It's the World Cup again. They seem to come around fairly quickly now, must be a sign of getting older. I'm not here to beat a drum for England, I have fairly low expectations, and think they'll do well to reach the quarter finals. Not enough quality in the first eleven, aged defence and no Rio, too much rests on Rooney. We'll see.
But we should celebrate the football fiesta of the World Cup. So, today's post takes in two Bagging Area favourites (New Order and Andrew Weatherall) and takes us back to the only good World Cup song (comment all you like, the rest are awful, and I speak as a man who was born when Back Home was number 1), from the moment when English football changed, Italia 90. All the amateur footballologists can explain why it all started on the fields of Italy. Within three years of Gazza's tears and the penalty shoot out with the Germans we had the Premiership, player's wages going through the stratosphere, football shirts worn by people that had never been to game, shiny new (but soulless) stadia and the end of terracing (although obviously Hillsborough played a part here), foreign stars and coaches showing us how to play, the magic of Sky TV, and much more besides. Oh yeah, and men able to show their feelings in public.
It was also the only time football and pop culture and club culture collided in a way that was not just acceptable but cool. The opening keyboard stabs of World In Motion and that 1966 commentary sum up the summer of 1990 as much as Adamski, Happy Mondays and Spike Island. There was Bernard Sumner in the pale blue away shirt in the video, even John Barnes' so-called 'rap'. And in the spirit of the times let's not forget New Order lobbied the F.A. for the song's original title to be used- E For England- rather than World In Motion. E For England was spelt right for huge numbers of people that summer, in more ways than one.
We should also pause to appreciate the sample of beautiful official World Cup posters displayed here (from the top Uruguay 1930, Switzerland 1954, Spain 1982), works of art rather than the focus group, computer generated, corporate bilge we've been fed since USA '94. Would FIFA today risk art deco or Jean Miro to advertise their product?
'Love's got the world in motion and we know what we can do'
World in Motion (Andrew Weatherall & Terry Farley No Alla Violenza Mix).mp3
But we should celebrate the football fiesta of the World Cup. So, today's post takes in two Bagging Area favourites (New Order and Andrew Weatherall) and takes us back to the only good World Cup song (comment all you like, the rest are awful, and I speak as a man who was born when Back Home was number 1), from the moment when English football changed, Italia 90. All the amateur footballologists can explain why it all started on the fields of Italy. Within three years of Gazza's tears and the penalty shoot out with the Germans we had the Premiership, player's wages going through the stratosphere, football shirts worn by people that had never been to game, shiny new (but soulless) stadia and the end of terracing (although obviously Hillsborough played a part here), foreign stars and coaches showing us how to play, the magic of Sky TV, and much more besides. Oh yeah, and men able to show their feelings in public.
It was also the only time football and pop culture and club culture collided in a way that was not just acceptable but cool. The opening keyboard stabs of World In Motion and that 1966 commentary sum up the summer of 1990 as much as Adamski, Happy Mondays and Spike Island. There was Bernard Sumner in the pale blue away shirt in the video, even John Barnes' so-called 'rap'. And in the spirit of the times let's not forget New Order lobbied the F.A. for the song's original title to be used- E For England- rather than World In Motion. E For England was spelt right for huge numbers of people that summer, in more ways than one.
We should also pause to appreciate the sample of beautiful official World Cup posters displayed here (from the top Uruguay 1930, Switzerland 1954, Spain 1982), works of art rather than the focus group, computer generated, corporate bilge we've been fed since USA '94. Would FIFA today risk art deco or Jean Miro to advertise their product?
'Love's got the world in motion and we know what we can do'
World in Motion (Andrew Weatherall & Terry Farley No Alla Violenza Mix).mp3
The World Cup, much like the European Championship holds very little appeal to us north of the border these days unless you support the blue half of the old firm, and sadly I can't see us qualifying for any competion in the medium term either.
ReplyDeleteBut even us Scots love World In Motion.
I have to take issue that there are no other great world cup songs, below is my evidence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3lV4aN9QgI
A great NO+AW combo here. And a nostalgic post which I found myself nodding in approval to, until I realised it makes us seem about 90! ;)
ReplyDeleteNAGAIUTB indeed
Nostalgia is the enemy of art. Can't remember who said that. But it's Ok to look back every now and then I think.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, thanks for the link Drew. I refer you to my earlier comment.
ReplyDelete