TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME

Original version

[1908 Version:][1927 Version:]

Katie Casey was baseball mad
Had the fever and had it bad
Just to root for the home town crew
Every sou, Katie blew

On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:"

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win, it's a shame
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out
At the old ball game

Katie Casey saw all the games
Knew the players by their first names
Told the umpire he was wrong
All along, good and strong

When the score was just two to two
Katie Casey knew what to do
Just to cheer up the boys she knew
She made the gang sing this song

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win, it's a shame
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out
At the old ball game

Nelly Kelly loved baseball games
Knew the players, knew all their names
You could see her there every day
Shout "Hurray" when they'd play

Her boyfriend by the name of Joe
Said, "To Coney Isle, dear, let's go"
Then Nelly started to fret and pout
And to him, I heard her shout

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win, it's a shame
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out
At the old ball game

Nelly Kelly was sure some fan
She would root just like any man
Told the umpire he was wrong
All along, good and strong

When the score was just two to two
Nelly Kelly knew what to do
Just to cheer up the boys she knew
She made the gang sing this song

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win, it's a shame
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out
At the old ball game


Page last updated: 26 Feb 2012

Info

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME is an early-20th century song which became a classic as America's signature song for baseball. The words were written in 1908 by Jack Norworth and set to music by Albert Von Tilzer. Norworth wrote an alternative version of the song in 1927. He kept the chorus and made changes to two verses (see lyrics above).

The song was first sung by Norworth's then-wife Nora Bayes and popularized by various vaudeville acts. With the sale of so many records, music sheets, and piano rolls, the song became an instant hit in 1908, and is still running strong a century later. It is now one of the most widely sung songs in the United States.

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Bruce Springsteen's Version

Bruce Springsteen performed TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME a few times in 1973 and 2003. See Springsteen's live 13 Jun 1973 version for more details.

Available Versions

List of available versions of TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME on this website:
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