I suspect though that after the foreign media saw the headlines about the West Ham rumble a while back and then chose this fixture for the wrong reasons.   Less for the romance of the cup and more for what could happen in the streets outside.

If you haven’t guessed already we are going back to 2004 and an even bigger predictable final than the one last year with Pompey and Cardiff.

I know I am being down on Millwall even before it all kicks off… ahem… It is the (non-league) AFC and not the old (now franchised) Wimbledon. But I am still concerned about some brainless so-called fans who will still see this, because of the relative short distance, as a local rivalry and want to have some.

The club itself did their best to stamp out…ah I’m not helping… this reputation by (in 2003) appointing one Dennis Wise as their player manager.       Oh.

That cheeky chappy or reckless headcase (depending on who you support) once described by Lord Ferge of Trafford as somebody who could start a fight in an empty room, had been sent off 13 times in a 20-year career and has had more than his share of off-field troubles. He escaped a three-month prison sentence for assault in 1995 after being acquitted on appeal. He was sacked by his previous club Leicester for breaking a team-mate’s jaw… I don’t know what it is with football league chairmen, don’t they ever read the newspapers ? But Theo Paphitis (the then chairman) struck.. *ack* lucky with this one and little Dennis steered the club to this FA Cup Final appearance.

As for the match itself – not much to say about it. As mentioned above pretty much a foregone conclusion, the bookies gave some long odds on even a Millwall player scoring.

- For their first time in their history Millwall got to the final so for their first time in history they also released a cup final song – a re-worded familiar tune originally crooned by a certain Italian-American.

It actually bothered the charts – breaking into the UK top 75 at number 41, where it stayed for 1 week before disappearing again.

The track: “Oh Millwall” is described as “unique in being the first official FA Cup song by any club to include both players and fans singing”. Sample lyrics: “Oh Millwall, wo oh, la la la la, from the Den right down the M4″  [final was at the Millenium Stadium] “Oi, Oi, We’ll see our Lions score.”

[See post to listen to audio] » Millwall FC 2004 – Oh Millwall

…and the original upon which it was based:

[See post to listen to audio]» Dean Martin – Volare

 … ah I can resist:

[See post to listen to audio]» Dean Martin – Ain’t That A Kick In The Head

Be’ave yerselves now.

Pic from left to right: Laurie Cunningham, Brendon Batson and Cyril Regis

It all started when the Baggies employed a relatively unknown young manager (previously at Cambridge United) by the name of Ron Atkinson. (Yes, yes, racist Ron, etc…)

He inherited a team that included youth-team graduate Bryan Robson, as well as Messrs. Cunningham and Regis. After arriving Atkinson went back to his old club and brought in Brendan Batson and thus history was made when West Brom became the first English team to simultaneously fielded three black players.

The English press began to nickname them the Three Degrees (after the group who were big in the charts at that time) and yes they even got a photo opportunity out of it:

Some fantastic football was being played at West Brom and in 1978 they were challenging for the title in the 1st Division and in the UEFA Cup as well – until they were eventually knocked out in the Quarter Finals by Red Star Belgrade. In that same year they became the first British professional team to play in China. Their three-week tour, comprising four matches, was covered by the BBC TV documentary Albion in the Orient.

Many of their fans consider the highlight of the season to have been the famous 5-3 victory away at Manchester United. This was the last time, to date, that an away team scored five goals at Old Trafford. But at the end of the ‘78-79 season, after some fixture congestion, it put paid to their league aspirations when they eventually finished third.

- I don’t know if this next bit of music was recorded during or after this particular period in the sun:

[See post to listen to audio] » Ray King – Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh (West Bromwich Albion)

When I searched for more info about: "Ray King" and "singer" it led me to the an early 70’s London based funk/reggae group called: Cymande (pronounced: Sah-mahn-day), so the timeframe fits.

After listening to some tracks below I am 90% sure that he is one in the same… so here are some more examples (who have been referenced and sampled in popular culture) from Cymande:

[See post to listen to audio]» Cymande – Bra

[See post to listen to audio]» Cymande – Fug

[See post to listen to audio]» Cymande – The Message

» Lots more Cymande here
» Tribute site to Cymande

Postscript: Thanks to Erik Hogstrom for the suggestion/request in a previous post.
As you can see I went down a different route (no pun intended.)

