The story behind these 3 Bucs walk-up songs

This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos' Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

What goes into picking a walk-up / walk-out song?

What matters more: hype or vibes? Several Pirates detailed what went into selecting their current anthems:

Michael Chavis (“The Nights” by Avicii)
"I used to try to get a really hype walk-up song. My previous walk-up song was 'U Supposed To Shine' by Lil Cali featuring Kevin Gates. Banger. Banger. It was a great walk-up song, but when I wanted to change, I knew I wanted to do something that was a little more vibey.

"I didn’t want to get up to the plate and be like, ‘I have to kill’ or something like that. I was like, 'Let’s get a little vibe that brings me to the moment, that slows things down and lets me know we’re hitting.' It’s not like we’re going to war. It’s where I’m at right now. I think it can change. Some guys like having really calm songs, but for where I’m at right now, I think it’s perfect."

Greg Allen (“Light Work” by YMK Sound)
"For me, I know a lot of guys [are different] across the board on that. Mine is just the frame of mind that I want to be in. Sometimes, I have songs that get me in more of an aggressive, competitive frame of mind. Sometimes, I have songs that are more feel good that put me in a good place mentally. That’s what 'Light Work' does. The tone of it, the rhythm and the lyrics themselves are solid, too."

Colin Holderman (“Party on Fifth Ave.” by Mac Miller)
"A couple things go into it. I went with the city of Pittsburgh, the Mac Miller love. When I was in college, it was just something that made me feel like I was on top of the world, pumped up, ready to go like I couldn’t fail. So, when I was in college, and even through the Minor Leagues, it was 'Wish I Had It' by Kevin Gates. It was like the 'keep pushing,' the 'if you don’t got what you want, go get it' kind of mentality. That’s why I used that song."