Ten notable World Cup songs When soccer's World Cup rolls around every four years, many singers — and even some of the participating teams — decide to record a nationalistic tune that's suppose to inspire their country's squad. Rod Stewart, the Village People and the Pogues have all had a go at creating a World Cup song, although many of the tunes are long forgotten. In honour of this year's tournament, here's a look at 10 notable entries in this musical sub-genre.
Music and soccer are gloriously connected -- fans around the planet sing their lungs out to support their beloved teams and to humiliate opponents. As well, when the World Cup rolls around every four years, many singers -- and even some of the participating teams -- decide to record a nationalistic tune that's suppose to inspire their country's squad. Sometimes it works; most of the time it only inspires nausea in listeners. Rod Stewart, the Village People and the Pogues have all had a go at creating a World Cup song, although many of them are long forgotten. Here's a look at 10 notable entries in this musical sub-genre.
1. World in Motion by New Order (England, 1990)
The Manchester electronic band New Order seemed like an odd choice to create the England World Cup song back in 1990; their dark post-punk albums -- Brotherhood and Low-Life, for example -- bear no resemblance to previously released pub-friendly soccer tunes, which were as simple as nursery rhymes.
But New Order proved to be an inspired choice; World in Motion is more sonically sophisticated than any other English World Cup track, yet it has a killer chorus ("En-ger-land!") that defies you not to sing along. As well, winger John Barnes delivers a serviceable rap with some lyrics that neatly subvert the prevalent image of the English soccer fan as thug: "We ain't no hooligans/This ain't a football song/Three lions on my chest/I know we can't go wrong." This video clip comes from a 1990 episode of Top of the Pops; the song has gone to number one mere days before World Cup kick-off and the anticipation is palpable as Barnes and midfielder Paul Gascoigne clown around during a satellite interview from Italy.
Did it translate into World Cup success? England made it to the semi-finals in 1990 but lost to Argentina after the famous Diego Maradona "Hand of God" incident.
2. Oh Eh Arirang! by Various Artists (South Korea, 2006)
The South Korean team had a dream World Cup in 2002, co-hosting the tournament with Japan and finishing in fourth place. That's why the "Again 2002!" graphic keeps popping up in this hyper-caffeinated video for their 2006 squad. If you can get past the scary guy in the blond wig screaming at the start and the Vengaboys-Eurobeat dance vibe, it's actually pretty catchy, with a nice fan-friendly chant segment in the middle. Full marks for enthusiasm, if not musical sophistication.
Did it translate into World Cup success? The team didn't make it into the second round.
3. Three Lions '98 by Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds (England, 1998)
Frank Skinner and David Baddiel are comedians who hosted an irreverent TV show called Fantasy Football League. Along with Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds, they originally wrote Three Lions for the Euro '96 soccer tournament. (The "football's coming home" refrain refers to the fact that England hosted Euro '96 and is also regarded as the birthplace of soccer.) The tune went to number one in the British charts; due to popular demand they re-recorded it for the 1998 World Cup, when it went to the top chart spot for a second time. The song manages to be both joyous and wistful, counterbalancing optimism ("We still believe") with a healthy dose of realism ("Tears for heroes dressed in grey.") The song has just been re-recorded yet again for World Cup 2010; the new version features Skinner, Baddiel and Broudie along with Robbie Williams and Russell Brand.
Did it translate into World Cup success? England made it into the second round but then lost to Argentina on penalty kicks.
4. Far Away in America, Village People and the German World Cup squad (Germany, 1994)
Yes, this actually happened. The World Cup was being staged in the U.S. for the first time, and someone in Germany thought it would be a good idea for their squad to pair off musically with an American act. Maybe David Hasselhoff's line was busy, because the Germans wound up with the way-past-their-expiry-date Village People, 16 years removed from their Macho Man glory. The video result is a sublime mess, shot in a bland space that looks like a Holiday Inn conference room. Although soccer players are generally great with their feet, these guys can't dance for beans; they're completely out of sync rhythmically. The Village People's lyrics are beyond generic: "Far away in America/We're gonna make it/Find our chance and take it." Still, we must be grateful that the camp icons were allowed to put their unique stamp on America's sole World Cup tournament to date.
Did it translate into World Cup success? Germany failed to defend their 1990 World Cup title and lost in the quarter-finals.
