The last piece of the GWS puzzle is now in place, perhaps the piece that will leave the most lasting legacy.
Jumper designs, club captains, coaches, home grounds – all of these things can come and go – but a club song will be there forever.
GWS has broken with the trend of new teams who often seek out modern sounding songs, and deliberately chosen a song with a sound that has its roots in the past.
The composer of the song, Harry Angus, of the jazzy The Cat Empire makes the important point that a club song has to sound “timeless”, something you cannot get by using a modern sound.
He goes on to talk about the uniquely Australian music genre that is the footy club song, and it’s important to fit into that genre, to have respect for it.
The song’s lyrics open with: “Well there’s a big, big sound…” which is matched by a very big, big band sound, with fat horns that give it an almost burlesque feel.
Harry Angus has succeeded in creating a unique sound and melody that fits in well with the tradition of club songs, although it has to be said that the song takes some getting used to.
The traditional clubs songs that we are all familiar with are generally based on marching band or Broadway songs that all have that unique attribute of inviting large numbers of people to sing along.
The new clubs, starting with the Eagles, and including Freo and Port, tried to introduce a modern sound, but as Harry Angus says, they never quite sound right, and they have no longevity to them.
Adelaide ended up changing their original club song to the more traditional sounding “pride of South Australia”, coincidentally, on the eve of their first premiership, and it was the right move.
Outside of the AFL, the Brumbies have a fantastic club song based on “Click go the shears”, and it too wins in that it’s timeless and it can be sung by large groups of people.
Going back to GWS, I think they have made a good choice with Harry Angus’ composition, but it might take a while for us to get used to it, primarily because we’re unlikely to hear it played for some time to come.
Redb
Roar Guru
like a fungus :)
super G
Guest
Brilliant!!! I'm still giggling. It sounds a bit like the Kazakhstan national anthem from "Borat". "Kazakhstan,Kazakhstan..world's greatest exporter of potassium.." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfPrQqbikb4 What do you reckon?
stabpass
Guest
Its called the hook line, people make millions of $$$ out of it, its the jingle that gets in your head, its worth finding out about.
Dingo
Guest
7.5/10
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
this. a thousand times this.
Kris
Guest
I like it...
Lachlan
Roar Guru
i like it. at this point last year i hated the gold coast sun, but i now love it, so it should only take a few years before we are able to know and love the two new songs.
Nick
Guest
We put the spring in Springfield
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Touche, TC. Good taste of the highest order . . .
stabpass
Guest
I heard a bit on the radio, and agree that GWS will get Russian Cossack dancers to sign up in droves, but i would imagine if Collingwood was just formed today and used 'Good old Collingwood forever' based on 'Dolly Gray ", eveyone would be jumping up and down with anger. It may change, it may grow on people, but lets face it, not many people are gunna hear it this year.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Ok - it's slowly starting to grow on me...
Antonio
Guest
Better than i first expected, not great but could be a lot worst. Example Port Adelaide's or West Coast's club song.
mds1970
Roar Guru
It goes round and around and gets into your brain. I like it.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Analysing clubs songs is an interesting activity. Why does Tigerland sound so great, even the kids love it, fat horn section and all - why is that? And it's hard not to sing along to We are the Navy Blues, or at least hum to it in your head. Who knows the answers to such perplexing questions - but the answers are out there.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
"....in an environment where taste usually takes a holiday anyway." What about the operatic grandeur of: We are Geelong.... or the jazz-blues-gospel infused: Oh when the Saints.....
The Cattery
Roar Guru
heh, heh - in the great tradition of beer drinking songs!
Chris
Guest
And that song won an Emmy nomination!
Brett McKay
Expert
AD, I'll at least give them credit for making it sound like an AFL club song - it sounds like the song of a club that is 50 or 60 years old, rather than one entering it's first season...
seanoroo
Guest
I didnt have high hopes based on recent history, but Im impressed it sounds great, fits in the genre of most traditional footy club songs but still got its own flavour, catchy too Ive had "ba da da daa da da" in my head all morning.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
True, in the grand scheme of not just AFL club songs but sporting club songs generally, it's not exactly the worst. So using The Cattery's definition of naff, it's not inferior. Nor is it especially tasteless, in an environment where taste usually takes a holiday anyway. But taking naff to mean silly, embarrassing, corny and childish _ as I do _ it fits all four. This is subjective, of course. No doubt someone will like it, just as some people like hearing Rod Stewart murder the Great American Song Book. The consolation is that we are unlikely to hear it very often in the Giants' first season.