the ride home. A player boasted that it will be a “Party in the U.S.A.” Yes, because they won, they were allowed to listen to Miley Cyrus’ hit from a couple years back.
Now, that is a love-it or hate-it song. Personally, I love it. That, in itself, surprised a couple of the Evergreen players. (Wow, I must look old.)
But that’s a fun song, with a message in which we all can relate. In the song, Cyrus sings about being out of place, of being apprehensive. As soon as one of her favorite songs comes on the radio or is played by the D.J., she instantly feels better.
Who hasn’t been moved by music that way?
So on Saturday night, the Evergreen girls were putting their hands up because they were playing their song.
Whether it’s great high school bands at the state tournament, or warm-up music over the speakers, or simply a team song for the trip home, music is a huge part of the high school sports experience.
Even for us older fans.
Have to admit, Monday, on my way home from Kent after watching the Prairie girls victory, I found the Miley Cyrus song on my iPod.
There I was driving home, and you better believe I was nodding my head like “Yeah.”
Paul Valencia covers high school sports for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4557 or e-mail at paul.valencia@columbian.com.
