Comments on: Help me make my soccer themed CD mix.

Question: Help me make my soccer themed CD mix.

TheManticore — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:05:03 -0800

Help me put together a CD mix of songs that make reference to football (soccer for the yanks) or football clubs. I don't want inane fan club songs sung by players. I'm looking for songs by known musicians, preferably but not necessarily with a rock bent. I can think of a Cristy McColl song in which the line "England 2, Columbia 0" is repeated, and there's the Rod Stewart song where "Celtic and United" are mentioned. There's the Scottish folk song, "Football Crazy, Football Daft." What else is out there?

By: samstarling

samstarling — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:08:35 -0800

Is New Order - 'World In Motion' along the right lines?

By: terrortubby

terrortubby — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:10:41 -0800

How bout Billy Bragg Moving the Goalposts

By: sian

sian — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:12:04 -0800

The Lightning Seeds - Football's Coming Home?

I'm a yank, but I like that song. I'm totally not in the know on football culture, though.

By: terrortubby

terrortubby — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:12:30 -0800

and Billy Bragg's God's Footballer

By: sian

sian — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:13:27 -0800

er, the name of the song is of course, "Three Lions". my bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QIAv2EoIP0

By: kendrak

kendrak — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:18:49 -0800

i thought the lightning seeds' sond was called "three lions".

die toten hosen do a song called "fc bayern" about how much bayen sucks. there's also a german comp about fc st. pauli that features real bands like turbonegro and terrogruppe. it's called der fc st. pauli ist schuld dass ich so bin.

fat les is real-ish? "vindaloo" is pretty good. unfortunately all i can think of are england songs.

By: afx237vi

afx237vi — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:20:23 -0800

The Fall - Sparta FC
Baddiel & Skinner (and the Lighting Seeds) - Three Lions

By: EndsOfInvention

EndsOfInvention — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:21:49 -0800

Collapsed Lung - Eat My Goal

By: afx237vi

afx237vi — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:23:46 -0800

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

(Alright, the lyrics don't mention football, but the title is good.)

By: terrortubby

terrortubby — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:27:28 -0800

Belle & Sebastian - I Don't Want to Play Football

By: azlondon

azlondon — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:28:45 -0800

Another from Billy Bragg - Sexuality - 'I had an uncle who once played for Red Star Belgrade'

By: Otis

Otis — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:28:55 -0800

Bouncing Souls - Ole.

I seem to recall a similar question that was asked around World Cup time, where I gave a similar answer.

By: noloveforned

noloveforned — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:33:18 -0800

air miami - world cup fever

By: Otis

Otis — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:33:26 -0800

Here it is.

By: noloveforned

noloveforned — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:34:47 -0800

oh, and the belle & sebastian song is about american football. lyrics are here

By: 543DoublePlay

543DoublePlay — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:35:25 -0800

Here's a really moldy oldie I remember from my youth, "Nice One Cyril" by the Cockerel Chorus from the early '70's
Tottenham's impressive musical repertoire was strengthened further by the very successful and catchy "Nice One Cyril" by the Cockerel Chorus, which peaked at 14 in the charts, although all this success was not mirrored on the pitch..

Other than that maybe check out the famous cockney duo of Chas and Dave as I seem to recall they made a few football-themed records.

By: 543DoublePlay

543DoublePlay — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:37:03 -0800

But of course neither of those I mentioned could possibly fall under the heading of "known musicians"......

By: god hates math

god hates math — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:41:23 -0800

DC-based Barcelona - Kasey Keller.

It's available as a download from Insound.

By: jjg

jjg — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:42:34 -0800

Barcelona's "Kasey Keller" is about the American goalkeeper of the same name. More football songs here.

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:42:37 -0800

Stereophonics - "As Long As We Beat the English"

By: adipocere

adipocere — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:42:43 -0800

"The Sporting Life," The Decemberists

By: Hartster

Hartster — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:45:44 -0800

Joxer Goes To Stuttgart by Christy Moore.

By: bunglin jones

bunglin jones — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:48:46 -0800

In Billy Bragg's "Greetings to the New Brunette", he asks:
How can you lie back and think of England
When you don't even know who's in the team, and it's a fair bet that he's talking about the football team (the video backs this up, IIRC)
Belle and Sebastian do make a reference to playing football in "Another Sunny Day":
...pick elevn fo football/We're playing for our lives, the referee gives us fuck-all.
Both fleeting references, I know, but references nonetheless.

By: einekleine

einekleine — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:54:29 -0800

Please, 543DP, Chas and Dave are the bestest. Perhaps 'Ossie's Song' bout Spurs going to Wembley doesn't really count, but classics like Gertcha and That's What I Like are full on football referencing rockney wonderment -

taking my dad for a pint or two
on a Sunday morning stroll
licorice pipes and baggy suits
Glen Hoddle scoring a goal

That's what I like.