A previous (and funny) example of this was with the (possible) KLF involvement with Huddersfield Town when they got some kid to read out the players names. A bad/sad example would be this Chelsea Hell.

Possibly the best example is brought to you via West Bromwich Albion who sang about their 1968 FA Cup Final appearance against Everton – which they won:

Pictured above: Jeff Astle and Bobby Hope hold the FA Cup aloft

Sorry…should have done a spoiler alert then. Some of you might not have known that the Baggies actually won something way back when. Ah well it’s too late now. The winner was scored by another singing footballer – Jeff Astle – three minutes into extra time.

Some facts for you fact fans, taken from the Wikipedia page:

• That goal meant that Astle had scored in every round of that season’s competition.
• The 1968 Cup final was the first final to be televised live in colour.
• Both teams wore away strips, with Everton wearing bright amber shirts and blue shorts, aping Brazil and West Bromwich Albion in white shirts and shorts with red socks.
• The first substitute to be used in an FA Cup final was Dennis Clarke for West Bromwich Albion.

Now you can go and bore people down the pub with that.

The song done to commemorate the occasion was actually recorded after the event – and the best bit – even gave a mention to the players who were injured. Ah it can’t get better than this.

[See post to listen to audio] » Roy Edwards and West Bromwich Albion F.C 1968 – Albion Day

…and a repost of Astle singing:

[See post to listen to audio] » Jeff Astle – Sweet Water [See post to listen to audio] » Jeff Astle – You’re In My Arms

Coming up next: 10 years later.

There is one individual in this football and music jungle who’s name, as it does with the back page headlines, keeps reappearing. [In fact he's been featured on here so many times that he's got his own tag.]

This person was recently in the news again when he piled even more misery on the owner of a certain club in the north east when this well known ex-messiah won a compensation claim to the tune of 2 Million – plus costs.

The above image changed to protect the obvious.

He seemed to have started a trend here because Curbs has just won a similar case against West Ham – another ailing club. – And these two big reasons why Hicks and Gillett will not even entertain the thought in regards to Rafa.

Back to the subject in hand though and again thanks to Stuart for another addition to the collection of KK tunes. This one was his debut single from 1973 and has some… interesting lyrics.

One part of it looks like a threat:

Whilst another, after that award for compensation, is very prophetic:

» Click for full lyrics

Sadly only a snippet and not the full song:

[See post to listen to audio] » K*vin Keeg*n – It Ain’t Easy

Ah what the heck, might as well repost the rest:

[See post to listen to audio]» KK – Head Over Heels In Love

[See post to listen to audio]» Kvn Kgn – Move On Down

[See post to listen to audio]» Keggie Keegle – In England

My quest for everything KK still isn’t over. Still have to find Do I Know You (the B Side to It Ain’t Easy) and Somebody Needs (the B side to In England) – as well as a telly appearance when the curly mopped one sang with Little and Large. » If you know of the location of any of these – drop me a line.

"Come here, there's more"

Some visual and additional musical treats for you.
I’ve gathered together and created a playlist of YouTube clips featuring himself:

- (The only information I have on the next vid clip) : This was made by a group called G15 around the time of Euro 2000 when Kevin Keegan was England manager:

[See post to listen to audio]» G15 – Self Preservation Society (Kgn Mix)

I think that’s enough for now.

Another run out for Dagenham Dave and his penchant for belting out the occasional tune.

I don’t have anything to add what I previously wrote so I’ll repost the quote from an article about him:

“… He’s [Venables] not new to crooning. As a nightclub owner he used to treat the punters to a regular SingalongaTel, and as a teenager he sang with band leader Joe Loss. At 17 he had to choose between football and singing. “I won the week’s talent contest at Butlins, and was invited back for September. I said to [the manager] Tommy Docherty, ‘Look, I’ve won this competition, I need to go back in September, if that’s all right with you’, and he said, ‘No you can’t do that ’cause you might be in the team’. It was a good way of finding out if I was in the team, really. Hahahaha! If he’d said, ‘Go and sing the song’, you knew you was in trouble.”

It mentioned about him recording tracks for an album but I’ve not found any further evidence.

One thing that is evident from his musical ventures that El Tel likes big band and swing. Defiantly sees himself as a Frank Sinatra type.   Update: Just remembered that he appeared as Antony Newley on Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes in 2000.

