The Writer of the “Perfect Country & Western Song” Was Also the World’s Biggest Cubs Fan
Steve Goodman.
Even if you haven’t heard the name, you’ve most certainly heard the music. And if you’ve ever heard David Allan Coe’s country music classic “You Never Even Called Me By My Name,” you know that Steve Goodman (with an assist from John Prine) is the writer of this “perfect country and Western song.”
But to a Cubs fan, Steve Goodman is something else, and to Steve Goodman, the Cubs were much more than just a baseball team—so much so that when you see shots of Wrigley Field during the 2016 World Series and the Cubs are taking the field for their first appearance in the series in 71 years, a little bit (a very little bit … possibly) of Steve Goodman will be there.
Along with penning “You Never Even Called Me By My Name,” “City of New Orleans” made famous by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson, and other enduring American classics, Steve Goodman wrote a number of songs that are still sung and loved by Chicago Cubs baseball fans to this day, most notably “Go Cubs Go,” which is played and sung by the crowd after every win at Wrigley Field.
Another is “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request,” which chronicles the long suffering reality of Cubs fans and their postseason failings for the last many decades, culminating in a dying Cubs fan enumerating his final requests for his remains to be brought to Wrigley Field.
But this song wasn’t just hyperbole or fiction for Steve Goodman. Along with being a Cubs fan to the core, he was in the process of slowly fading away in life when he wrote it. Goodman was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 20-years-old, and his illness was like an ever-present foreboding in his music underneath is boyish humor and love of life. Goodman was quoted as saying he scheduled his tours “around chemotherapy and the baseball season.” He was an encyclopedia of baseball stats, and never missed a Cubs game when in town.
Steve Goodman never got a chance to see his Cubbies in the World Series. He died in 1984 at the age of 36. And taking instructions from “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request,” plans were laid to scatter Goodman’s ashes on Wrigley Field.
And let my ashes blow in a beautiful snow
From the prevailing 35 mph Southwest winds
And as my last remains go flying over the left field wall
We’ll bid the bleacher bums adieu
And I’ll come to my final resting place
Out on Waveland Avenue
But the Cubs organization would have none of it, and refused to give approval of the scattering of Goodman’s ashes. So Goodman’s remains were kept in safe keeping by Goodman’s business partner Al Bunetta for the next few years until just before Opening Day in 1988. Still without permission, a local songwriter named Harry Waller pulled some strings with Wrigley Field security, and allowed Steve’s younger brother David Goodman in to finally fulfill Steve’s final wishes.
“We stood along the wall, sang the song and let his ashes flow in a beautiful snow,” David Goodman says about the ceremony. “One problem, the wind was blowing in that day and instead of coming to rest on Waveland Avenue, Stevie landed just a little short, (on the) warning track under the 368 sign.”
Another portion of Steve Goodman’s ashes were also spread at the field in Cooperstown, New York where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located.
The Cubs and their fans have waited 71 years to return to the World Series, and even longer since last winning it in 1908. But when they take the field, there will be a little piece of Steve Goodman—Cubs fan, and author of the “perfect country and Western song”—smiling from the warning track under the 368 sign.
sbach66
October 26, 2016 @ 6:49 pm
Good stuff, Trigger. As a big time Buffett fan (especially of the old pre-Margaritaville stuff), been familiar with Goodman’s work for a while, as Jimmy has covered quite a few of his songs. A great moment from Buffett’s live DVD from Wrigley is his acoustic encore of “City of New Orleans” performed in the bleachers with Mac McAnally.
musicfan
October 27, 2016 @ 6:35 am
I have that DVD and love that version of the song!
ShadeGrown
October 26, 2016 @ 7:08 pm
I totally knew his name from the Coe song but didn’t know he was the writer of Go Cubs Go or City of New Orleans and I had never heard of A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request. Pathetic, considering I am a HUGE Cubs fan and have been since the mid eighties. Thanks for the article. Go Cubs!!!
