Tony and I were musing on the way back from the Hull City game on Wednesday about the crowd again, and in particular about the singing of certain players’ songs. This has prompted me to write this post and I’d welcome your collected thoughts.
I remember a time (in the old Highbury days) when my mates and I used to stand on the old North Bank. Before the game started the team would run out on the pitch and the crowd would sing a song for each of them. It used to start with the favourites and work it’s way through the squad. In those days it was Brady, Stapleton, Rix and so on. When their song was sung the player would wave or raise his hand.
Now of course the players warm up well before kick off and when the ground is less than half full. The noisier elements of the crowd are still in the pub so we don’t get that sort of routine any more.
But there are still songs for certain players, some of which are sung much more often than others. This might reflect crowd favourites but not always, it may also have something to do with form (but again, not always). So why do some players get more singing than others?
Wilshere, Cazorla, Giroud, Mertesacker and Walcott seem to get most attention. Ramsey, Rosicky, Podolski, and Sagna have songs but they are not heard so often (or sung so collectively). There are the beginnings of a tune for Özil but it’s struggling to get going. Others seemingly have no songs, or do not have songs that enough people know, despite (like Koscielny) being superb in form and much loved players. So why?
Part of it is down to confidence in knowing the words, tune and keeping it simple. The Özil song is difficult to sing and it’s new. ‘You sold Bale, we bought Mesut Öziiiiiil’ is not a great song. ‘Özil to the Arsenal’ is better but sounds like another song; it’s not distinctive enough.
Similarly, the otherwise brilliant ‘I wanna dance with Koscielny’ is not easy for people unfamiliar with the tune. By contrast ‘There’s only one Jacky Wilshere…’ is dead simple. The same is true for ‘NA NA NA nanananananaaah Girooooooooud, which is also great fun to sing.
‘He’s got dodgy hair but we don’t care, Backary Sagna’ is fun and Rambo’s song (do do do do etc) is catching on. But we don’t them that often (this is different away of course, the away fans are always amazing).
So I think we need to find some simple, fun, and memorable songs for the rest of the squad. Per’s chant (‘We’ve got a big fucking German’) is brilliant and everyone can master it straight away. Podolski has the ubiquitous ‘he scores when he wants’ (used ironically for Bendtner on Wednesday) and Theo is just ‘Theo,Theo,Theo’ (although there is a more complicated song for our flying forward).
Why no song for Arteta? Nothing for Gibbs? Or Szczesny, Jenkinson, and Flamini? It’s not because they don’t perform, or because they don’t applaud the crowd, or die for the shirt. We love them all so why no songs (or rather why aren’t those songs being sung)?
So I’m throwing down the gauntlet to you, my fellow Göoners, the singing is getting better, the atmosphere improving, so let’s hear it for ALL the squad. Let them feel the lurve!
Personally I like Tony’s suggestion for our £42m signing…
“We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard Özil! Because because because because… Because of the wonderful things he döes!”
That’s easy enough innit?
Blacksheep
Arsenal books for Christmas at discount prices
to the tune of Cherry Ripe:
“Keiran Gibbs, Keiran Gibbs,
Gibbs I cry,
Up the wing
Down the wing, Watch him fly!
Keiran Gibbs, Keiran Gibbs,
Gibbs I cry,
Up the wing
Down the wing, Watch him fly!”
Kieran Gibbs,Kieran Gibbs,Kieran on the wing
Starts at the back – ends up the front
Kieran Gibbs,Kieran Gibbs,Kieran Gibbs,
(From Robin Hoods song)
Difficult without hearing, this springs to mind for Arteta. A chant more than song.
‘Ar tet a Ar tet a. You’ve got none bet ter. and repeat
Long ‘Ar’ short ‘tet’ long ter short ‘you’ve got’ long ‘none’ short ‘bet’ ‘ter’
Wojciech Szczesny
The Big Ben chime . Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong. Gives
Wojciech Szczesny our great goalie or Szczesny Szczesny our great goalie.
Hope these help
theo theo theo
1 2 3, he goes
theo theo theo
speeding like lightening
theo theo theo
that’s how he rocks
Arteta Areteta…he was a last minute buy….bloody hell…now we know why!
to the tune of All Around My Hat:
“Aar-ron Ram-sey
He wears The Red for Ar-sen-al
Aa-ron Ram-sey
Oh Come and see-ee him play
Aa-and ev’ry time I see-ee him
I think he’s gunner score again
Aa-ron Ram-sey
Come and see him play!”
off topic but great interview by our BFG
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10501748/Per-Mertesacker-says-I-am-proud-to-be-part-of-the-Arsenal-tradition-ahead-of-Evertons-visit-to-Emirates-Stadium.html
Certainly with the world cup year we ought to sing the song ‘Brazil’ and replace the word Brazil with Özil.
It should go like this: (and shake those samba balls while singing it of course)
Öoooziiiiil nananananana nanananananaaaa Öoooziiiilll Öoooozilllll Özil! (and repeat it a few times)
I think he will play ten times better even 😉
we had this song at our local club for one of our players
I’m just pleased to hear us sing more. I remember the a
Dark days where we were frustrated and also frankly far too quiet.
Come on people we are flying and have the best midfield In the world – let’s make sure we are Arsenes 12th man-always.
Anyway that said, here goes:
To Winter Wonderland…either in sarcasm or God forbid if he starts delivering lol!
“There’s only one Niklas Bendtner, one Nicklas Bendtner
Walking along, singing a song, walking in a Bendtner wonderland.”
And for God (Özil) to Que Cera Cera…
“When I was just a little boy
I asked my mother, who will I see
Will it be Gibbs, will it be Per
You’ll have to wait and see
Oo-oh-zil Oo-oh-zil,
He’s the best in the Premiership
He just f-ing genius
Mesut Ö-oh-zil”
to the tune of The Digger’s Song (chumbawumba did a version):
“With Sir Ches-en-ney, stand up now, stand up now,
With Sir Ches-en-ney stand up now.
Our goal he’ll defend,
Until the very end
Stand up now, Gooners all, Stand Up Now!.
love the idea of the Diggers’ song for Szczesny Matt, great to get 17th C proto-socialists back in the limelight!
To the tune of Yankee Doodle: Who scores more than Van Persie ? Ramsey! Ramsey ! Who scores more than Van Persie A- r- o-n Ramsey !
Carl Jenkinson is difficult to rhyme with and I do not know how fellow fans refer to him. Is he Carl? Jenko? CJ?
I’m going for CJ for now but hope that someone can better inform me.
to the tune of Monty Python’s Finland song:
“CJ CJ CJ
No better Gooner you’ll see.
CJ CJ CJ
Go and score one for me!”
My Özil suggestion is based on the song Aquarela do Brasil by the way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbXNmIvWa1c this version and then replace Brazil with Özil and we will have a real party at the Emirates 😉
To the tune of Electric dreams ( human league / Oakey / Moroder) : we’ll Orzil be together, However Arsenal seems, we’ll Orzil be together, together in Sir – Chesney’s dreams
Orzil need is love, Orzil need is love,’Orzil need is love love, love is Orzil needs
To borrow the default Australian chant, Ozil Ozil Ozil, Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!
Walter’s suggestion is spot on. let’s get this party started!
I also like Walter’s suggestion (This is my favorite arsenal’s blog btw). A Sagna song could go by the rythm of the old batman tv show. Regards everybody
And as we are singing songs I just wrote this little song for the little boy also know as the traitor or RVC*nt.
It’s on the tune of I’m on fire from Bruce Springsteen. You can sign along if you want to 😉
Hey little boy is Sir Alex home
Did he go away and leave you all alone
You got a bad desire
Arsenal is on fire
Tell me now boy is Moyes good to you
Can he do to you the things that Sir Alex do
Arsene can take us higher
Arsenal is on fire
Penny for RVP’s thoughts tonight.
Seriously though I wouldn’t be at all surprised if David Moyes gets the sack.
The Brazil-Ozil idea is brilliant, and the others are pretty good as well. You guys are doing a great job. Though imo mentioning other players/teams in our songs is giving them too much respect.
COYG
To the tune of Daisey Daisey :
Ramsey Ramsey give us a goal or two, Orzil Santi Theo and Giroud ,we didn’t get a Suarez but we ain’t got no worries,
‘Cause we look sweet with ball at feet at the top of the Premier League
To the tune of Hello Muddha Hello Fadda (1963) Allen Sherman:
Merter Merter, Sacker Sacker, we’re so glad that your at the backer, 9 foot tall, you dwarf them all, your our big boy in the box at Arsenal
Good ideas but you can’t sing a whole song about others players, managers and clubs.
On subject of other clubs, just watching saints v city and Southampton should have won this game. Saw Utd and they were pathetic, Dutch skunk playing while not 100% as lost!!
Chelsea lost to stoke 3-2!!!
Glad I stayed up!!
nice one Darren but I wonder how many younger fans will know that great old music hall classic!
Nacho Nacho man, I want to be a Nacho Man….
Thank you Blacksheep, but most younger fans probably recognize ‘one nil to the Arsenal’ as a Gunners tune rather than the Pet Shop Boys version of ‘Go West’ back in the day or even further back the Village People’s Original hit. A catchy melody will always work regardless, if you can somehow find the near enough scanning words. Doesn’t everyone know ‘Daisey Daisey’ even toddlers and Spurs fans ? 🙂
I’ll see if I can get a Gregorian chant one together….Barcarium Sagnasicous
A simple refrain for Theo to the tune of Tina Turner’s Mad Max hit: “We don’t need another hero, we’ve already got Theo.”
to the tune of …eerm…well, I don’t know the actual tune but this rythym has been done so often before that I’m sure you’ll get the idea.
“He left. He’s back.
He’s the leader of the pack,
Flamini, Flamini”
repeat ad taedium
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
We cant fucking spell Szczesny
to the tune of Angels (and needing lot of re-working)…
“I stand and sing
For the Gunner on the wing
And watch him go
Around defenders oh so slow
When I’m grey and old
My children will be told
That Wenger let the wings unfold
So when I’m lying in my bed
Thoughts running through my head
And I feel that love is dead
I’m loving Theo instead”
Not quite about the Arsenal team but worth a poke
To the tune of Living next door to Alice
26 years and now he’s gone at last
So Moyes has taken over and he’s gonna take you down
So you’ve gotta get used to winning no more with Alex
Alex – Who the………..is Alex
Loving it Nick 😀
to the tune of “What does the fox say?”
“What does The Kosh say?”
Awesome people. Now we have to get a the Grove humming like Anfield and Old Trafford when their teams were in their pomp. I’m p****d of with having to listen to ‘sing when you’re winning’ and ‘you’re not singing anymore’. Let’s sing throughout!!!
Some great stuff here guys . I think Walter’s suggestion is very workable – just do it guys !
I do admit that I’m not too familiar with most of the others contributions , but Nick The Gooner’s (11:02pm) working of one my all time favourites does pique my interest.
But I’d reword it to refer to that lot ‘down the road ‘ and their not having won the 1st division since 1961 !
Without much ado , here’s ….
” Living next door with malice .”
Oh ! I don’t know why they’re always leading ,
or where the Gunners gonna go .
I guess they’ve always got their good seasons,
but I don’t really wanna know ,
cause’ for 54 years I ‘ve been living next door with malice!
54 years, just waiting for a chance ,
to tell them how pissed I really feel,
and maybe even get a second place;
Now I just got to get used to living next door with malice !
Came across this fine article in our local papers and have posted the link here .
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-nelson-mandela-dies-music-ten-essential-antiapartheid-songs-20130627,0,4774848.story#axzz2mrHHqtNp
Eddy Grant ‘s Gimme hope Jo’anna , gave me an idea of an AKB song to the team before the AAAAs return !
Give us hope , yo’ Gunners , give us hope ;
before the moaning comes ! x 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpMgzWBpu2o
Super thread!
@ Matt Clark – I got a tune for your chant, Hi-Ho from Disney’s snowhite.
Walter the Ozil chant is perfect.
For Theo (Queen’s Don’t stop me now chorus) –
Burning through the wing – yeah
Lightning feet, he plays for the Arsenal
He’s running at the speed of light ohh
He’s gonna score another one for you
As I would love Arteta to score a screamer today…. what about the Icona Pop, I drove my car into a bridge, instead with:
We shout our team up to the top
Ar-Tet-ta We love him Ar-Tet-Ta
And yes, the Brazil/Ozil is brilliant and will work; let’s do it! COYG!!