[See post to listen to audio] » Terry Venables – I’ve Got You Under My Skin

- Next we have a short video: Venables and Robbie Williams who are guests with Jonathon Ross.
At the time Williams was plugging the swing album he had out. Ross shows everybody an appearance by Terry and the QPR team on the Russell Harty show in 1974. In the clip we can see Venables serenading his teammates and we can see some very embarrassed and bored looking face in there:

Sadly that is only a glimpse of the song. I don’t have the full version by him, so here are some others:

[See post to listen to audio]
» Betty Hutton – What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For (1945)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Emile Ford and the Checkmates -What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For (1959)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Ray Peterson – What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For

[See post to listen to audio]
» Johnny Earle – What Do You Wanna Make Those Eyes At Me For

Honestly.

[See post to listen to audio] » Antione – Le Match De Football (Love Is Like A Football Game) [See post to listen to audio] » Giorgio Chinaglia – (I’m) Football Crazy [See post to listen to audio] » Louis Phillipe – Carioca

                [Once again add your own caption]

Extra Time:
[See post to listen to audio]
» Sugar Ray featuring Rivers Cuomo – Love Is The Answer
(Rivers Cuomo – lead singer of Weezer – previously featured here)

Once again… because of other werk…phoning it, etc…etc.
Ah what are you going to do ? Pay me to do this ? I’d like to see you do that.

Seriously.

[See post to listen to audio]
» Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon – Drum Majorette (MoTD original theme)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Mike Vickers Orchestra – Offside (Match Of The Day Theme – Commerical release)
- More info

[See post to listen to audio] » BBC Match Of The Day Theme (2009)

[See post to listen to audio] » The Posh – Le Match Du Jour

[See post to listen to audio] » Genesis – Match Of The Day

[See post to listen to audio] » Big In Japan – Match Of The Day
(Featuring Ian Broudie – More info)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Band of The Irish Guards conducted by Major CH Jaeger – Out Of The Blue (Radio 5 Sports Report)

[See post to listen to audio]
» Melodi Light Orchestra conducted by Ole Jensen – Football Fanfare

[See post to listen to audio] » Sound Stage Orchestra – The Big Match (70’s)

]]> http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/more-variations-on-a-theme/feed/ 0 http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/i-spy-a-theme-here/ http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/i-spy-a-theme-here/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:05:29 +0000 Webbie @ Football and Music http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/?p=3898

As you may have spotted by now… Because of things elsewhere I am phoning it in.
Come back next week when I’ll have something more interesting to say.

[See post to listen to audio] » Football Italia Theme (Faster, No Lyrics) [See post to listen to audio] » Gazzetta Football Italia - Previous observations about this theme tune. [See post to listen to audio] » Jossy’s Giants Theme – In Italian [See post to listen to audio] » The Big Match 80’s Theme [See post to listen to audio] » World Cup Mexico ‘86 – ITV Theme [See post to listen to audio] » World Cup – N*ke Theme [See post to listen to audio] » Official F*FA Anthem [See post to listen to audio] » Europa League Anthem [See post to listen to audio] » Champions League (Full) Anthem

“THE CHAMPIONS !”   “League”

]]> http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/i-spy-a-theme-here/feed/ 0 http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/love-is/ http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/love-is/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:34:40 +0000 Webbie @ Football and Music http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/?p=3888 [See post to listen to audio]
» Space – Love You More Than Football

[See post to listen to audio]
» Parry Gripp – Soccer Ball
- Video

                [Add your own caption]

]]> http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/love-is/feed/ 3 http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/subs-bench-whos-your-comedy-signing/ http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/subs-bench-whos-your-comedy-signing/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:22:00 +0000 Webbie @ Football and Music http://www.footballandmusic.co.uk/?p=3865

It’s an actual (but unwritten) Premier League rule. Honest.

There’s one player in every team which when they play your hands automatically go to your face and you watch through your fingers. Every club has one.

For example: Spurs have Gomes, Man City have Bridge and West Ham have Upson.
Liverpool have Glen Johnson and Pompey (obviously) have Calamity James.

So who is the joker in your pack ?
Leave your nominations in the comments.

[See post to listen to audio] » Showbiz Soccer Team – Showbiz Soccer

[See post to listen to audio] » Brown Sauce – I Wanna Be A Winner » Video

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