Best football songs ever

Best football songs ever

OK you lot, enough idle chit chat. Let�s get down to the serious business of picking your favourite football songs (as opposed to chants). These can be either songs that are actually about football or songs that you simply connect with football in some way � the songs that you would love to hear down the pub or in the stadium before the game to set the mood.

terminator_x2007-03-30 16:53:37

Random topic - but I see you have put a lot of thought into this!

magnificent post topic

If you guys could do an even passable version of "Phoenix City", you'd beat all supporter groups (Victory included) hands down! That's a great idea.

My PC has fired up to Phoenix City since Wednesday (hence the sig) ... Fat Les ? Please.. we're New Zealanders not the f**king English.  We need to chart our own path. Hard News2007-03-30 22:19:44

4.5 mins into the song in  Phoenix City before you get to the singalong bit!, I'll be back queing for another beer by then!. Which makes me think, I hope we don't get warm plastic bottles of Speights or Lion Red for games at the tin.

Phoenix City, yes, yes, yes!!!!!  English football song imports, NO!!!!!!  Agree with Hard News, too weak.

Good to see there's some support for Phoenix City out there. I'd have to take issue with Ginger eejit that it takes too long to get to the singalong though - the whole song's a singalong! There's just lots of "nah naah nah naaaah's" that's all!

Point taken on Fat Les - it's too strongly associated with England to be added to any official Wellington Phoenix mega-mix. I still think it's a great football song though and you can't really have a discussion about Best Football Songs Ever without discussing the extensive, but largely dire, sub-genre of England World Cup Songs.

Anyway, in the spirit of "Best Football Songs Ever (some of which may be suitable for adoption by Wellington Phoenix FC depending on popular opinion!)" here's some more faves:

Eat My Goal - Collapsed Lung

Great song off a great album (Jackpot Goalie - 1995). Shame it subsequently got massively over-exposed through its use on a Coke commercial and the fact that most people have never even heard the whole song. "Eat my goal" just says it all though doesn't it?

You'll Never Walk Alone - The Kop Choir

This is a great recording of the Kop classic from the John Peel: Fabric Live 07 album. You can't talk about Best Football Songs Ever without putting this one in (no matter who you support) but what I love about this version is you can occasionally hear chants of "Everton, Everton" from the away end. Brilliant.

Mind the Gap - Barmy Army (Adrian Sherwood)

A bit obscure but definitely worth mentioning. Basically a bunch of samples of football commentators and managers saying just about every cliche you can think of over some excellent On-U-Sound System punk/funk.

Flaming Soul - Flesh D-Vice

This may be my most inspired selection yet if you don't mind me saying. Do I even need to explain why Flaming Soul is just so appropriate and evocative in regard to the Wellington Phoenix. The fact that all you gnarly old punks out there will recognise Flesh D-Vice as one of Wellington's (and New Zealand's) best ever and most under-rated punk bands is just the icing on the cake. Also covered in fine style by Shihad (b-side of the La La Land single) for anyone still doubting this song's serious Welly street cred. Even the lyrics are spot on. It starts with "I've been wandering through a lonely desert" (sounds like supporting the NZ Knights to me!) and ends with the fade out "Don't burn out on me". Here's hoping...

More selections please.

Flaming Soul... superb... so Wellington and so right...

While on a Wellington bent:

OdESSA - I could beat you in a fight

From Penders Falsetto voice to the blatant 'Come and have a go if you think you're  hard enough' lyrcis, it's the perfect song to warm up the crowds prior to the Phoenix taking the field.

The Selecter - Carry Go Bring Come

Credit should go to the original sixties version (a close brother of Phoenix City) but instead we opt here for the Selecter version from around 1980.  Partly as a tribute to our fellow forumite, but mostly because it has the superb sing-a-long 'la la' section throughout.
Hard News2007-03-31 10:51:49

YNWA? You're kidding aren't you? Why don't you lot do "Counting the beat"?

A quick scout of my computer Mp3's show quite a few yellow songs but only one Phoenix song in my collection.