By: Rash

Rash — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:09:13 -0800

Obscure, but the first time many Yanks (such as myself) heard the action at a British 'football' game -- the end of "Fearless" on Pink Floyd's "Meddle" gradually fades into a crowd of fans somewhere singing "You'll Never Walk Alone".

By: chrisamiller

chrisamiller — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:16:23 -0800

Bouncing Souls - Ole

Bouncing souls: no one can beat us
we drink beer and wear adidas.
Anywhere we get the itch
we're off to find a proper pitch.
Lace your sambas get on out
off we go to kick it about

By: handee

handee — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:32:55 -0800

Goal by Depth Charge last.fm.

By: bunglin jones

bunglin jones — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:34:48 -0800

How did I forget Black Grape's "England's Irie"?:
Raise a glass, a perfect pass,
and dribble around my socks
Check my shirt and drink my shots
And squeeze me in the box
It's a digital football thing,
It's a football thing
I live in a land of class hypocracy,
We're going to win the National Lottery,
E I Adio, I don't think so

By: bda1972

bda1972 — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:05:33 -0800

I don't know if you consider this a "known" band, but... Slade "Give Us A Goal" (1978)

By: modernnomad

modernnomad — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:52:52 -0800

Oasis -- "Round Are Way" (sic)... one of the verses is about playing football in the park with your friends.

By: terrapin

terrapin — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:56:47 -0800

It's kinda sad, but Jim Noir's "Eanie Meany" was the first thing to come to mind. Damn that World Cup marketing bombardment!

By: genghis

genghis — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:57:05 -0800

Ah, the 1998 World Cup. England fans had the Lightning Seeds and 'Vindaloo' by Fat Les.

Scotland? "Don't come home too soon", sang Del Amitri.

Fat chance.

By: mikel

mikel — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:20:30 -0800

The name of the Housemartins' album "London 0, Hull 4" seems to be related to football. At least it's in the form of a scoreline.

By: Robot Rowboat

Robot Rowboat — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:46:57 -0800

the end of "Fearless" on Pink Floyd's "Meddle" gradually fades into a crowd of fans somewhere singing "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Liverpool fans and Celtic fans (you tube) sing this. Along with some others, apparently. It sounds good when the fans do it, but the original Rogers and Hammerstein recording is slightly mawkish.

The bloc party song 'Waiting for the 7:18' contains the line 'can still kick a ball a hundred yards'. It's an oblique reference, admittedly, but a good song.

Also: Ten Songs with Football in the Title.

By: frecklefaerie

frecklefaerie — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:54:26 -0800

I can't believe no one has mentioned Copa de la Vida. Ricky Martin goodness. I've yet to hear a poor cover of this song, too. Actually, I have one cover I like even better than the original.

By: DieHipsterDie

DieHipsterDie — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:10:28 -0800

Cockney Rejects - War on the Terraces

By: huskerdont

huskerdont — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:34:08 -0800

DieHipsterDie is right on. Weren't there a million soccer-obsessed punk & oi bands from the late '70s/early '80s? Besides Cockney Rejects, Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cocksparrer and Macc Lads all come to mind.

By: ObscureReferenceMan

ObscureReferenceMan — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:47:24 -0800

To add a bit of silliness, how about Football from Neil Innes & Eric Idle. Couldn't find an MP3, but it's from the Rutles album Rutland Weekend Songbook.

By: sagwalla

sagwalla — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:39:59 -0800

Musica de Futebol is a fantastic collection of Brazilian football music put together by a British label. It includes Mas que nada, Filho Maravilho and Ponta de Lanca Africana and is interspersed with some classic "Gooooooooooollllllllll!!!!!!!!!s" Highly recommended if you are looking for some international flavour.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 16:38:12 -0800

All Kinds of Time by Fountains of Wayne is about American football -- specifically, what the quarterback thinks while he has the ball, before he throws it.

By: vagabond

vagabond — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 16:41:51 -0800

Del Amitri - Don't Come Home Too Soon was Scotland's WC theme song a few years back.

and I know it goes against the team singing you wanted, but Far Away in America was the German team with the Village People.

By: forrest

forrest — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:26:29 -0800

sagwalla mentioned Ponta de Lanca Africano, also known as Umbabarauma by Jorge Ben. Lyrics are in Portuguese. You may have heard it on one of the Intel commercials.

By: andraste

andraste — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 23:39:50 -0800

More Billy Bragg - The Girl Done Good is full of football references.

By: andraste

andraste — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 23:41:22 -0800

Erm, that's The Boy Done Good. Gendermixup!

By: csg77

csg77 — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:30:10 -0800

Obscure, not sure where you'd get it from, but the Sultans of Ping, back in the days when they were called the Sultans of Ping FC, had a song called "Give him a ball and a yard of grass" dedicated to the then Nottingham Forest player Nigel Clough.

"Give him a ball and a yard of grass/
He'll give you a move and a perfect pass/
Give him a ball and a yard of space/
He'll give you a move with double the grace"

Quality.