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Soccer anthems? They’re just copying Our Gracie

Dave Appleton
2/ 6/2006

EVERY four years a large portion of the world's population turn on their TV sets to watch the greatest tournament on earth - the World Cup.

And one of the enduring traditions of the English football fan is to send the team off to the cup with a good song behind them.

Remember 'Back Home' in 1970, four years after England had won the cup at Wembley?

In 1982 Kevin Keegan's men belted out, less than melodiously it must be said, 'This Time', and the 1998 World Cup gave us Fat Les's 'Vindaloo', probably the most repetitive song ever penned.

Now the race is on to find an appropriate tune for Germany, but what is probably not known is the first football anthem was recorded by none other than... Gracie Fields.

Rochdale's most famous daughter recorded 'Pass. Shoot. Goal.' in 1931, delivered in her trademark Lancashire accent.

This startling information was unearthed by Document Records, a major cataloguer of music hall, blues and jazz records, which has a copy of Gracie's original recording.

Document Records' Gillian Atkinson said: "There has been a lot of talk about which song should accompany England to this year's World Cup, but what probably is unknown is that Rochdalians pipped them all with Gracie's risque little number all those years ago.

"One theory is that the song was made to go with a film entitled 'Derby Day', presumably about a derby match between Oldham Athletic and Rochdale.

"The film was never made, but Gracie's recording, which we have managed to digitally remaster, is still with us."

The words to Gracie's song were written by the Northern songwriters Evans, Lowrie and Tyldesley.

The chorus goes: "Football, football, it drives me up the pole. You hear their gentle voices call - pass, shoot... goal!"

Despite her heavy workload at the time, Gracie Fields always kept an eye on how Rochdale were doing.

In February 1931, when a cash crisis nearly caused Dale to go under, she paid the team's entire expenses for an away game to Barrow.

So now, along with 'Sally', 'Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye' and 'The Biggest Aspidistra in the World', can go 'Pass. Shoot. Goal'!

  • IF anyone can shed any more light on Gracie's football song they should ring Document Records on 01988 403200.

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| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   what a ditty our Gracie after all these years, great comedy song as was all her songs, ive almost all her recordings and compile her cds, for companies, rite champion as Our Gracie would have said. Chris Rogers
chris rogers, west mids
15/06/2006 at 22:55
    Hi, i would like to know get the words to the alternitive '3 lions 'song as sung by rochdale ladies who are fed up with the football exposure .The song has being renamed ' SEALIONS ON THEIR SHIRTS' and is very funny , anybody help me please ? thanks steve.
stephen haugh, liverpool
14/06/2006 at 19:25
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