Arsenal bloody anthem

cgoon · Post by **cgoon** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:53 pm

I hae thought long and hard about what makes a good anthem. The song has to be easy to sing, it has to have a memorable chorus (i.e. one that can be picked up easily by the crowd at any point) and it has to have a set of chord sequences that hit you at an emotional level. The words, to a certain degree are less releavnt. For those reasons, the Ajax Flag song, You'll Never Walk Alone and Lens's efforts work rather well. The only song that could come close and which hasn't been bagged by anyone else is "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (or Rufus Wainwright/Jeff Buckley if you are less than of a certain age).

I can just imagine thousands upon thousands of scarfs being held aloft as the Grove stands up in unison to sing the chorus. The tune also causes a few hairs to stand up on the back of your neck as well. I don't subscribe to the view that words should be changed (could be a little naff) but it would be very atmospheric if the whole crowd were to join in.

Sorry for continuing what may be an old and largely finished debate . . .

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 10:28 am

well done, no disespect to ne of the others that have done this.

but i think its good to keep it up, the more its mentioned and comes up and keeps going, the more chance of something being done about it, also what anthem is actully winning the viote?

Its Up 4 Grabs Now · Post by **Its Up 4 Grabs Now** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 12:26 pm

cgoon

I think you've definately got the right ideas about what an anthem should be and Hallelujah in most respects is 10x better than the options on the proposed shortlist in my opinion. Melodically, and in terms of tempo and emotiveness etc it fits the bill.

But at the risk of being pedantic I really cant see the club being in favour of the song due to it's religious connotations. I for one (despite not being at all religious) would have no problem with it but when you think of how sensitive the club was/is over the issue of people bringing national flags to matches I just can't see them being comfortable with a religious song being so attached with the club in fear of alienating fans of other religions, and even more so sponsors (ie Emirates!!!) of other religious persuasions.

It's not meant as a criticism of your choice - as i say, personally I like it - but I just feel we would be beating our heads against a brick wall with this one!

Cus Geezer · Post by **Cus Geezer** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:06 pm

I'm not keen on the anthem stuff because it looks a bit contrived. What about Good Old Arsenal from 1971, why can't that be sung?

I tell you what though I'm dead sure I've stumbled across an appropriate anthem for next season at least, what with the frustrations of the summer and waiting for this side to fulfill its potential.

It's 'Better Must Come' by Delroy Wilson, as sampled here

http://www.amazon.com/Better-Must-Come- ... B00000JP1I

These are the lyrics.....

I've been trying a long, long time
Still I can't make it
Everything I try to do seems to go wrong
It seems I have done something wrong
But they're trying to keep me down

Who God bless, no one curse,
thank God I'm not the worst

Better must come one day
Better must come, they can't conquer me
Better must come

I've been trying a long, long time
But I can't make it
Noone to give me a helping hand
They're only tryin a keep me down
Who God bless no-one curse
Thank god I'm not the worst

Oh my people can't you see
They're trying to take advantage of me
Better must come, better must come
Better must come one day
Better must come

Ben-gooner14 · Post by **Ben-gooner14** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:10 pm

Adam, the one in the lead is the impossible dream.

rambo · Post by **rambo** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 10:57 pm

was there really a need to open a new thread when there are already 2 covering this debate? blimey.

cgoon · Post by **cgoon** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:40 pm

Rambo. Quite right on the new thread comment. Apologies and I hope this finds its way into the correct thread.

Just a quick response to Its Up 4 Grabs Now, but in some ways we can get round the religion problem on one level by observing that the David referred to in Cohen's song is common to Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Besides, no-one thought it to be a problem when the song was used in Shrek (although that might be an argument for quietly dropping the whole suggestion). Also, if football is viewed by many as being near to a religion and if a love of Arsenal sometimes borders on the obsessive, then a song loaded with spiritual and romantic allegories seems strangely appropriate (as evidenced in the current shortlist).

However, perhaps if the tune is appropriate, but the words aren't, then someone should consider more Arsenal centred lyrics, referring to the club's history and replacing the word "Hallelujah" with the words "We are Arsenal" (although we need to be careful not to stray into naffness).

