The search for an Arsenal ‘anthem’ (18/6)

[MK Gould]

Are pmh273 & marcomarcos for real?? No need for an anthem....would have happened by now if it were needed?? Have either of you been to the Grove? We desperately need an anthem!

And why don't you think that coming up with one via discussions on a fans forum isn't organic? Whatever the end result, its hardly something that's been thrust upon us by a sponsor or the club! Do you really think that Liverpool fans spontaneosly burst into YNWA a few years back, or West Ham fans adopted Bubbles without considerable discussion? Only difference is that we can do ours in a much more democratic way than a few mates down the pub before the match.

I think we also need to be wary of those people putting forward daft suggestions (Frog Song!!), or poo pooing the idea, in their first couple of posts to the forum. "Are you tottenham in disguise?"....

[rambo]

The Impossible Dream is the perfect club anthem. The lyrics are excellent, it is relatively slow and simple so to set a tempo is easy. It becomes more emotive towards the end. It is simply fantastic, and it would sound terrific at the ground.

If we could get that going, we would be able to create a formidable atmosphere on big games.

Please let it be The Impossible Dream.

Hear hear I agree, the lyrics are immense and perfect. We need to act and make this our song before another club takes it.

[rambo]

What is the matter with everyone? I don't understand why Arsenal fans have to have an 'Official Anthem' thrust on them by people who think they know best. If an anthem is required it would have made itself known organically, that's the way it works with football fans.

I really wonder if the posts on this thread are serious or just taking the piss. I hope the latter but I suspect the former.

It's called starting a tradition, starting off something unique about Arsenal. Our team needs a 12th man, if you don't like it don't ruin the thread, you can sit down and watch Arsenal like a fool, but want every fecker standing up belching a song to help the team win.

[Anyone For Peanuts]

I think we need to remember that the 'anthem' needs to be sung by as many people as possible, not just the blokes aged 20 - 40. The last game I went to I was surrounded by a complete mix of ages, colours and sexes.

The Impossible Dream, great as it is, would be hard to get going. I don't think it could be sung by everyone.

[Herd]

Apart from Marcos you majority on here need your heads examined,because none of you seem to have a scooby about what bieng Arsenal is all about .

We don't need pathetic gimmicks we need our old fans back but unfortunately many of those who used to go have been priced out of london and Arsenal.

We have many Anthems allready Good Old Arsenal/ there is a team called Arsenal,the greatest of them all etc ad nauseam.........

The problem is we have supporters who watch Arsenal as a pastime not as a passion.

For all the efforts of the well meaning Red Action mob we will never get the old atmosphere back and putting up a stupid anthem will make us a laughing stock.

When I saw the list I thought it was a Joke and began to laugh but now i see your serious .

Im not sure who the folks of the Gooner think they are but they dont represent me OR the vast majority of Old School Gooners who are most peturbed by this latest attempt by the trainspotters to drag our proud name through the gutter

Angry of Aberdeen Park !

[260363]

Rather than continuing the interminable wait for an anthem to occur organically, I'm all for another attempt being made to introduce an anthem - and I'm old enough to remember the Club trying to foist "Red Barrel" on us. javascript:emoticon(':oops:')
Embarassed

But why not consider something written by a Gooner?

I don't have time to read through all the previous posts to check if I'm repeating another suggestion here, but I'm referring to our very own Ray Davies of The Kinks, writer of several excellent potential contenders that fulfil all the criteria.

Ray's hits include "You Really Got Me", "Waterloo Sunset", "Sunny Afternoon", "Lola", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "All Day and All of the Night" and "Celluloid Heroes". My own suggestion would be "You Really Got Me".

[AndyBlock19]

I agree we need an Anthem - the Online Ed's criteria seems spot on ("Should be stirring enough to send shivers down the back of your neck")

But do songs like One Day Over the Rainbow, and the snooze-a-song that is He Aint Heavy REALLY send shivers down the spine and lend themselves to lift and inspire players and fans alike?....No is the natural and honest answer.

Is there a Club anthem that beats Liverpool's? Probably, but one that is mainstream / popular. Probably not - otherwise like all good ideas someone would of done it by now!

So why don't the Club enlist the help of a songwriter and create an Anthem? The Arsenal have always been a club for firsts, so why not?

Do I have a suggestion for the Online Ed's shortlist outside of the Club creating one? In the immortal words of the Fast Show, "Do I XXXX!".

[Sammy Mooner]

Danny Boy! No thank you, everytime I hear some drunken Irish banging this out I run from the bar SCREAMING. I loved Liam, Pat, Flint, Frank, Dave, Pat, Joe and all the rest but the last Danny we had was Clapton. Even if it had anything to do with Arsenal I'd hate still hate it, but it doesn't. The last Danny of any note in football was, and I'm loathe to admit it, one called Blanchflower. This tune is up there with Yellow Ribbon when it comes to making me want to throw up.

So that's a nil points for 'Danny Boy'

Please and thank you.