I don't watch baseball
October 26, 2016 @ 8:04 pm
This is why I’m rooting for em
Cobra
October 26, 2016 @ 8:36 pm
Go Tribe.
hoptowntiger94
October 27, 2016 @ 4:56 am
Great read, Trig!
When we went to Farm Aid in Chicago, Old Crow Medicine Show played City of New Orleands for the hometown kid. That’s the first I heard he was from Chicago. I never knew he was a Cubbies fan.
scott
October 27, 2016 @ 5:41 am
Thanks for this. As a die hard Goodman, and Cardinal, fan, always hated that he is best known for the stupid Go Cubs Go song. Sooo much more to Steve’s career than that, um, song.
Jack Williams
October 27, 2016 @ 7:42 am
I had heard about Steve Goodman being a rabid Cubs fan and that he wrote A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request (A No Depression article, maybe?). At that point, I knew he wrote City of New Orleans but didn’t know he wrote You Never Even Called Me By My Name (I had probably only heard the song once or twice, I think).
Looks like he died in September, 1984. So he didn’t get to see them in the NL playoffs, which I think they were favored to win. I remember watching the fifth game up in college and the infamous ground ball through Leon Durham’s legs, which sealed their fate. The Padres went on to get crushed by the Tigers in the Series.
Christian H
October 27, 2016 @ 10:21 pm
Ground ball that went through Leon Durham’s legs was hit by Tim Flannery, a singer/songwriter/guitar player who does Americana/Folk music these days. Just thought I’d add to the trivia.
And Steve Goodman was a master songwriter; especially love his duets and collaboration with John Prine!
Jim Russell
October 27, 2016 @ 10:13 am
Buffett did a lot of Steve Goodman stuff
Written by Steve Goodman
California Promises
This Hotel Room
Written by Steve, Steve Burgh, and Jim Rothermel
Banana Republics
Written by Steve and Michael Smith
Elvis Imitators
Written by Steve and Jimmy Buffett
Door Number Three
Frank and Lola
It’s Midnight And I’m Not Famous Yet
Where’s The Party
Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street
Gary
October 27, 2016 @ 10:20 am
As a Cubs fan (and an extremely happy one at the moment), I think of Goodman everytime I hear them win and now I can point to the 368 sign while singing. Also, John Prine forwarded this on Facebook so all could read and appreciate it.
John
October 27, 2016 @ 1:11 pm
“Take me out to the Ballgame” by Steve Goodman & Jethro Burns is a classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0mNOxvYK9A
Jim Gach
October 27, 2016 @ 1:40 pm
I’m n old fart live performer and I open almost every gig with 2 Stevie Goodman Songs, Souvenirs & City of New Orleans. We lost a great talent way too soon. In his honor GO CUBS!!!
Jim McEwan
October 28, 2016 @ 10:20 am
Surely John Prine needs the nod to Souveniers
J F Kahle
October 28, 2016 @ 6:26 am
Steve: This year is for you, enjoy.
Rob
October 28, 2016 @ 7:17 am
Well a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song
Jim McEwan
October 28, 2016 @ 10:22 am
Surely John Prine gets the nod for Souvenirs
Buster Wolfe
October 28, 2016 @ 1:29 pm
Best concert ever? Steve Goodman opened for John Prine in 1976 during Dixie Week at Fulton Chapel in Ole Miss. Steve sang an hour, John sang an hour, both of them sang an hour and then four curtain calls. You haven’t heard “Nine Pound Hammer” done right until you hear both of them together. Non-students had to pay $1.
Maurice Hope
October 28, 2016 @ 4:16 pm
Love this! Steve Goodman was a true great, a legend. The Cubs……now there is a different story.
Paul Tribble
October 28, 2016 @ 5:13 pm
This song and the composer make me think of Jack Brickhouse & Lou Boudreau. What a duo!!
Irene Morris
October 29, 2016 @ 8:13 pm
I am a longtime true-blue Alaskan fan the Cubs and Steve Goodman!!! You bet he is there at Wrigley as we all cheer the Cubbies on and celebrate as far as we go. GO CUBS GO
FIREBALL XR5
March 10, 2019 @ 9:38 pm
John prine wrote souvenirs.