The other day I posted some songs using the same chorus: “Olé, Olé, Olé” .

Today I have more tunes that put a twist on it and a link back to another previous posting…

» Starting with the most recent first: Euro 2008 and the Swiss pop star/rave expert DJ Bobo.

For the tournament he created a song to celebrate cash in on the events:

[See post to listen to audio] » DJ Bobo – Olé Olé (Football Arena Mix)

Did cash in actually. He released an entire album of chant-like themes.

» Going back 10 years now and World Cup ’98 in France. This one was included on the official CD soundtrack to the tournament which was called… Allez! Ola! Olé!

[See post to listen to audio] » Gypsy Kings – Oh Eh! Oh Eh !

Lastly it is a thank you to sdg who contacted me to point this one out to me.
- It’s related to the first round of official World Cup theme songs I posted and links them with the Soca group named Arrow sang I think more about the temperature in Monterrey rather than the football. Were they the first to use the Olé line…?

» Arrow – Hot Hot Hot !

- If you really like the song.. I mean really like it and the above hasn’t annoyed you, then take a look at a 1994 re-re-release which includes a World Carnival Mix, Outrageous Mix, Original 7″ Mix and a Drum and Bass Mix.

and… ..there’s still one more Olé song I didn’t include on the previous post or here. I’m saving that for another time.

During the Euro 2008 tournament all the the fans chanted the “Woooah, Wooah Woah Woah, Woah…” the hook line from The White Stripes – 7 Nation Army. This trend actually started earlier but only came to recognition/gained mass popularity at the Finals.

But there’s another chant-like song which goes back, way back to who knows when.

I tried to research and find out about the history and origins of this tune but everything led to a dead end. If you have some knowledge then post it in the comments.

The words to the song are instantly memorable that even a one year old could recite it on demand. It goes like:
“Olé, Olé Olé Olé, Olé, Olé….”

The second line goes:
“Olé, Olé Olé Olé, Olé, Olé….”

The third line… < SNIP! >

- The earliest version recorded for prosperity… but maybe not because of another version I’ll mention below… was at the 1994 World Cup finals and was included on the official CD released back then.

The usual song lyric, the oft repeated line as you know is: Olé. But for some reason on the USA’94 version the title was changed to: Alé (That’s Al-lay and not ale).

For why is unclear but it is the same song. I seem to remember the Irish fans constantly chanting this at the tournament, maybe it was their influence onto some record producer who created this version..? I don’t know.

[See post to listen to audio] » The Crowd – Anthem (Alé, Alé, Alé)

-> Fast forward to the 2006 World Cup and that annoying Crazy Frog jumped on the bandwagon. (Yes there was a full album.)
What happened to everybody ? Were they brainwashed by the noise it made ?
The fat cat record execs inflicted this upon us and now everybody downloads instead of buying their overpriced CD’s. Revenge is sweet.

This version actually has a line of lyrics. Hard to believe but it’s true:

[See post to listen to audio] » Crazy Frog – Olé Olé Olé (Do The Froggy Wave)

Many years ago, in the early/mid 80′s I followed a non-league team around. I’ll name names, it was Barrow AFC.

At their home games, I don’t know who the MC was but he found and played this next song as the running out music for the team years before there was running out music.

This one has actually has full – and very corny lyrics. It’s terrible but great at the same time. Of all the tracks posted here this is actually my favourite because it reminds me of the time back in Barrow and the fans who took up the chant: “Olé Olé Olé – we are Barroooowww/we are Barroowww…”

Again I don’t know where the original came from or who originally wrote it. Would love to find out more.

Update: Searching for an image to go with the track I found this page. It says it was from 1987 – Is this the original ? Is my memory faulty and I heard the song playing over the PA later than I thought ?

[See post to listen to audio] » The Fans – Olé Olé Olé (The Name Of The Game)

and finally…

What if I said to you that Brian Harvey, the king of chavs, the English equivalent of Vanilla Ice had collaborated on a single with Wyclef Jean (under the name Refugee Crew) and the song included Olé Olé Olé in the chorus. Would you believe me ? Well it happened…

[See post to listen to audio] » Brian Harvey and The Refugee Crew – Loving You (Ole Ole Ole)

This is something I found, made a note of and then promptly forgot about until just now.

