World Cup Songs: A Celebration Beyond the Matches
The World Cup is underway, and alongside the thrilling matches, fans are immersed in a vibrant display of sights, sounds, colours, and songs.
World Cup songs, known for their catchy hooks and energetic lyrics, have served as popular pre-match anthems for decades. Recent tournaments have featured official anthems performed by global stars such as Pitbull and Shakira.
However, it is the songs from earlier decades, particularly when Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland qualified, that remain cherished and are still passionately sung by fans today, many of whom were not even born when these iconic tracks were first released.
Put 'Em Under Pressure
What elements contribute to a World Cup song’s timeless appeal?
Fans often recall anthems imbued with nostalgic and optimistic lyrics, such as World In Motion (England) and Put 'Em Under Pressure (Republic of Ireland), both launched ahead of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The latter is especially renowned for its memorable
"Olé, olé, olé, olé"chorus.
The guitar riff from Horslips’ song Dearg Doom was a vital component of the Republic of Ireland’s anthem, which also featured production by U2 drummer Larry Mullen Junior.
Barry Devlin, bass player for Horslips, expressed surprise and pleasure that the guitar hook was adapted for the anthem, which also included audio clips from 1966 World Cup winner and Ireland manager Jack Charlton.
"It is one of the greatest soccer anthems there has ever been,"Devlin said, describing it as having
"legendary status"and being a staple at weddings in Ireland.
He added,
"I really enjoyed the fact that Jack Charlton came on and said 'we are going to inflict our game on them', he meant impose, but as it turned out, inflict was a more accurate description. It's a really well put together song."
Devlin’s reflections also include his early work with U2, having produced their first demos when Larry Mullen Junior was a teenager.
"I did their first demos, they were kids in 1978, I think Larry was 17,"he recalled.
"I was recording songs that they had just written, most of which never made it into the outer world. At about three o'clock in the morning, I was used to working late, Larry's dad showed up and said 'I have to take this lad home, he has got school work in the morning.' I said rather sheepishly 'but Mr Mullen, I haven't finished with Larry's bass drum yet'. He then looked at me and said 'ah you have!', so that was the end of the day's drum work."
'Italia 90 Songs Never Bettered'
Devlin considers 1990 a pivotal year for World Cup songs, highlighting the technical innovation behind World In Motion and Put 'Em Under Pressure.
"I think there was an attempt to be smarter and involve the actual game, I think that was a tipping point, neither of those songs have been bettered since,"he said, calling them
"stand out moments."
England fans continue to enjoy singing World In Motion. Recently, in Manchester, former England star John Barnes surprised fans by joining Peter Hook & The Light on stage to perform his iconic rap from the song.
Yer Man, Dana and Elton John
Gerry Armstrong had already mingled with musical royalty before participating in Northern Ireland’s World Cup songs for Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986.
Elton John, who was chairman of Watford FC at the time, had invited Armstrong to parties at his home, where he would take piano requests after arriving by helicopter.
Armstrong told NI that recording Yer Man with Eurovision winner Dana in 1982 involved some initial nervousness.
"A lot of our players aren't what you would call singers and I remember after the first recording, I suggested that I go and get a few beers and let them chill out and they recorded it straight after that, there was no problem. They had the words in front of them on sheets and had a bit of banter and away we went."
He added,
"It was great having Dana there, she had a number one hit with All Kinds of Everything, so she was a superstar for us. We knew she was a professional singer, so she was a lead. I think she had her own microphone and the rest of us had a microphone between us."
Back Home and TV Dinners
Northern Ireland’s connection to World Cup songs dates back to 1970 when Phil Coulter co-wrote England’s Back Home.
Alongside Bill Martin, Coulter also penned Scotland’s 1974 anthem Easy, Easy during the era of the Bay City Rollers.
Earlier this month, Coulter recounted to the Daily Telegraph the success of Back Home record sales, which were impacted by England’s quarter-final loss to West Germany in the 1970 World Cup.
"I was sitting watching on television with my supper on a tray thinking: 'I'm going to be able to retire with the proceeds of this song',"he said.
"Never mind a number one hit, this was going to be like winning the lottery. I had my yacht planned in the south of France. And then... the Germans came back and before you know it, it's all over. I threw my dinner at the TV."
What Are Fans Singing This Year?
Scotland has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in nearly 30 years. Among several unofficial songs circulating on social media, a version by comedian Rosco McClelland has become a favourite among the Tartan Army.
McClelland adapted the lyrics of the theme tune from Cheers and recorded it with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. His song Sláinte includes lines such as:
"Making your way to the USA, takes everything you've got. Getting a flight to Massachusetts, sure did cost a lot."
England fans continue to sing "It's coming home", a phrase from the self-mocking anthem Three Lions, which has become part of the national team’s folklore.
Meanwhile, a decades-old song expressing disillusionment with the American dream has been repurposed as an unofficial anthem for Bosnia and Herzegovina. I Am From Bosnia - Take Me to America has been updated with football-specific lyrics and has gone viral.
