S.D. chargers disco song receiving heavy rotation on radio

[Spellbound]

i dont know if they play this record at every chargers game but from what i have read this song still remains as the san diego chargers official team song.

Meanwhile, the rock-disco anthem "San Diego Super Chargers" became the theme song of the San Diego Chargers football team, and remained so in coming decades.

the last time the team was enjoying huge success was back in the late 70's and early 80's. whenever they start to win the song starts getting played again. (though i dont seem to recall them playing it all back in 1994 the last time they went to the super bowl) already i have heard it being played on several national sports talk show radio programs. apparently the song is a source of pride for the owners of the team who look back with great pride at the team's accomplishments during that time period.

Memo to Alex and Dean Spanos: disco is dead.

With the exception of Beyoncé shaking her assets (mental picture, now exhale) to that over-the-top, bitchin’ horn line on her hit single "Crazy in Love," disco couldn’t be more out of vogue than, say, En Vogue, which is why I can’t understand why the San Diego Chargers organization continues to saddle such a fine team with such a sorry fight song.

(Like so many of our readers this time of year, I, too, am obsessed with the NFL. This is still a music column, but it is allowing me to vent on my Chargers fixation.)

Written and produced in 1979 by Jerry Marcellino and David Sieff and performed by Captain Q.B. & The Big Boys (who?), "San Diego Super Chargers" hit the airwaves the same year the team went on to win the first of three consecutive AFC West titles behind the potent "Air Coryell" offense led by quarterback Dan Fouts, wide receivers Charlie Joiner and John Jefferson and tight end Kellen Winslow.

While in 1979 through 1981 the Chargers set a few total yardage marks, the squad never made it to the Super Bowl. The closest coach Don Coryell’s squad would come was a showdown against AFC West rival the Oakland Raiders in the 1980 AFC championship game. Although San Diego captured the division, the wild-card Raiders beat the Chargers in the AFC championship fracas 34-27.

"San Diego Super Chargers" is a grim reminder from an era of what-coulda-beens and if-onlys. What’s worse is it’s disco, and not even good disco to (platform) boot.

If anyone out there reading this column either hasn’t heard "San Diego Super Chargers" or doesn’t remember it, it’s easily obtainable from the Internet. Go get it now. Listen. Then keep reading. (Webmaster note: "San Diego Super Chargers" is available to hear or download on the home page of this website; click here.)

It seems to me the song needs to go away and a new one take its place. It’s really quite an embarrassing piece of music without much of an interesting melody or memorable line other than "San Diego Super Chargers! CHARGE!" It’s the worst kind of example of all the mass-produced dreck coming out at the tail end of the disco movement, a vapid era typified by polyester pants, butterfly collars, "The Hustle" and coke spoons. Some cultural benchmarks. Something meaningful to really hang your hat on.

And I don’t think I’m alone in my distaste for "San Diego Super Chargers." A couple months back there was a poll on www.chargers.com, the official team Web site, asking in so many words if the song should be retired. If I correctly recall some 65 to 70 percent of those polled thought some kind of modernization needed to happen.

Funny thing is I talked about the song with a colleague the other day, and he was of the opinion "San Diego Super Chargers" was representative of a great team and a great era of Chargers football and that the song needed to remain until another great team reappeared.

"Air Coryell" was a magical time. There’s no discounting that. But a bad song is a bad song, and the Chargers organization allowed itself to let a song borne of the worst genre of music ever devised to stick to its team like a blood-sucking leech.

Look at those heathens, the Raiders. They even have a great song. It’s simple, majestic. It makes them look honorable, good, almost regal ... until you realize it’s the Raiders.

The Chargers need a song like that. Something classy, if not classic.

To be honest, the time is right. The Chargers are on the cusp of greatness and need a new song to usher in this new era, which could start as early as next month. The team is not going to Los Angeles. It’s going to stay in San Diego. Quarterback Drew Brees and running back LaDainian Tomlinson are going to go down in history as two of the greatest at their positions ever and some Vince Lombardi trophies will be on the horizon. A guy can dream can’t he?

Come on, Spanoses, go get us fans another song. So we can give "San Diego Super Chargers" a long overdue funeral.

did most professional sports teams have their very own disco songs back then?

[Spellbound]

[Spellbound]

here is a sample/audio clip of the song...

http://www.chargertom.com/public_html/superchargers.mp3

[Spellbound]

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- These clearly are not the San Diego Chargers of the recent gloomy past.


They can pass. They can catch. They can play defense. And even with LaDainian Tomlinson hurting, they can win big.

In routing the New Orleans Saints 43-17 on Sunday, they even showed a bit of a swagger.

"We go on the field and say, 'We can beat these guys,' " quarterback Drew Brees said. "That's our attitude. It's such a dramatic difference from last year. We're almost disappointed that the bye's coming because we just want to keep going."

It was San Diego's highest-scoring game since beating the Miami Dolphins 45-20 on Dec. 27, 1993. The Chargers have scored 85 points in consecutive games.

Brees, the quarterback the front office didn't want coming into this season, threw four more touchdown passes -- three to tight end Antonio Gates -- and the Chargers (6-3) won their third straight game and for the fifth time in six games.

Brees has thrown nine touchdown passes in two straight blowout wins, pushing his season total to 18, against just three interceptions. Last year he threw 15 interceptions and 11 touchdowns, was benched for five games and pulled from two others.

Brees was 22-of-36 for 257 yards on Sunday. Last week he threw a career-high five TD passes in a 42-10 win over Oakland. He hasn't thrown an interception in three straight games, and in six of the last seven.

