The St. Louis Cardinals have released a song celebrating Bob Gibson as part of their season-long #CompleteGamer fan engagement campaign. The single, entitled#CompleteGamer, was commissioned by the team to try to reach a new generation of fans so that they know the extraordinary life story of Hall of Famer Bob Gibson.
The team hired Adam Maness, a local composer recommended to the team by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, to develop the single in a musical style reminiscent of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway show Hamilton by using fast-paced hip hop accompanied by powerful orchestral music.
Maness worked with soul singer Brian Owens to develop the song. Owens, a resident of Ferguson who is the Des Lee Artist in Residence at University of Missouri-St. Louis, leads a unique, therapeutic songwriting program called Compositions for L.I.F.E. (Leadership. Innovation. Faith. Excellence.) that works with students interested in the arts who are in junior high school through college, with a particular focus on underserved and at-risk children in the Ferguson, North County, St. Louis City and St. Louis Metropolitan area. The Compositions for L.I.F.E. students wrote and performed the lyrics of the #CompleteGamer song using Bob Gibson’s 1968 autobiography “From Ghetto to Glory” as their source of inspiration. The song is available for fans to download for free at the #CompleteGamer campaign landing page (cardinals.com/Gibson).
Lyrics:
Get up, Stand up Put your hands up
Verse 1: Thomas from Ghetto to Glory
Bob Gibson been on a mission He multiplied the struggle and splitting it like division Trying to make an image
that was never up in his vision Breaking down pride
When you hear that final decision Fatherless poor and black
Bitten on the ear by a rat You can change poverty that is a given fact
to rise above, that was his plan of attack Bob Gibson, yeah he did that
Verse 2: Daniel
He conquered the mound The people around
Would shout in the crowds The ambient sounds
The strike zone he found While batters he clowned
Have batters swinging like merry go rounds he took them to town
He was a game changer The complete gamer Throw a pitch so fast It’ll rearrange ya
He’s no stranger
He’s Bob Gibson been on a mission He changed the game forever
The pitcher was his position
Chorus:
You’re the ultimate, gamer
(chris) The game heavy, the opposition will never be ready You’re a, game changer
(Chris) Reach the top, champion blood running, something that can never be stopped Hall of, famer
(chris) The big man coming, legendary feels got the crowd clutching their stomach Oooohhhhhhhh
(Chris) We all got to face it, we are now witnessing greatness
You’re a complete gamer!
Verse 3: Paco
Defined the era with an E.R.A.
1.12 and that was back in 68’ Strikeouts over 3,000
Innings with no hits Twenty two and two thirds that’s as real as it gets
Lower the mound five inches Setting records no Guiness I’m a complete gamer Pitching all nine innings Throwing the fast balls
like Popeye off the spinach
The batters cower in fear when Hoot steps up to pitch it I said “Hoot!”
Chorus:
You’re the ultimate, gamer
(chris) The game heavy, the opposition will never be ready You’re a, game changer
(chris) This the truth, I owe it all to my roots Hall of, famer
(chris) The big man coming, legendary feels got the crowd clutching their stomach Oooohhhhhhhh
(Chris) We all got to face it, we are now witnessing greatness
You’re a complete gamer!
Bridge
Walk through the pain
(Thomas) Pain was in your game so you just walked into the flame and you will We’ll never be the same
(Daniel) Everybody watchin’, Gibson came and then he conquered you will Live to change the game
(Paco) Submit yourself as a legend, no love the fame
(Chris) The hawk running
Game clutching
Be careful the game changer is coming
Chorus:
You’re the ultimate, gamer
(chris) The game heavy, the opposition will never be ready You’re a, game changer
(chris) Reach the top, champion blood running, something that can never be stopped
(chris) The big man coming, legendary feels got the crowd clutching their stomach Oooohhhhhhhh
(Chris) We all got to face it, we are now witnessing greatness
You’re a complete gamer!
