As some top flight football was leaving our terrestrial tv screens, another high level league would come in and enrapture us with their beautiful game.

There will be/is/was (depending on when you are reading this) a documentary on BT Sport about AC Jimbo and Football Italia. A couple of links until the video appears:

» These new clips from ‘Golazzo: The Football Italia Story’ are peak 1990s football nostalgia  
» A Football365 love letter to… Gazzetta Football Italia.

To accompany/compliment this doc a few songs about the Serie A teams. I’d love to be able to feature all of them but there are many so highlights only.

Let’s start with the opening title first:

If you want to learn about the music used in that intro clip and the Brazilian born Italian footballer-turned commentator who you hear the pop over to “GoallllAltafini…”

To the teams:

AC Milan

Three tracks all about the Rossoneri, all with the same title but all three very different songs.

AC Milan

The first one by composer and musician Alceo Guatelli was released in 1973 and is half decent. The next one released in 1988 isn’t. Apparently this assault to the ears is still played before the matches. The last one is credited to “Keith West” and I’m not sure if it’s the Keith West or just a Keith West. Either way this (sung in English) tune is a novelty and curious thing. Not sure when it was released, found it on a football compilation album. In the lyrics it mentions Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and van Basten si that narrows it down. Oh and the song is just pure cheesy awfulness.

» Alceo Guatelli – Milan Milan

» I Fans – Milan Milan

» Keith West – Milan Milan

AS Roma

This is another one played before the matches. It is crooned by singer/songwriter Antonello Venditti and was released in 1983.

» Antonello Venditti – Roma Roma Roma

– There’s also this video with Venditti in which he sing a love song to the city of Rome, but it also linked to the football club. Keep an eye out for the white grand piano rolling around inside the Colosseum.

Inter Milan

I don’t have any additional information about the two videos below apart from the following:

Who doesn’t like a video of football players singing. This one also features Bob Mankini (Roberto Mancini).

– This was done by the Italian musician Graziano Romani and released in 2002. It was dedicated to the vice president Giuseppe Prisco.

» Graziano Romani – C’è solo l’Inter

Fiorentina

This is known as the Viola Song and is very old. Originally written in 1931 and a covered a couple of times.

» Narcissus Paris – Oh Fiorentina

Juventus

Three from the Old Lady from three different periods.

The first from that magical football and musical year of 1972 (I’ve mentioned elsewhere about there being so many football songs released in this year). Juve Juve has all the ingredients of a great F&M song. It has a samba rhythm, starts with a crowd noise that the clap-clap-clap clap-clap “Juve !” chant, as well as a very decent bass line. The next one from the Pako Pako Group is your standard 80’s fare, also with some crowd noise. The last one is another played before the matches. Done by the singer/tv singer Paolo Belli in 2007.

» Undici Bianconeri – Juve Juve

» Pako Pako Group – Juventuslandia

Paolo Belli – Storia Di Un Grande Amore

Additionally here is that last one being played in the stadium:

Lazio

I’m breaking the rules with this next one because this singing footballer is far more interesting than any of the tunes done about the team. Giorgio Chinaglia was (before Gazza) bigger than the team. His ego and his talent is something to be seen. There are two teams which he excelled. Lazio and then the New York Cosmos. This single was recorded in 1974 and as expected with this Welsh-raised Italian it is just as humble as him.

Giorgio Chinaglia

Chinaglia single cover
» Giorgio Chinaglia – (I’m) Football Crazy         » Lyrics here.

Napoli

All of the songs about the team are particularly average. I could do as above and post something from that biggest and most well known former player, but I don’t want to go down that route. Here’s a couple of tunes associated with Napoli which I think you will like.

Nino D’Angelo – Forza Napoli:

Dean Martin – Mambo Italiano (opening line: “A boy went back to Napoli because he missed the scenery”)

(I could have also gone for In Napoli)

But…

Sampdoria

…After saying about that I wouldn’t go down that road of choose a song about a team’s famous footballer… Going to end this post with an ode to a striker at the club back in 1984. You might have heard of him:

» Carlo Celi – Trevor Francis (Italian Version)

» Carlo Celi – Trevor Francis (English Version)

As AC Jimbo would say: “Hmmmmm…..”

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