The Days of the Phoenix by AFI (A Fire Inside)

That AFI song's a cracker - good spotting. Gotta keep those little emo's happy I suppose.

And speaking of Wellington bands should The Phoenix Foundation become the house band down at the stadium? They might have to harden up a bit though. Maybe if Terry S. waved some dosh at them they could learn a cover of Flaming Soul.

I'll keep this thread going if it kills me.

I obviously need to make it a bit more edgy so let's bring back the biff with a few tracks either about or related to hooliganism (not that I'm advocating it, merely acknowledging it as an significant part of the history and culture of football in many parts of the world over the years).

Geezers Need Excitement - The Streets

Not about football hooliganism per se but sums up the whole geezers mentality brilliantly. If you've ever had the mis-fortune of trying to buy a late night kebab just after closing time anywhere in the UK you can relate to the narrative in this song. The streets of London aren't paved with gold, they're paved with  half-eaten kebabs and vomit.

Saturday's Heroes - The Business

This one's definitely about hooliganism and it's fair to say The Business have never shied away from celebrating the subject. Their latest album  Hardcore Hooligan (BYO, 2003) is completely devoted to the subject of football with other great titles like "England 5, Germany 1", "Southgate (Euro 96)" and "Terrace Lost It's Soul". You have to admire their single-mindedness if nothing else! Great for a bit of voyeurism but definitely not to be taken too seriously.

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles - The Cockney Rejects

No band has ever been more closely associated with a football team than The Cockney Rejects and their beloved West Ham. This is a pretty good punked up version of the Hammers terrace classic and only one of many football related tunes by the Rejects, most of which will make you want to kick somebody's head in. Just like The Business it's best treated as a bit of a laugh but that's all.

So come on then, you want some do ya?

I've spent a large chunk of today trying to squeeze "Phoenix" into every song on my Ipod. Tricky. We may have to broaden thinking to include "fire", "ashes" etc etc

any links to samples of the songs mentioned above?

and I suppose any song for the Phoenix doesn't need to have any mention of Phoenix - like Blowing Bubbles and Walk Alone don't mention club names ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSN5Xc6nMLs

Video of the Skatalites doing Phoenix City:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQH3gejHqBc

Video of James doing Sit Down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1P9QhwJokQ

Video of Underworld doing Born Slippy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWv2juM01T0

Video of Fat Les doing Vindaloo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T1pXsJp_go

Video of AFI doing Days of the Phoenix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbfTuBZfYmI

Great video of hooligan action with The Business doing Saturday's Heroes as a soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLcR9svqSz0

Fantastic video of the Cockney Rejects miming I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (badly) on Top of the Pops:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-X6LnVASGs

You can also hear Bubbles and a number of other Cockney Rejects tunes by going to their site at www.cockneyrejects.net
Like I said before just take it all with a pinch of salt!

terminator_x2007-04-04 17:28:16

We support the great Phoenix

Superb post terminator X. It would be fantastic to hear Phoenix City piped into the Cake tin

Best football song ever though must be You'll Never Walk Alone - you just can't beat that

The best club football song ever...I may be slightly biased however

You sure you don't prefer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPXCNwBu_t8  

GGTTH

OK, today let's take a look at the late 80's/early 90's indie dance scene in the UK which is credited with triggering the decline of footy hooliganism (due to the large amounts of drugs being consumed on Friday nights and the resulting downer the following day).

I Am The Resurrection - The Stone Roses

Great band, great song and another great Wellington Phoenix reference.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HA8T1mE-HI

Altogether Now - The Farm

Another song that was hugely popular on the terraces around the time of Sit Down by James. A good sing-along and a great sentiment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXKUW2MnVD4

Step On - The Happy Mondays

This isn't related to football at all but you just gotta love The Happy Mondays - "You're twistin' my melon man, call the cops!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xKaq-SNeEc

Why stop now? We're just getting started...

I like the nod towards late 70's/early 80's new wave and post-punk though. So how about these...

