Football songs are out of fashion at the moment. No footballer wants to do them because these days they are so aware of their own image. They know that there’s the Facespace and the Twittster which can give instant reaction. And almost all of the time the response is ridicule.

The football song these days is treated with apathy. The public are so unconcerned with it that like the Eurovision Song Contest, we allow the BBC to tell us that this is the song we’ve chosen on your behalf. This is what will represent us. And you will like it. But we don’t. (Well I don’t.)

The same thing has happened with a World Cup song for England. Nobody – at least nobody in the music world of note has taken the time to do something. It’s got that bad that once again the BBC has decided that this piece of crap is going to be the official song for England.

Because nobody else cared that is what we end up with. And we accept this.

I can understand. Why should we bother ? We’ve seen the UK’s performance in Eurovision the last couple of years. We’ve seen England’s performance in the last couple of tournaments. And especially with this next one there are the unuttered thoughts that we might not… get past the group stage. So why bother ?

But people still do bother. There are football fans out there that still believe that England will do it… Well alright they still believe in England. And so do I.

At least they are in the tournament. They are still playing in the World Cup Finals. I know that there’s a danger of it being a bit like the Republic of Ireland and “just happy to be there”, but I never forget – YOU should never forget that it’s football. Anything can happen.

Enough of the writing guff. On with the tunes…

Starting off with the strongest… Andy Medina tweeted me a while back with an England song that he’s involved in and this inspired me to create this post.

We Are England has a simple and memorable chorus that like the Three Lions (“It’s coming home, football’s coming home”) line that you could easily hear the fans chanting:

There was another England song from the last World Cup which also had a strong chorus: God Save Our Team – Come On England.

⇒ The next one I found via Music Crowns and a song which a couple of blokes have roped in Roy “Chubby” Brown to help.

“Yearning for a new classic World Cup anthem that we can all test our vocal talents on, England fan Robin Ward has come up with a new song, ‘Hopes of a Thousand Men’. Perhaps ringing all so true. Remember ‘World in Motion’, ‘Three Lions’ and ‘Vindaloo?

Robin Ward has recruited cult comedy legend Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown and X-Factor favourites Journey South, Andy and Carl Pemberton to perform the track. Alternative England, as the group are now aptly called, are joined by bass guitarist Stu Fletcher from the legendary, platinum album selling band, The Seahorses. What a creation.

‘Hopes Of A Thousand Men’ is a parody incorporating ”Swords Of A Thousand Men” by Edward Felix Tudorpole published by Warner Chappell Music Ltd.”

They are using the tried and tested formula (though not always successful) of just rewording a familiar tune. But it’s a cracking tune.

UPDATE: There’s a full video now:

And there’s a live performance of the song, with Chubby Brown live on stage – Watch the video here.

The idea of adding in a comedian onto your England song was tried four years ago with Rik Mayall. With mixed results.

Lastly, for now… I’ll probably revisit this post with additions… but for now here’s some Ska/Reggae from a band called 1EYE.
Now in the promotion for their single it says:

“…1EYE are excited to announce that (their single) Mr Bailiff has been included on the soundtrack for the forthcoming UK movie called The Hooligan Factory…”

No wait come back – hear them out:

“…Distributed by Universal Pictures, The Hooligan Factory is the first movie spoofing the ‘Football Hooligan film’ genre….”

See ? It’s a spoof film. Hopefully featuring a Danny Dyer look-a-like who gets constantly kicked.

Here’s their England song, imaginatively called England:

Four years ago there was another band who did a Ska music England song: The Skatoons – Come On England is still one of my favourites.

As I said I might come back to this one with any more that I find. If you’ve got an England song either post a comment below – or better to contact us here. If it is good enough it will be featured on this post.

APRIL 19TH UPDATE:

Colin Budden left a comment below about his England/World Cup song. Well now it is available.
Bud - Bring It Home sample
Recording under the name “Bud” his single is called Bring It Home – and – with your purchase of the song money is raised for Hope For Heroes charity.

