It was not that long ago when for our World Series songs we featured “San Francisco Bay Blues.” Now, we find ourselves again having to come up with a song for a San Francisco team. With the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl this year, we feature a song with a title that fans in the city by the Bay will be screaming come Sunday. “Save Me, San Francisco” is the title track off of the 2009 Train album that also featured their huge hit “Hey, Soul Sister,” thus setting the record for songs on an album with unnecessary commas.
I have a love-hate relationship with Train. Some of their songs get overplayed on the radio, so I end up with them stuck in my head. But I cannot deny they can produce some excellent pop songs with great hooks. And lead singer Pat Monahan — who co-wrote the catchy “Save Me, San Francisco” — has a great voice.
The video for “Save Me, San Francisco” is a play on the Dustin Hoffman classic movie, The Graduate (1967). But in the Train video, when the man chasing his beloved gets to the alter, he finds a twist ending that plays on a political issue that has been in the news in California and elsewhere. And in case you were wondering, the members of Train have been outspoken in support of the type of marriage that occurs at the end of the video.
You can check out the ending to The Graduate on YouTube. Or check out the funny Wayne’s World 2 (1993) spoof on the same race-to-the-church segment. But this Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers hope they will not be left standing at the alter of victory.
What is your favorite song about San Francisco or your favorite nod to “The Graduate” ending? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