"If you have a quarterback you have confidence in, you always believe that you can win the game," coach Marty Schottenheimer said.

The Chargers are off next Sunday, so Tomlinson can rest his strained groin, which has slowed him for five games.

Tomlinson hasn't cracked 100 yards in any of those games, and on Sunday was held to just 36 yards on 17 carries, with one touchdown.

Even so, he's happy about the way Brees and the receivers, particularly Gates and Keenan McCardell, have made the Chargers a high-scoring threat.

"It's so much better, because guys can't just focus on me," Tomlinson said. "They've got many other weapons to worry about. It feels good to look up and Drew hits Antonio way down the field, or Keenan way down the field, for a big play, man. It's an awesome feeling."

Brees' inconsistent play last year, when they were an NFL-worst 4-12, led the Chargers to get Philip Rivers in a draft-day deal with the New York Giants.

Rivers made his pro debut with 4:04 left and the Chargers leading 43-17. He handed off three straight times, then took a knee three times to run out the clock.

The Saints (3-5) have lost four of five.

"We couldn't cover the tight end," New Orleans coach Jim Haslett said. "I think he's one of the best tight ends in the league, if not the best."

To put the Chargers' recent struggles in perspective, Gates became the first Chargers receiver to catch three touchdown passes since Tony Martin did it against Baltimore on Sept. 28, 1997. The last Chargers tight end to catch three touchdown passes was Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow against Kansas City on Dec. 11, 1983.

Gates might have had four TDs, but he couldn't hold onto a pass from McCardell in the second quarter, one of several trick plays the Chargers ran. He had five catches for 56 yards.

Gates caught touchdown passes of 7 and 2 yards on consecutive drives late in the third quarter to give San Diego a 36-7 lead.

Gates' third TD of the day was set up when Steve Foley sacked Aaron Brooks and forced a fumble that Stephen Cooper recovered at the New Orleans 40. The Chargers gained 33 yards when Sedrick Hodge was called for pass interference against Gates to give the Chargers the ball on 2.

Brees then hit Kassim Osgood on a 12-yard scoring pass midway through the fourth quarter.

Tomlinson's backup, Jesse Chatman, gained 22 yards on a fake punt from the San Diego 47 on the game's opening drive to help set up Brees' 12-yard touchdown pass to Gates for a 7-0 lead.

The Chargers started their next drive with a reverse by Tim Dwight that gained 48 yards to the New Orleans 22. Tomlinson scored from 1 yard out four plays later for a 14-0 lead.

Chargers rookie Nate Kaeding kicked field goals of 40 and 27 yards, and San Diego got a safety in the third quarter when tackle Wayne Gandy was called for holding in the end zone.

Brooks threw a 6-yard TD pass to Boo Williams and Deuce McAllister scored on a 2-yard run. Brooks was 16-of-29 for 173 yards, with one interception.

John Carney, San Diego's kicker from 1990-2000, had a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and missed a 46-yarder in the third quarter.

"I would say it's embarrassing," Saints returner Michael Lewis said. "We just played bad today."

[efunk_adelic]

actually this thread should be moved to the NON MUSIC FORUM ....


Spellbound... so funny that you posted the Single Version w/picture cover on the net... :oops:

I own that record by the way.... hehe


Back when it came out it was ok to listen to. It's way to outdated to be played right now... I agree. :roll:


There is another version by different singers and is available on Cassette Single... damn it's in my bedroom somewhere... It was recorded in '94. And it's not Disco...

[Spellbound]

i dont think i have ever heard the newer version recorded in 1994

but i am positive the version that is being played on all over the radio right now is the original disco version

i do not know if the sports broadcasters are playing it as a joke or if they really do like the song

^ i think some of them may actually like it

i guess it all depends on what city you live in and what team you are a fan of

for example somebody living in new orleans right now who hates the saints will probably be playing this record all day today out loud for everybody to hear as opposed to the owners of the chargers who will playing it today because they LOVE it because and it reminds them of their previous glory days

everybody has a different agenda i guess

although the record in extremely catchy i still wouldnt mind owning the instrumental version of it

[Spellbound]

[efunk_adelic]

Guess what's on the flip side


by the way.... the other song is completely different... it's more in a New Jack Swing type... and has more bass...

[discosavvy]

Spellbound provided this quote:

Meanwhile, the rock-disco anthem "San Diego Super Chargers" became the theme song of the San Diego Chargers football team, and remained so in coming decades.

Please remember to credit your sources for any quotations you provide in public forums. In this case, the quote comes from my notes at http://www.discosavvy.com/disco79.html

As for what I think of that song, it's neither good nor bad, it just is. I guess it's functional, but even I am surprised it's been used continuously for so long.

"We Are Family", "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", and "Celebration" have been big sports team anthems on several occasions. But I haven't come across any other *original* disco themes for sports teams except for this San Diego one. The "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" song was recorded with cheerleaders for the Philadelphia Eagles, but mostly based on the hit composition.

[efunk_adelic]

for anybody who cares....


the song is/has been playing throughout it's inception... Actually it is played in some occasions when the Chargers are playing well.... at the beginning of the season, primarily to pump the crowd up... When they are playing bad/having a bad season... you don't hear it as much. In fact, if you saw the Chargers/Raiders game recently on TV... you can hear it in the background when the score was 28/7.


Here's information on the 1994 fight song

FISH DOG & BOLTMASTER "G" - The Bolts Are Back