Colin’s Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/Colin-Budden1/
You can purchase/download the single via iTunes (GB) or via Amazon (UK) or via Amazon (USA)
Remember – this one is for charity..

MAY 5Th UPDATE:

Thanks to Steve for contacting us about this hilarious video from The Strikers. They’ve kept it low rent and it works.
The song too. They don’t take a well known tune or just re-word a familiar song. They’ve created an original composition. Again it is very funny. Up there as one of my favourites:

– Another email. This one from Sean who tells me that his father-in-law created this England song. Like the one above it is another original tune:

Last one for now and this is another go from an act I previously featured in the last England World Cup set of posts. They are pushing it again and quite rightly too. It goes down the “let’s take a well know song and re-word it” route, but they didn’t do what other England songs did four years ago – they didn’t mention the occasion which means it doesn’t date it. The lyrics do slightly though. Four years ago Rooney struggled to get fit in time for the competition, coupled with his short temper and penchant for being sent off – then as we saw in the Algeria game he swore at the camera.
Before all the chaps who call themselves Bogus MCs sang about Rooney temperament in the hope that he wouldn’t see red again:

MAY 8TH UPDATE:

Another decent original England song. You are knocking it out of the park this year chaps.
Thanks to Dave who posted a comment below pointing us to this from a band called Disco Mister, who you can find on Twitter @DiscoMisterUK.
The title is Bring It Home:

This and the one above from The Striker have become two of my favourite tunes.
As I’ve said about both, they are original songs and humorous as well.

MAY 11TH UPDATE:

On first listening to this next one I didn’t like it, but after a couple more it is growing on me. The group (project) name is It’s Our Turn (@ourturnbrazil) and the song is called It’s Our Turn (Down In Brazil):

The song is actually part of a soundtrack from a film to be released in August, but this track will obviously be released before that – on June 9th.

Additionally, there’s another version of the song on their Soundcloud page which is very catching. Have a listen to the Gang Vocals:

MAY 22ND UPDATE:

I was bombarded with messages, and a comment posted below from World Cup Buster on their England song:

Can’t believe you’ve missed the best England(& fans one most importantly) World Cup song since 1996!

I very rarely read on in blogs or write ups or anything like these once I’ve read the first few lines, but with your direct & real approach and certainly sounding like you talk good sense about the nations song situation, I got well in to it and read on! Only to discover the realisation though that you hadn’t got this song in there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAjv-XGPRAI ..Now maybe you had not come across it, but if you had I would like to think that you agree its got everything that those other songs have not had for 18 years and that it is the nearest thing we have had with the fans in the pubs and in the stadiums(which you related to in your blog) jumping around to it and getting em in the fever of England’s build up since 1996 by a long shot, so we hope you listen to it and see. Now obviously our crew are biased and we could never be on the panel of an “ours and another one sing off” competition in a million years lol, but judge for yourself as we’re confident you will agree and are even more confident that you will certainly let us know also if you do not..going on your speech of what we know of so far. Please feel free to let us know or inform us of anything you like anytime as well and always remembering joking aside its for #AN AMAZING CAUSE! anyway. Thanks, The Buster Team.

They’ve somehow managed to get every famous person you know in the video. You have to watch.
This is another one for charidee (mate) – The Bobby Moore Fund, so go and download it via iTunes.

MAY 22ND UPDATE:

Thanks to Ryan Smith for giving me the heads up on his band Scarlett’s Roses who have an England song which you can download FOR FREE. Go to: https://soundcloud.com/scarletts-roses/rollonrio

10 Replies to “2014 World Cup Songs – England”

  1. Sing It For Our Woy by The Grippers – Hear The Woar!
    Following the previous England Song successes (Www.thegrippers.se)The Grippers are putting the pride back in the lions with this fantastic tune. Even Wio makes an appearance at the very end.

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