I'll shut up now (unless a bout of insomnia leads me to write the alternative lyrics). Better must indeed come, to misquote Cus Geezer quoting Delroy Wilson.

Post by **gooner.ed** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:05 am

i really like the 'hallelujah' suggestion. shame it didn't come in time for the shortlist. anyway, will be getting a new question on the referendum soonish and closing the anthem vote. it's result will be sent to the relevant people at the club and redaction along with a list of every other suggested anthem - including this one. i am actually more familiar with the jeff buckley version than the leonard cohen one but it certainly qualifies regards the hairs on the back of your neck test.

as for the vote itself, if it's not still up by the time you read this, impossible dream is a narrow winner over streets of london, with the only others polling over 100 votes (almost 1400 were cast at the time of writing) being stand by me and danny boy. there was some support for every choice which at least means that people thought about it a bit.

anyhow, after this, and once i've sent the list, it's over the club and redaction to get the wheels moving. will be interesting to see what's chosen after all their deliberations, but i am just glad that they are going to try something.

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:46 pm

I hace 2 religions 1st 1s Arsenal, second 1 is football, and when some1 slags off arsenal i get offended, jus like *no ofence* muslims get offended by people wearing a cross, so it works both ways

All_Arsenal_1886 · Post by **All_Arsenal_1886** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:52 pm

Hi stearmaster yor right about Arsenal being a religion

Oh and befour i forget, Arsene Knows Best

Post by **I Hate Hleb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:40 pm

stearmaster wrote:..muslims get offended by people wearing a cross, so it works both ways

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT STEARMASTER??

MOST MUSLIMS DON'T GET OFFENDED BY SEEING PEOPLE WEARING A CROSS!! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT IDEA FROM?

MUSLIMS ALSO BELIEVE IN JESUS, BUT NOT IN THE SAME WAY AS CHRISTIANS DO.

Its Up 4 Grabs Now · Post by **Its Up 4 Grabs Now** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:20 pm

Just to clarify my original point...

I was/am not saying that I personally dont think Hallelujah would be a good/reasonable choice as a potential anthem, just that being that it is the club that will ultimately decide which song is chosen and the club who will play the song at the stadium I do not see them going along with a song with religious connotations (of ANY religion).

I base that on past experience only - ie the situation with the national flags whereby the guy with the Turkish Cypriot (?) flag was told to leave and ever since all national flags, including English (and French

) have been banned from the Emirates.

IHH is right, Muslims do believe in Jesus as a prophet. Hallelujah however being a variation of a Hebrew word meaning to praise Jah (aka Jehovah) i just dont see the club going along with it, not so as to avoid offending Muslims per say or any other specific religious group but just to avoid any controversy full stop. Clubs are very sensitive to associating themselves with any particular religion/political ideology etc. And to be honest that's fair enough - as a few of you have pointed out... Arsenal is THE religion here!

I wish it was as simple as it's a good song so let's use it... but somehow i doubt it will be.

The alternative would be to include it on the list to RedAction (which i think gooner.ed has said he will do) and maybe (hopefully) Gooners (of all religions) will adopt it as a kind of unofficial anthem to sing during matches cos it really would sound pretty inspiring!

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:36 pm

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT STEARMASTER??

MOST MUSLIMS DON'T GET OFFENDED BY SEEING PEOPLE WEARING A CROSS!! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT IDEA FROM? MUSLIMS ALSO BELIEVE IN JESUS, BUT NOT IN THE SAME WAY AS CHRISTIANS DO.

Was jus a lil piss take outta that woman who couldnt wear her cross on the plane as it would offend muslims.

Post by **I Hate Hleb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:21 pm

OH, ALRIGHT THEN. IN THAT CASE

.

I WASN'T IN ANY WAY OFFENDED. JUST THOUGHT I WOULD EDUCATE YOU AS I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME RUBBISH YOU PICKED UP IN THE SUN OR DAILY MAIL.

stearmaster · Post by **stearmaster** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:36 pm

ok sorry if i did offend ne1 in ne shape or form, but just a failed attempt at comedy i guess.