Football chant
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Related e |
Featured: |
A football chant, also referred to as terrace chants, is a term that refers to songs or chants sung at football matches. Traditions vary from country to country and from team to team, but they are generally used to either encourage the home team or slight the opposition.
Contents |
In Australia
In the first year of the Australian A-League, the Melbourne Victory fans had a "Kitzbichler" chant aimed at the Austrian midfielder Richard Kitzbichler, sung to "Tequila", with the crowd singing "do do do do do do, do do", and shouting "KITZBICHLER!". The tune of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus is used primarily in Australia for "You're a wanker! You're a wanker!", aimed at controversial players by opposing fans.
In Italy
A common Italian chant would by the hymm to Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Po Popopopopo Po (and repeated several times.) In Italian football, it is also common to sing the home team (or supporting team's) name followed by a closing words or sounds. For example, Juventus fans would chant: JUVE JUVE HAAAA while Inter fans sing the chorus to "Pazza Inter" by singing AMALA, PAZZA INTER, AMALA. This chant is also used by Melbourne Victory fans in Australia, the chant is used after a goal is scored.
In the United Kingdom
British football has a wide range of chants; some are specific to certain clubs, whilst others are used by almost all fans. The tunes, and sometimes the words, are often based on well-known songs.
Chants based on hymns
Several football chants are based on hymns, with Cwm Rhondda (also known as Guide me, O thou great redeemer) being one of the most popular tunes to copy. Amongst others, it has spawned the songs Are you X in disguise? (sung at opposition teams, with X representing a local rival, or a team currently performing poorly), Can we play you every week? (sung during easy victories), Shall we sing a song for you? (aimed at quiet supporters of the other team), Who's the bastard in the black? and The referee's a wanker (aimed at the referee, generally following an unpopular decision), Who the fucking hell are you? (aimed at less well-known players) and You're Not Singing Anymore. Lord of the Dance spawned Carefree, a chant particularly associated with Chelsea, whilst there have been various adaptations of When The Saints Go Marching In.
Chants based on pop songs
Several football chants are based on pop songs. Go West is one of the most popular, with its tune used for 1-0 to the Arsenal (or other teams winning by various scores), Stand Up and You're shit and you know you are amongst others. He's got a pineapple on his head was a parody of He's Got the Whole World in His Hands aimed at Jason Lee due to his distinctive hairstyle. Hi Ho Silver Lining has been adapted by several clubs, including Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers (Hi Ho Aston Villa/Sheffield Wednesday/Wolverhampton). The chorus of Oops Upside Your Head became Ooh, ah, Cantona/McGrath/ Samaras/ up the 'RA, whilst Winter Wonderland is often used for popular players (England fans sang Walking in an Owen wonderland following his goal against Russia in 2007). The tune from Tom Hark by The Piranhas, which is played at many stadiums following a goal by the home team, is used for Premier League, You're Havin' A Laugh. The tune for the Band Aid song Do They Know It's Christmas? forms the basis for the Feed the Scousers chant often sung agains the supporters of Merseyside clubs (predominantly Liverpool F.C.) during the Christmas period. Numerous chants are based upon Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag by Pigbag, notably by Queens Park Rangers but also by many other clubs, often by incorporating the name of a player into the tune of the song. The song '(Simply) The Best' performed by Tina Turner was banned from matches involving Glasgow Rangers after sectarian lyrics aimed at rivals Glasgow Celtic were added by fans.
Three Lions, the official England anthem for Euro '96, is the inspiration for We're going up, sung by supporters who believe their team are going to be promoted.
Chants based on other songs
Aside from hymns and pop songs, there are several other songs from which football chants have taken the tune and/or words. The tune of Camptown Races is used for Two World Wars, One World Cup, and Ten Green Bottles became Ten German Bombers, both songs used by England fans to slight their main rivals, Germany.
The "Glory Glory" chorus of The Battle Hymn of the Republic has been used by various teams (e.g. Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur, Glory Glory Leeds United, Glory Glory Man United). Knees Up Mother Brown is the basis of Who Ate All The Pies?, whilst Guantanamera is the basis of songs such as "One David Beckham, there's only one David Beckham". Other examples include the tune of The Wild Rover being used for the song The greatest football team the world has ever seen and My Old Man as an adaptation of My Old Man (Said Follow the Van).
Even nursery rhymes have been used, with The Farmer in the Dell becoming Ee Aye Addio.
Cup specific chants
Some songs are generally reserved for cup matches (i.e. FA Cup, Football League Cup, Football League Trophy, FA Trophy and FA Vase) where the venue of the final is Wembley Stadium. Examples include an adaption of Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) (Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), we're going to Wembley), If You're All Going to Wembley Clap Your Hands (to the tune of She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain) and We're on our way to Wembley
Others
Some chants are not tune specific. These include Dirty northern/Soft southern bastards, England's number one (aimed at goalkeepers), Oggy Oggy Oggy, or just simply chanting "Olé" when a team is winning handsomely and is passing the ball between its own players.
National Team-specific songs
- Scotland national football team - "Flower of Scotland", "Do-Re-Mi", "Everywhere we Go"
- England national football team - "God Save The Queen", "Rule Britannia!", "No Surrender", "Ten German Bombers"
See also
Chant Laureate
On 11 May 2004, Jonny Hurst was chosen as England's first 'Chant Laureate'. Barclaycard set up the competition to choose a Chant Laureate, to be paid £10,000 to tour Premiership stadia and compose chants for the 2004-5 football season. The judging panel was chaired by the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, who said "What we felt we were tapping into was a huge reservoir of folk poetry."