Opinion Revisiting An Old Subject - "Substandard Club Songs"

[Fat Tony!]

The definitive rankings:

A: Melbourne, Richmond, GWS, Sydney
B: North Melbourne, St Kilda
C: Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Essendon, Carlton
D: West Coast, Fremantle, Gold Coast, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane

Brisbane is a B, but otherwise this is a good list.

 

[MCG-Unit]

GWS Giants, "There's a Big Big Sound.....the Biggest and the best"

Melbourne, Richmond, Saints (the older version, "...I want to be in that number...")

North Melb for the "...God bless our native land" part

 

[TheUnicorn]

 

[Back One Out]

Brisbane is a B, but otherwise this is a good list.

The old Fitzroy song was an 'A'

The lame Brisbane remix is an 'E'
The words are bad and none of it scans very well. It just sounds off to my ears. Never liked it

"You'll hear our mighty roar"

 

[Back One Out]

View attachment 1940380

North Melbourne's song is underrated.

As Dermie once noted, it's the "Band on the Run" of club theme songs
I like the way it goes through 3 memorable progressions:

1. "Hearts to hearts and hands to hands... Beneath the blue and white we stand... etc
2. "Out we come, out we come, out we come to play... etc
3. "Join in the chorus and sing it one and all... etc

(Slow intro) "Stuck inside these four walls... Sent inside forever... etc"

(Quicker tempo) "If I ever get out of here... Thought of giving it all away.. etc"

(Big Finish) da na na na na na NA NA NA
"Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash.. As we fell into the sun
And the first one said to the second one there, I hope you're having fun.
Band on the run... Band on the run..."

 

[Back One Out]

Carlton's song has a decent opening couple of bars of intro and then is the dullest song ever written.

Nah... It's a good, slow, rousing singalong... An infectious happy tune for the Blues faithful.

No other club song sounds as good when belted out loud by 300 yobbos in the pub before a game.

 

[Cleavy]

Ch7 crossover. Australian Idol + AFL club songs.

 

[3207]

Ch7 crossover. Australian Idol + AFL club songs.

Hosted by Russ Robertson!

 

[peetoo]

Ch7 crossover. Australian Idol + AFL club songs.

That was when 10 had the tv rights. Neighbours. ‘Stars’ too

 

[Cleavy]

That was when 10 had the tv rights. Neighbours. ‘Stars’ too

Having the footy rights was the only good thing ch10 has done in the last 20+ years.

 

[Liam Boy]

Carlton's song has a decent opening couple of bars of intro and then is the dullest song ever written. Sydney deserves to be in the As. Can't argue with the rest

It would be a lot better if it was slightly up-tempo and in a different key. like this:

 

[Tex Danger]

That’s a piss take yeah? That wasn’t their actual song?

I believe when we came in we didn’t have an official song and this was made by Toyota and unofficially became the song until we actually made one?

 

[peetoo]

Not a club song but the kayo ‘get on board’ was originally a gospel tune for kids



Fox/kayo still carried bible channel so can see the link

 

[Kram]

Carlton's song is actually rubbish, sooo slooow and depressing.

I think people rate it purely because it's really old.

 

[Tygrys]

Nah... It's a good, slow, rousing singalong... An infectious happy tune for the Blues faithful.

No other club song sounds as good when belted out loud by 300 yobbos in the pub before a game.

Agree the Carlton song is a great song, it's tempo makes it unique and unmistakable. It also has a feel of arrogance to it that other club supporters might hate but I suspect that Carlton supporters love. Plus as you rightly implied no other club song sounds as good sung drunk!

 

[carnthedons]

You mean like the Saints have done?

 

[jim boy]

It is a fairly quaint tradition in Australian sport to go out to combat, give your all, battle hard and finish up by gathering in a circle and singing a jolly little song.

Easy to mock - but it goes in hand with the extraordinary level of loyalty players have to clubs compared to athletes in sports in other countries. A communal cry of celebration of victory strengthening bonds forged on the playing field. If it works n the circle, it doesn't really matter too much what the fans think.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

A: Richmond, GWS, Melbourne
B: Geelong, Essendon, Collingwood, Adelaide
C: Carlton, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Sydney, Western Bulldogs
D: St Kilda, Brisbane, Fremantle, Gold Coast
F: West Coast, Port Adelaide

Saints are a c at worst surely

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Crazy to think that the eagles has been updated yet could be so bad. You'd rather have no song tbh.

Bring back daddy cool

 

[Jim Prideaux]

'Country Road' is just cruel and unusual punishment. Thoughts and prayers to Lions fans.

What have you two got against John Denver? And County Tyrone while your at it.

 

[Sttew]

MSN

If an NRL team can do it then why can't an AFL club ??

Yes, it's an old subject but let's be realistic, at least half of the clubs in the AFL are in desperate need of a new or completely revamped club song.

The Giants came into the competition and unveiled a a terrific song so why do so many of the older clubs persist with their current uninspiring, limp & thoroughly boring club songs ??


Richmond & GWS are both big rousing singalongs that get the crowd into it.

Gold Coast tries hard but just doesn't get there.

Collingwood, Sydney, Hawthorn, Carlton, Footscray, Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne are borderline acceptable but could do with an increase in tempo & a reworking, they really lack the "punch" the first two have.

West Coast, Brisbane, Fremantle, Adelaide, St. Kilda, Port Adelaide & North Melbourne are simply horrible.



Assuming some of the clubs wanted to make a change, then what process do they go through to do it ??

Should they take an old song and rework/reword it (eg. "Madison Blues" for Carlton), take a recent song & reword it (eg. "Highway To Hell" for Melbourne) or throw caution to the wind and get some songwriters to come up with a brand new tune ??

If anything Highway to Hell would suit Geelong as all clubs have to navigate the highway to Kardinia Park, but the club song? No, maybe a secondary song like Power’s Never Tear Us Apart

 

[FreoGirl]

Brisbane is clearly over hearing Country Road - they showed it last night

 

[Demonic Ascent]

 

[FreoGirl]

will Brisbane be changing theirs to Viva Las Vegas?

 

[coldlunch]

View attachment 1940380

nailed it, imo.