Sonic Sundays Special | Football Songs and Chants
Fans gather before the first game of the FIFA World Cup 2010, held in South Africa
Image | Celso FLORES, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
I think it’s safe to say that no sports fans are as dedicated or as raucous as football (a.k.a. soccer) fans.
As both the Euro Cup and the Copa América come to a close this weekend, let’s take a look at just a few of the multitude of football chants that can be heard in stadiums around the world.
“La Casa del Mouradia”
Algerian football fans sang “La Casa del Mouradia” to protest the presidency of Abdelaziz Bouteflika and pressured him to finally resign, after a reign of 20 years, in April 2019. Written by the band Ouled el Bahdja, the song is a critique of Bouteflika’s presidency, economic hardship, and corruption in Algeria’s government. It also deliberately has a simple tune and lyrics so people can learn it quickly. The title is a reference to the popular Spanish television show La Casa de Papel, or “Money Heist” in the English version, and the presidential palace in the El Mouradia neighborhood of Algiers. The lyrics go, “Hours to dawn and I still haven’t slept / I’m taking drugs, but only little by little / Who’s the cause, who should I blame? / We’re fed up with this life” and then continues on to document the five decades since Algeria’s independence from France in 1962, insinuating that not only is the regime corrupt, but it’s also weak, like a house of paper. Football stadiums in Algeria have become a place for amplifying the people’s protests, often through songs.
”Bits n Pieces”
“Bits n Pieces”—also written as “Bits and Pieces”—is a 1994 electronic dance music track by Patrick Prins, a Dutch producer. In the 2000s, UK DJ George Bowie covered the song and since then, it has been adopted by the Scottish as their unofficial football anthem. It’s so iconic that BBC Scotland has a 15-minute video about the origins of the tune, the music and club scene in Scotland when that song came out and when it was revived, and how it came to be so beloved by the Scots.
“Will Grigg’s On Fire”
“Will Grigg’s on Fire, Your Defence is Terrified!” is another UK football chant, created by a Northern Ireland fan as a parody of the song “Freed from Desire.” Will Grigg had been a striker for Wigan Athletic and was signed to the Northern Ireland team to play at the Euro Cup in 2016, and the song’s popularity skyrocketed during the tournament.
”Eu sou brasileiro”
“Eu sou brasileiro” is one of Brazil’s many football chants. The lyrics go Eu sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor (“I am Brazilian, with lots of pride, with lots of love”). Yesterday, the “country of football” lost to Argentina’s team in the Copa América 2020 final. But, as the country that boasts more world cup titles than any other, and the home of Pelé, Ronaldinho, Marta (da Silva), and Neymar Jr., Brazil fans have lots to be proud about no matter what.
”Olé olé olé”
“Olé Olé Olé” is easily the most iconic international soccer chant. The exclamation Olé originated in Spain and Portugal, to express enthusiasm and praise. The “Olé” chant can be picked up right away and spread from Spanish sporting events to stadiums around the world. The origin of olé is an interesting mystery. Some scholars attribute it to the period of Arabic language and culture during Muslim rule of the Iberian peninsula, Al-Andalus, between 711 and 1492. In this hypothesis, olé would derive from Allah and said when a human act is beautiful or perfect, as if done with the power of God, or alternatively from wallah, an exclamation that literally translates to “from God” but is often used as an exclamation of joy or awe, much as you’d say “olé” when Lionel Messi scores an epic goal. Here are Argentina fans cheering Messi’s name rather than the general “we are the champs, we are the champs.”
“Seven Nation Army”
Another chant sung by fans around the world is the unlikely “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes. Released in 2003, the simple yet catchy guitar riff is instantly recognizable, and it’s super easy to join in. Legend has it that “Seven Nation Army” was first used as a football chant in Milan, now known as “the po po po po po po po song.” Let’s see if we hear it from the Italian fans during today’s game.
After Copa America and Euro Cup, the Gold Cup (North and Central American and Caribbean teams) is in its first rounds. Plus, we don’t have long to wait until the Olympics, where we’ll undoubtedly hear some of these chants and more while cheering on both women’s and men’s Olympic teams. Seeing thousands of people all color-coordinated, jumping and chanting in unison, can be a hypnotic, cathartic experience. If governments, businesses, and communities around the world work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, hopefully it won’t be too long until fans worldwide can gather to cheer, sing, and watch the beautiful game again.
