The Phillies’ current anthem is covered by Philadelphia’s other premier home team.
Sure, you might enjoy the original or Calum Scott versions of “Dancing On My Own.”
Alternatively, you could enjoy this Philadelphia Orchestra rendition, which is authentically Philly.
The orchestra adds a lush Philly remix to the 2010 song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, which has become the anthem of Phillies Fever 2022, in a specially filmed video of “Dancing On My Own” that was published on Friday.
According to Philadelphia Orchestra chief programming officer Jeremy Rothman, when civic milestones like this occur, “the orchestra, and of course [music director] Yannick [Nézet-Séguin], want to help celebrate that, to spread that joy, to give something to the city and something for people to rally around.” It’s incredibly interesting that the song serves as the soundtrack for what’s going on in the city and that it really unites people.
Jim Gray, a composer, and arranger orchestrated the condensed version of “Dancing On My Own.” Jim received confirmation of the assignment from the orchestra on Sunday night, shortly after the Phillies defeated the Padres 4-3 to advance to the World Series.
Gray, who is from Nashville and already knew the song, recalled that Yannick had just specified that it should be uplifting and compelling. He read through many draughts of it on Sunday night and, by the time he awoke on Monday, “had the thoughts pretty well established.”
Later that day, Gray sent the updated instrumental track, which lasts 35 seconds and is soaring and joyful. It was captured by the orchestra on Thursday in Verizon Hall.
Philadelphians placed a wager with the Houston Symphony, who is now their “opposing team,” to further stake out their pride in the Phillies. The orchestra’s musicians and personnel from the city of the losing team must take a photo with the winning team’s banner and create a video message of congratulations.
It’s not unusual to hear classical music and athletics combined. In 2018, the orchestra gave a solo performance to Jason Kelce, a 6-foot-3, a 295-pound baritone saxophonist who performed “Fly, Eagles, Fly” with the group.
The Eagles center addressed the Mann Center audience, who were still celebrating their team’s Super Bowl victory, saying, “We have the Philadelphia Orchestra, the embodiment of high culture, refinement, and art, celebrating a bunch of grown guys beating the snot out of each other.”
Nézet-Séguin and the Phillie Phanatic led the Citizens Bank Park crowd in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in 2010.
Instead of using batons, the pair instead conducted.
Baseball is still very much a part of our culture here, despite the fact that Philadelphia is primarily known as a football town, according to orchestra violist Marvin Moon, a die-hard Phillies supporter who, for good luck, will often be seen donning a Phillies jersey underneath his orchestra concert attire on game nights.
The orchestra even has its own baseball club, the Philadelphia Firebirds, which is formed on the spot when the group is on the road and meets up with another ensemble that shares its interests in music, such as the Luzerne Music Center. When the orchestra is in residence in Saratoga Springs, New York, in the summer, the Philadelphia Firebirds and Luzerne Chipmunks perform.
Every year, we destroy them, says, Moon.
Before it became the song of the city, “Dancing On My Own,” claims Moon, was unfamiliar.
After finishing the recording on Thursday, he stated, “I think it’s amazing, it’s awesome. “I am very happy that we had the opportunity to play it and release it. I really hope the Phillies pay attention.