The Sun Never Sets On Aston Villa - Spizz Energi

John Peel favourite and writer of the brilliant "Where's Captain Kirk?" with a heartfelt ode to his beloved Aston Villa.
http://www.spizzenergi.com/spizzavfc.htm

All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit - Half Man Half Biscuit

Another John Peel favourite. This is probably HMHB's best known song (the title anyway) but funnily enough it was only ever a B-side (to debut single The Trumpton Riots).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAHJN77bqOA

The Boy Done Good - Billy Bragg

Probably the least crap ever use of football as a metaphor in a love song. Johnny Marr from The Smiths actually wrote the music to this with Billy Bragg writing the lyrics. Admittedly it didn't come out until 1997 but it's too good to leave out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHat-WfAACQ

You are my Solskjaer
My Ole Solskjaer
You make me happy
When skies are grey
And Alan Shearer
Was f*****g dearer
So please don't take
My Solskjaer
Away

Gotta love this one

His name is Harry Redknapp
he wears a magic hat
and when he spotted fratton park he said
I fancy that
He went down to the scummers
and sent the f*ckers down
his name is Harry Redknapp and he
wears a magic crown

Nice one Zephyr - it's amazing what Google and too much time on your hands can achieve.

Great thread terminator X, pity about the quality of some of the posts!

Can some one give Hard News a knock on the head, does he really think that the fever will survive with a NZ (born) fan base. Get Real this is a team that is going to rely heavily on the expat Brits to get behind it. Its laughable to even think otherwise mate.

Speaking as an expat Brit - we've relied on Greeks so far mate

Yeah you need some brits cause the kiwis tend to be much more confortable to sit down and be bored sh*tless (at the NZK anyway)

...
Actually my favourite one is the Glasgow Rangers chant when Andy Goram was diagnosed with schizophrenia "There's only two Andy Goram's . . . . . "

Every nationalities welcome in my books... just as far as I'm concerened singing songs written specifically for the English national team smacks of a lack of ingenuity...  it's also a pretty simple way of alienating other nationalities...

Even that tune is fine, the Vindaloo words are just embarassing.
Hard News2007-04-08 10:48:45

The simple sometimes works best - look at the Hurricanes chant - certainly easy to remember.

Most chants are appropriated from somewhere though, and they either celebrate or parody the source material. Can be funny either way.

I think the best chants are the ones that evolve naturally and are funny because of their spontaneity and originality. Nothing kills an atmosphere faster than contrived attempts to create an atmosphere. God forbid anybody decides to hand out song sheets (it's a football match not Carols by Candlelight).

Anyway, this is all getting off the topic. This thread is meant to be a purely academic exercise in Nick Hornby-esque w**kery identifying songs about football or related to football, not chants as such (isn't there another thread dedicated to chants already?).

At the end of the day, if you can get a big bunch of people singing the same thing at the same time it doesnt matter what they sing, contrived, vindaloo or whatever. Its the underlying passion thats important. Up until the Phoenix came along I've had a foot in two camps, Knights and Victory (we live in Melbourne). I took my otherwise ambivilent daughter to the last two Victory games and now she's right into it. The only difference between her experience of Aussie Rules and (ahem) soccer was the passionate chanting and the sheer spectacle of it. We've got to get over the fact that we're not in England (or Europe) and try to generate some passion without criticizing the bones out of everything. Hell, its bad enough just carrying around this huge inferiority complex. If we dont lighten up we wont get the "sons and daughters" into it.

The Reservoir Dons vs The West Bank Choir - Chant No. 88

and what about KICKER CONSPIRACY by The Fall? How can that ever be left off a list of football songs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBYb9Bn_w-c

And England's Irie by Black Grape. that went alright
Supermercado2007-04-08 15:55:11

Well at least no one is suggesting Blue Is The Colour

Kicker Conspiracy! Great choice Supermercado, I can't believe I forgot about that one...

If you weed through all the crap this is starting to look like a pretty good compilation.