5. Jack's Heroes by The Pogues and The Dubliners (Ireland, 1990)
The "Jack" in the title is Jackie Charlton, the English soccer legend who had a successful stint as Ireland's manager in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although it's tough to decipher Shane MacGowan's garbled lyrics, this is a paean to both the Irish World Cup squad and their devoted fans, a fun little ditty one can easily imagine belting out at the local pub. Unlike many other World Cup tracks, the sentiments in Jack's Heroes aren't drenched in testosterone or trash-talking other nations. Witness this lyrical description of Irish footie fans: "They wear green/And they are beautiful/And their hearts are filled with love./They're as pure as any lily/And as gentle as the dove."
Did it translate into World Cup success? Ireland did extremely well, making it to the quarter-finals before losing to Italy, 1-0.
6. Ole Ola by Rod Stewart and the Scottish World Cup squad (Scotland, 1978)
"Rod the Mod" grew up in London but his father was a Scottish soccer fanatic; the future rocker inherited his dad's passion for footie -- in his late teens, Stewart even had a brief try-out with Brentford F.C., a Third Division team. He opted for music as a career, offering this impeccable reasoning: "A musician's life is a lot easier and I can also get drunk and make music, and I can't do that and play football."
Stewart was at the peak of his solo career in 1978, but his interest in soccer hadn't diminished -- Ole Ola was supposed to inspire the Scottish team as they headed off for Argentina. The lyrics combine a roll-call of the players' names with some misplaced hubris about Scotland actually having a chance to win the World Cup: "Oh, Brazil, this time I don't think so/Holland without Cruyff just ain't the same." Musically speaking, Stewart sounds, well, not totally committed to creating an authentic South American vibe; you get the sense that this was recorded in one take, while some glamorous lady-friend was waiting impatiently in the control room.
Did it translate into World Cup success? The team didn't make it into the second round.
7. Wunderknaben by Udo Jürgens and the Austrian World Cup squad (Austria, 1998)
When most soccer squads get thrown into a recording studio to cut one of these World Cup ditties, they usually seem to be having fun -- not the Austrians. Dressed in three-piece suits, their mood is positively funereal in the video for Wunderknaben. No one even cracks a smile. Maybe the players were intimidated by Austrian music legend Udo Jürgens, who sings lead; or perhaps they were concerned about possible inaccuracies in lyrics like, "We are the wonder boys/We can't be intimidated/Friends, the stakes are high/For real wonder boys/Sometimes luck rains down." Stuck in a first -round group with Italy, they crashed and burned.
Did it translate into World Cup success? The team didn't make it into the second round.
8. Re-Sepp-Ten by the Danish World Cup squad (Denmark, 1986)
This 1986 effort from Denmark looks a lot like all of those charity singles recorded around that time: the players fumble around with their headphones, wear loud pastel colours and smile mechanically as they sing along to the period-specific synth-beat. And if you like mullets, this is the World Cup video for you: there are mullets as far as the eye can see. Halfway through the song, an actual professional performer makes an appearance to try to bail everyone out -- Dodo Gad, lead singer of 1980s Danish pop band Dodo and the Dodos. It's a valiant effort, but she can't save this doomed enterprise.
Did it translate into World Cup success? Denmark made it through to the second round in 1986 but were then blown out by Spain, 5-1.
9. Pra Frente Brasil, composed by Miguel Gustavo (Brazil, 1970)
Not that the Brazilian squad needs a song for inspiration; they actually rely on football talent. This tune was released for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, which was Brazil legend Pelé's swansong. It's a nation that definitely takes soccer seriously: "All connected on the same emotion, it's all a single heart/All together we go forward Brazil/Hail the national team." Pra Frente Brasil is also the title of a 1982 feature film, which suggests that the success of the national soccer team in 1970 served to distract the public from the unfair treatment of opposition leaders by Brazil's military government.
Did it translate into World Cup success? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Brazil decimated Italy in the final, 4-1, for their third World Cup victory.
10. The World Cup's Waiting for You by The Skatoons (England, 2010)
Hope springs eternal for the English soccer fan in this likeable ska track. Like many previous songs about England's team, this one (see the video at the top of the story) doesn't ignore the mixed results that nation has produced at the World Cup: "For all the years we've waited/Since we celebrated/Always so near but yet so far/We've watched the ball go over the bar." Not exactly oozing confidence, but incredibly catchy with a great singalong chorus. This should go down well with the lager louts.
Did it translate into World Cup success? To be determined.
The moncitizenship is the new Canadian governmental task. The diplomatic lines of Republics of Yemen and Poland are non grata with their masks. M.T. Al-Mansouri
Ottawa International Poets and Writers for human Rights (OIPWHR)
Comments