Liverpool Football Club have the legendary ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, The Boston Red Sox have ‘Sweet Caroline’ and Port Adelaide have ‘Never Tear Us Apart’. It would add to the AFL experience if every crowd had its own song.
Would it detract from the club song?
Let’s be real here, there are 18 teams and 11 of them have good club songs – the other seven are ordinary or terrible.
I struggle with the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne, as they’ve had ordinary songs for nearly a century, but while Port’s club song is ordinary, the plus side is they have a great crowd anthem.
The song has to be popular, and one people like singing, which means it would have been composed last century. Also, let’s rule out some songs: ‘We Are The Champions’ and ‘Holy Grail’ are put aside for grand final day. Also, for obvious reasons, ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ and ‘Living Next Door To Alice’ cannot be used (if you don’t know the additional lyrics to the latter, ask your kids).
The other criteria is established by ‘Sweet Caroline’: it’s not a song about sport, or winning or losing, it’s just a great, popular song.
But the song does have to be rousing, a song you can get you teeth into – and that can apply to many a genre. You can go to the heavy rock of AC/DC with ‘TNT’, or country music, I’d love to hear a crowd singing ‘Ring of Fire’ or ‘Rawhide’.
I have come up with a few suggestions for some clubs.
Carlton: ‘Carlton’ by Skyhooks
Brisbane: ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ by The Tokens
Gold Coast: ‘I Live for the Sun’ by The Sunrays
Richmond: ‘Eye of the Tiger’ by Survivor would probably get the nod regardless.
‘Go West’ by The Village People is first in best dressed for the Bulldogs, Giants and Eagles.
Just to throw some other songs into the mix, ‘Burning Love’ by Elvis and many other Elvis songs would be appropriate. ‘So Tough’ or a few other Johnny O’Keefe songs would be great, as would ‘Friday on my Mind’ by the Easybeats or ‘Rain’ by Dragon.
And out of left field is a number one hit by Albert Hammond from the early ’70s, ‘Peacemaker’ – that’d get you going.
Let’s hear some suggestions.
michael steel
Guest
Strangely or coincidentally I heard Sweet Caroline yesterday in the Swans final. My only thought was how unoriginal, because of the Red Sox story. Why not Crackiln Rosie or I'm a Believer. I was unaware of TNT and Freo so I'm sort of proud of that random pick now. Hope to hear more of it. In the TV show RAY DONOVAN, Hank Azaria's character Ray Cochrane said that there hasn't been a decent song since 1979 and I would like to agree with him except the Aussie music ( which his character would not have heard) was pretty good in the 80's but in saying that I'm not into current music at all. But if there are good modern songs which can be sung I'm all for it. Actually Meaghan Traynor has some pretty good songs.
mattyb
Guest
We actually tried that once probably about the same time we decided to stick robodog on our jumper and it never went anywhere,it was far to manufactured. Now we want to sing I'll 'Av Ya by tism.
Bill C
Guest
Dog fans could sing "Who let the dogs out, who, who, who, who"
pioneer
Guest
I agree with Joe B. Don't manufacture it; it's much better for it to happen organically if there is to be a crowd song at AFL games. Having said that, I've seen how the Swans fans are adopting 'Sweet Caroline' with such enthusiasm and here's me thinking it was just a piece of spontaneous brilliance from someone at the Swans! Watching the Port fans with their faux soccer scarves singing 'never tear us apart' makes me feel sorry for them every time I see it, although it's certainly not as cringeworthy as watching grown adults barking 'aussie, aussie, aussie, oi, oi, oi!' So embarrassed for my country when people do that.
mattyb
Guest
The Doggies should sing 'I'll Av Ya' by tism. I could see that working really well.
swift foetus
Guest
titties and beer by frank zappa
Colin Wood
Guest
There's only one chant you fear... all together now
me too
Guest
I like 'Oh when the saints go marching in'. i'd pick that as our crowd song.
Joe B
Guest
Given that crowd singing has never happened organically at AFL games, it would have to be driven by the host team to pump it out over the PA system (like Port - Never tear us apart , and Freo - TNT)... which can be hit and miss. Personally, I am content with Dockers fans organically belting out the elongated "Freeeeeee - Oohhhhhhhh" sporadically throughout the game to help spur the players on... it is trance like, but rallying as well. Worst sound at sporting events is : "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" etc... the height of cultural cringe witnessing an adult partake in that.
Cat
Roar Guru
In reality, the song became the unofficial theme song of the Boston Red Sox because someone liked the song, played it and it stuck. Amy Toby was in charge of the music for Fenway from 1998 to 2004 and responsible for picking the music that played between innings. She picked “Sweet Caroline” because she liked the song and had heard it played at other sporting events. When the song was played the first couple of times at Fenway, it was only played at random games in the middle of the 7th and 9th innings and only if the Red Sox were ahead. Amy thought of the song as somewhat of a good luck charm and it stuck. In 2002, “Sweet Caroline” became an official Fenway tradition and to this day is played before the bottom of the 8th inning at each home game.
Joe B
Guest
Lol
Minestrone
Guest
Is the red sox song really sweet caroline or was it just for the game post the Boston marathon bombings
Harry Houdini
Guest
He spends quite a bit of time at Freo cemetery these days
Balthazar
Guest
Freo already does TNT, an ode to Freo boy Bon Scott, who in his youth spent a bit of time right next door to Freo Oval at the prison
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yeah, I agree. Nothing gimmicky, just pick a good rock song from one of the notable Brisbane bands and have that. Not that there is anyone there to sing it anyway.
clipper
Guest
Not a bad idea, would like to see ideas for some more modern tunes - Elvis and the Tokens hark back to Grandparents days! I know you'll never walk alone falls into that category, but was started some time ago, so is still current.
Agent11
Guest
The Brisbane Lions or Newcastle Knights should have "Friday on my mind" as they really are the Easybeats.
TomC
Roar Guru
Anything but The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The sheer unbridled hell of 'weeeeeeee umumaweh' being sung by the Gabba crowd doesn't bear thinking about. On the plus side I suppose there aren't very many of them. So much great music from Brisbane I'm sure we can come up with something better. Powderfinger, the Go Betweens and the Saints all had some anthem-ish hits.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
The Swans can have Hall of Fame I suppose, but I'd prefer the chorus of Neil Diamond's "Soolaimon" .......... "God of my Days, Lord of my Nights, Seek for the Way, Taking me home" with lots of tribal drumming in the background. Has nothing to do with football but would really get the crowd going. Instead of "Soooo, Soo Lai Mon" we can have "Sydney, Sydney Swans" and really get the crowd rocking
Davico
Roar Pro
Swans play 'Sweet Caroline' at Qtr time of home games.