[MK Gould]

Amazing how most of the negativity is coming from members with 1-2 posts each. Hopefully this is a sign that the message is getting out & we're attracting new blood, rather than being invaded by spuds trying to set us up with a shite song!

What I don't get is how many though are harking back to the "good old days". "Bring back the mob who used to support us, they knew how to sing!". Well guys, I hate to say this, but we're now in the year 2007. Arsenal are now a top team charging top dollar (pardon the american link!) for a top product. We attract support from throughout the world, in a ground which is over half as big again as our old one! And I think the vast majority of those who turn up week after week NOW (many of whom were also part of the old mob!) would love us to have an anthem. That's progress!!

I also think that its a big enough ask to get people to sing a song they already know. Maybe to sing a new song to an old tune is possible. But to adopt en masse a completely new song - unlikely, and would greatly reduce the odds of getting anything off the ground.

[Herd]

Amazing how most of the negativity is coming from members with 1-2 posts each. Hopefully this is a sign that the message is getting out & we're attracting new blood, rather than being invaded by spuds trying to set us up with a shite song!

What I don't get is how many though are harking back to the "good old days". "Bring back the mob who used to support us, they knew how to sing!". Well guys, I hate to say this, but we're now in the year 2007. Arsenal are now a top team charging top dollar (pardon the american link!) for a top product. We attract support from throughout the world, in a ground which is over half as big again as our old one! And I think the vast majority of those who turn up week after week NOW (many of whom were also part of the old mob!) would love us to have an anthem. That's progress!!

I also think that its a big enough ask to get people to sing a song they already know. Maybe to sing a new song to an old tune is possible. But to adopt en masse a completely new song - unlikely, and would greatly reduce the odds of getting anything off the ground.

Patronising Pilchard Mr MK ,Ive been going since 1967 had a season ticket since '73 and was at Middlesboro last game of the season 1980 away after losing the fa cup final and cup winners cup final and I saw Clive Allan play for Arsenal .....spuds indeed !

I dont hark for the old days im happy in 2007 too but if you think that those songs you have chosen will get everyone going then you are very misguided indeed.
None of the songs you have so far mentioned have any appeal all to the masses ,trust me !

Since you seem determined to go on with it though You could Get either Roger Daltry or Ray Davies or Spandau to make a tune up but i bet teh person who would do the best job is Mr John Lydon himself

[jamaicArsenal_Fan]

First of all let me say i am enthused about the idea of an anthem. When i watch premiership games here in Jamaica (being an ardent arsenal fan) i always bemoan the quiet atmosphere at the emirates. Its only when arsenal are on the attack the crowd starts to cheer and after the play breaks down the crowd goes "ahhhhhh" and then gets back silent. At times i would hear "Arsenal Fc, the greatest club the world has ever seen" but its only sung by a few people and it just dies out. Unlike Pool with YNWA with their scarfs held over their heads and they bellowing it out, that helps your team tremendously. Even when we whipped their arses 6-2, the anfied crowd was still bellowing out YNWA, thats the kind of atmosphere we need at the Emirates. Yes i know the 38 thousand at Highbury were loyalist but now we have 60 thousand so we have persons coming for the first time so they are new to the atmosphere, so we have to acclimatize them to what once was an electrifying atmosphere.

The suggestions i like so far are the customized version of The impossible dream, it sounds really nice. I also like One by U2.

[260363]

I suggested some of Ray Davies' work for consideration mainly on the grounds that several of the songs in his back catalogue fulfil the stated criteria and the fact he happens to be a Gooner makes it so much the better.

I have doubts whether asking him or any other gifted Gooner like Mr Lydon to write something new, as Herd now suggests, would achieve the required result. Anyone heard Roger Daltrey's ditty again since the farewell to Highbury? Or wanted to hear it? Thought not.

Part of the appeal and longevity of the bin dippers' 'Sign on' anthem is that it has f all to do with football in general, or their Club in particular. It was written by bin dippers though.

[260363]

Part of the appeal and longevity of the bin dippers' 'Sign on' anthem is that it has f all to do with football in general, or their Club in particular. It was written by bin dippers though.

Correction before anyone starts: It was actually written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1945 musical, Carousel but the 1960's recording by bin dipper artistes Gerry & The Pacemakers led to its adoption at Anfield.

I think the rendition that tv viewers heard at the 6-2 game was more likely Gooners singing YNGAJ than bin dippers singing YNWA.

[N22Gooner]

I've said it before and i'll say it again.

There is a team called the Arsenal,
The greatest of them all,
And we will always support you,
Whether you rise or fall, or fall

And we'll drink, drink together, in praise of the AFC,
And we'll drink, drink together, in praise of the AFC.

Fulham can stay at the Cottage
Southampton can stay at the Dell
And as for Tottenham Hotspur
They can go to hell, to hell

And we'll drink, drink together, in praise of the AFC.
And drink, drink together, in praise of the AFC.

[the_gooner89]

Out of the songs listed it could only be one song!

He aint heavy, Hes my brother

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where

But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go
The Arsenal, The Arsenal