Football and Music

I want to nominate somebody for the England Manager job.

This bloke has had more success - football/musically that is - than the other singing bosses.
…and as you will see from the following Ian Broudie has been associated with football and music before he came to mass public notice:

In what can be described as the musical equivalent of non-league footie, Ian was playing in a local band back in Liverpool. This group were described later on as a supergroup with a difference - it’s members became super after they left.

Big In Japan included Budgie (later of Siouxsie & the Banshees), Bill Drummond (KLF), David Balfe (Teardrops Explodes) and Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) among it’s members.

They recorded a total of 7 songs during their short existence (1977-78). One single and one EP was released. Plus some other tracks emerged on some compilation albums.

- This one from them appeared on the compilation: Street to Street - A Liverpool Album. This instrumental track is named “Match Of The Day” and I am assuming that it was influenced by the telly programme… Maybe.

» Big In Japan - Match Of The Day

Next one up was actually on MoTD and brought Ian, under the guise of The Lightning Seeds, into the Championship when they played part of the track over their goal highlights.

» The Lightning Seeds - Life Of Riley

Finally his promotion into the musical Premier League with…

AH now that would be too obvious wouldn’t it. If I was lazy I would have posted that song when I started this site. But as you’ve seen with previous posts I go looking for the more undiscovered tracks.

Anyway everybody has that recording. No need to post it.
At this moment in time too, there really isn’t anything to be proud of or to be reminiscing about.

What I am going to post is some cover versions as mentioned on the Wikipedia page:

A Dutch band called “Hermes House Band” made a cover version which is called “Eagles on the shirt” or “Heroes in the shirts”

» Hermes House Band - Heroes In The Shirts
- There’s also a video.

A German comedy duo called “Mundstuhl” made a German cover version with the title “Adler auf der Brust” (The Eagle on the Chest) for the football club Eintracht Frankfurt.

» Mundstuhl - Adler auf der Brust

The final one…

A German group of musicians called themselves “Die Original Deutschmacher” made a cover version with the title “Das W auf dem Trikot” (The W on the shirt) which became the most popular song of the supporters of the football club Werder Bremen.

… I couldn’t find that one, but I did find a Ska version by a band called the Mad Monks:

» Mad Monks - Das auf dem Trikot

Rod the Mod has turned into a bit of a crooner the last few years, turned into an English version of Barry Manilow. Both of them now raping other people back catalogues and coining it in with cover versions.

But it wasn’t always like that.

I was doing a quick research and on browsing his discography I realised I was more familiar with some of singles than I’d care to admit.

I also discovered something else when looking. The old shagger used the same formula over the years and I’m surprised it wasn’t spotted sooner »

- Make sure the song has ‘Heart’ in the title.

- When making a video - film it somewhere in America’s midwest.
Give it a vintage look, bung in a bit of World War II stuff if you can.

- When recording the single ensure that, of course, bagpipes are used.

- Plus - again of course - get a crowd of people in to sing backing vocals.

Which brings us neatly to today’s entry from the London born Rod…

No I’m not going to rag on him for being born in Highgate. Even though he doesn’t own any property or has ever lived there, it is common knowledge that he is Scottish through and through.
Again it is well documented that he is a big footie fan. Was himself a player once - on the books at Brentford at one time. Been seen at Rangers matches as well I think and can always be found following the Scotland team.

And with being a singer, a well know football supporting Scottish one at that, it was inevitable that they would get together and record something to coincide with an appearance at a major tournament.

I think he noticed the theme with other football singles which seemed to steer away from singing about football itself. In fact they don’t even mention it at all. Rod carried this idea over and covered a traditional about an indigenous plant instead:

» Rod Stewart with the Scottish Euro ‘96 Squad - Purple Heather

Everybody sing along now…

Looking at those lyrics you are think the same as me I’m sure.
Euro 1996 which was played in in June and July. Makes perfect sense.

This was actually the 2nd time Rod sang for Scotland. The first one will be posted another time.