Should have got it out last month before the final whistle and I think the parties concerned with staging/promoting and selling the tournament wanted you to spend your hard earned on it, but will now be consigned to the bargain bin.

As with the game which in the adverts they tried to sell to us with the tagline: “Change the outcome…” (I saw the print advert in last month’s 4-4-2 but don’t have the copy here right now).

Try as they might to flog it not many people bought it because of the non-attendance. I’m sure all the big companies didn’t make as much profit as they would have liked this June.

Another one of the products they tried to push onto us was a soundtrack. Yes the tournament had an official song.. actually there was a few… but with the game (the video kind that is, not the footballing one) there was an accompanying soundtrack.

I’ve chosen at random two song from this plus there’s a bonus for those of you who click on the Read more.. after the tracks below.

Just like the CD’s released to tie in with the movies, this is “music inspired by..” type of thing but doesn’t feature any of the official songs. In fact none of the tracks on this CD none of them have anything to do with footie. They don’t even try to tie it in apart from this first one which has a slight link… well it mentions feet…

» Carolina Liar – I’m Not Over - video - Official website

Parisa mailed me to let me know about a segment on the very excellent Current TV in which they talk about how the various countries football fans have taken the guitar riff from the White Stripes – “7 Nations Army” and made it their own.
Douglas Caballero from the DailyFix is your guide to the White Stripes Euro Cup….

There’s a dance remix..? I must have it.

Back in a sec…

…

Ah ! Got it. Someone posted a comment on the Current TV > DailyFix page above with a link to a YouTube clip with the remixed version :

[See post to listen to audio]
» Fan Project – Seven Nation Army (Soccer Fan Remix)

So how come Vienna got one of the Semi’s and the Final ? The Swiss got jipped there. (Corrected. Thanks gordie)

I know that Basel hosted the opening ceremony and game of the tournament but how many people remember either of these two events now ?

» In a slightly related note and an opportunity for a very tenuous link… Freddy G contacted me to ask:

“… Nobody in Austria sang about the team then, which was hardly surprising. – But what about posting some music from an Austrian artist ? Come on there must be some decent groups from there ?”

Well Freddy there isn’t.

You’d think with them having such a rich musical heritage that there would be something out there, but Austria is better known for it’s classical music and lesser known for any popular music – apart from…

The late great Falco was pretty much dismissed as a novelty act because of that song, but he had other releases including one about his home city:

[See post to listen to audio]
» Falco – Vienna Calling (Single Version)
[See post to listen to audio]
» Falco – Vienna Calling (Tek Mix)

- of course there was… which I still love to this day:

[See post to listen to audio]
» Rock Me Amadeus (Single Version)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Falco – Rock Me Amadeus (Salieri Version)

- Here’s something not many of you may know: The song “Der Kommissar” was originally recorded and released (in German) by Falco a year before the band “After The Fire” translated and did their English cover version.

The original...
[See post to listen to audio]
» Falco – Der Kommissar (Album Version)

The cover...
[See post to listen to audio]
» After The Fire – Der Kommissar (Long Version)

I know none of these are about footie. I’m indulging myself.

Good stuff. Great news that. Long may it continue.

- There’s a German band called “Under Pressure” who did this video in which they sing about digging football and not hooliganism. The lyrics to the song and the video is very clichéd, but more power to them for doing this. Football is about football and not about fighting.

A translation of the text accompanying the YouTube clip:

“Music clip of the band UNDER PRESSURE for Euro 2008
A contribution against violence and hooliganism in the context of football!”

Fatman Scoop is an American artist who like Sydney Youngblood and Terrance Trent D’arby is more well known in Europe than his homeland. In fact he’s big in Switzerland… I’m not saying that because he is a big bloke but because his stuff has charted there.

Scoop’s style is a shouty, he has a loud rough but memorable voice. He has featured on a number of artist singles including Timberlake.

He had a top 10 single in the UK back in 2004 and currently he’s doing a popular sex and relationship podcast show called Man and Wife.

…

Before the tournament the Swiss got Fatman Scoop to do a song for the finals, a song that has a positive message and celebrates the event.

Here is that song plus a couple of remixes:

Video:

Audio: