new arsenal anthem thinktank thread

MK Gould · Post by **MK Gould** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:44 pm

What's wrong with Bette Midler? Sheff Utd have John Denver and that doesn't sound half bad!!

I agree with those who say it should be something to do with the club - they never are. Good Old Arsenal doesn't exactly fit the bill. Wasn't it written by Jimmy Hill?

I like the idea of a more modern classic like Wonderwall or Angels. Maybe even put the words up on the big screen - lets face it, everyone loves karaoke after a few lagers so why not use that just before the start of (or during?) the match?

Post by **gooner.ed** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:18 pm

if my memory serves me, we did actually play 'good old arsenal' at highbury before the teams came out a few seasons back. but my memory isn't all that, so i could be wrong. of the suggestions so far, i'd say 'bridge over troubled water' fits the bill well. that is a stirring song that would put the hairs up on the back of everyone's neck, and lyrically is very apt as it's about sticking with a friend through thick and thin (rather like YNWA).

'good old arsenal' is just too jaunty and quick to be anthemic. it has its place, sure, but it isn't what i am suggesting. i guess 'angels' could work with a bit of a simple lyric re-jig, but it feels a bit too recent for my tastes. still this is all about opinion. i'm encouraged people are thinking about it anyway, as it shows they care and would like something to happen. once we can get some kind of a consensus we'll put together a list to vote on. and it really doesn't matter how naff the original performer might be. stoke city - delilah. tom jones might be hip now in a retro kind of way, but he was naff for decades. but it's a great song, and works for the potters. john denver has already been mentioned. the performers will be us, the fans, so who gives a fig who originally made the song famous. this is all about the song. it will be played on the PA but when the chorus comes, the crowd will take over, given time to develop the habit and sensing how wonderful it feels to belt the thing out in a communal way.

this is about injecting some passion back into our football. let's not waste the chance to do something positive. think on for a few days and post anything that occurs to you. eventually, we'll whittle it down to a list of the best ones and take it from there.

Gooner_mojo · Post by **Gooner_mojo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:48 pm

Someone came up with this one ages ago -

Andy Williams - 'The Impossible Dream'

Great Anthem. Could changes the word to suit us, or just sing it as it is. Someone wrote an article about this one, and why not try it out?

Good Old Arsenal is a classic, but won't catch on as it's too quick and not long enough to be a club anthem. Anyway, we tried that before, it was played at Highbury when the teams came out but everyone only sang the first line and that was it.

Rilo II · Post by **Rilo II** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:07 pm

I was about to say that "wonderwall" is actually a great shout. It is an anthem, and anyone who has ever been to an oasis gig will know how much of an anthem it is. It would work brilliantly, the only downside is the Man City ties, with the Noel and Liam G being city fans (and I'm sure the city fans sing/used to sing it for one of their players).

But all that is irrelavant because Gooner_mojo just had the best idea ever. Not just in this, it is actually the best idea in the world ever. Gooner_mojo wins, easily. Everyone else can give up now. Someone make it happen. That song is perfect.

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:38 pm

YNWA has fuck all to do with liverpool, was played and they nicked it, so ne song will do other then **chelsea dagger**

liam bradys left foot · Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:50 pm

oasis round our way

tenementfunster5 · Post by **tenementfunster5** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:04 pm

How about something by 'The Away Boyz'

N13Gooner · Post by **N13Gooner** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 11:22 pm

How is 'Good Old Arsenal' too fast?? Its not like its a techno song.

...and yes, it was played before the matches at Highbury over the last couple of years.

All these Oasis and Robbie Williams' songs wont catch on - trust me. They might be popular with middle-aged towny guys' such as yourselves (no disrespect meant)....but the Arsenal crowd now is very diverse (and YES, there are still a few from London!) and the average young Arsenal fan doesnt like Oasis, Robbie Williams, Bette Midler, Shakin Stevens, The Thompson Twins or whoever...so it WONT catch on. Sorry but im telling you the truth - just go and ask them if you dont believe me.

'Good Old Arsenal' is quite unique and obviously has a strong link and history with the club andknown and liked by the young and the old. Even if it was written by Jimmy Hill...its not called 'Good Old Fulham' is it. Why would you sing an Oasis song if they are staunch Man City fans or a Robbie Williams who is a big Stoke fan??? There is no point telling other fans who dont like Oasis that this is the offical Arsenal anthem - they wont sing it. 'Good Old Arsenal' is there...keep it. No need to confuse the fans even more...especially the ones that only know "Stand Up If You Hate Tottenham" (ZZzzzzzzZzzzzz).

What I WOULD like to see is the fans singing "Come on you reddddddddddds" when we are taking corners. That used to happend a lot but stopped.

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:06 am

Only 20, like oasis and robbiee, lol, but i know where ur commin from, also would love to hear good old arsenal, and less of *stand up if u hate tottenham*, as it dose get boring after a while, also would like to hear come on arsenal, and come on u redddddds more when we go into *slow* football mode and a goal down, and dont jus sit down biteing ur nails...west ham were 4-1 down last nite and still singing bubbles, apart from them *real fans* who left half hour eaely.

Post by **gooner.ed** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:25 am

the fact that 'good old arsenal' was played at highbury before the teams came out and not really picked up by the crowd demonstates why - good a song as it is - it doesn't have the anthem quality we are looking for. 'impossible dream' is a possible. i'll have to listen to it a few times to form a solid opinion. with the likes of 'wonderwall' and 'angels' i am open-minded but as i have said before, they both feel a bit recent and there is certainly a man city thing with the oasis song, and i also feel 'angels' is a bit of a woman's song rather than bing able to translate to an anthemic football vibe - but maybe that's just me.

anyway, no rush on these. i want people to try and keep thinking and they might just hear something one day which strikes them as ideal. so keep posting any thoughts as i'd like this thread to keep running awhile so we can get a decent list of choices together. can you imagine the buzz at the ground if we did get something adopted and we had a big big game and the players were in the tunnel and heard it booming out from 60,000 voices. just wait til liverpool play chavski in their home leg of the cl semi to see the effect on the players in the tunnel when the crowd sing YNWA. it even gets to me!

Gooneroonie · Post by **Gooneroonie** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:51 am

Might have been said before but I think "Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner". It has that old fashioned appeal, and can still connect with the younger fans. We could change lyrics if needed, e.g. "I got a funny feeling at Highbury, just walking up and down". However, probably best to leave the same throughout.

Thoughts?

PS. I agree Angels is too female. Reminds me of a load of fat drunken northern birds in a grotty pub doing karaoke!

elpelsarmy · Post by **elpelsarmy** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:00 am

What about The Whos "Join Together"? Its Slow , Anthemic, Daltry is a Gooner and the words would be easy to sort out??

dbrien · Post by **dbrien** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:18 pm

I think the team should come out to 'London Calling' by The Clash and as for an anthem, what about 'My way' by Frank Sinatra, if you wanted an Arsenal reference change 'My way' to 'The Arsenal' as in

But through it all
We stood tall
coz we are The Arsenal

Also, if the club insist on this reading the team out with the crowd shouting the second name, shouldnt there be background music to that, it goes a bit dead between the names, they could use 'right here right now like they used to when the teams were in the tunnel.

tenementfunster5 · Post by **tenementfunster5** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:26 pm

The read and response of the team needs something added to make it work be it background music or just reading faster to avoid that horrible silence between names. I like 'right here, right now'.

I think the anthem should be good old Arsenal but can see that it is possibly too jolly.

Trevheff · Post by **Trevheff** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:36 pm

He Ain't Heavy He's my Brother?? "The road is long with many a winding path...." Quite apt.

Good Old Arsenal will continue to be sung for many years to come but I agree with those who feels it isn't an "anthem".

Anyone remember when the Notts Forest fans used to sing "You've lost the loving feeling" to Stuart Pearce?? It was quality, they'd sing it from the start and by time they got to the chorus the whole ground would be ripping into it!