this has been a long time coming, an idiot's guide to the liverpool anthem, you will never walk alone. originally written by richard rodgers and oscar hammerstein II for their play, carousel. unless you're a broadway historian, you've probably never heard of it. they are more famous for producing the sound of music, and unless you've had an extremely deprived childhood with abusive parents like the fake ronaldo, you'd have heard of it, or better still, actually seen it.
in carousel, the song is sung twice. the song is sung 1) by the townsfolk after the death of the main character, billy, to his pregnant widow, julie to give her courage and strength and 2) by the graduating class of billy's daughter which he attends spiritually to gain entry to heaven. fucking americans who know jack shit about football, would sing this song during their graduations. such ignorance to the greater meaning of the song - liverpool fc.
carousel was produced in 1945, and in 1963, you'll never walk alone was reproduced by a scouser band, gerry and the pacemakers, managed by the legendary brian epstein, and it went to the number 1 in the uk charts. it was then that liverpool fans adopted it,
before fucking celtic fc and ajax.
frankly, i don't have concrete evidence that liverpool fc adopted it before celtic fc, but with a liverpudlian band bringing the song to british shores and one of the most famous brits, douglas adams, author of the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, mentioning it in the book (and i thoroughly enjoyed the book), i guess it's obvious. fucking celtic fans would be too busy eating haggis and beating up their wives ala rooney to notice such a song on the other side of the british isles.
speaking of football chants, check out this
website. hilarious and unheard of chants. here are my favourites....
...about the great stevvie gerrard
Stevie Gerrard Gerrard
Stevie Gerrard Gerrard
He's better than Frank Lampard
He's big and f****ng hard
Stevie Gerrard Gerrard big and hard! oh dear.
and john oh shea...
Johnny Goes Marching Down The Wing
When Johnny goes marching down the wing O'Shea, O'Shea
When Johnny goes marching down the wing O'Shea, O'Shea
When Johnny goes marching down the wing the Stretford End will f**kin sing
WE ALL KNOW THAT JOHNNYS GONNA SCORENa na na na na na na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
WE ALL KNOW THAT JOHNNYS GONNA SCORE
TRULY no shame.
and how can i not end this post without
the anthem...
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.
Walk on, through the wind,
Walk on, through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone.
