The Song of the World Cup

I've riffed a few times in here on the mostly crappy/anodyne music and videos that are played in the stadiums -- not just here, but at any Euro or previous Mundial. But here's one I've been saving that's got something going from the heart, from Bavarian band Sportfreunde Stiller.

I first heard this song early on while travelling on the train, and again and again since in the same setting. It's a great terrace singalong, and in the stadiums whenever Deutschland play you hear it at least once or twice during matches, someone in a Germany shirt counting off "Ein-Schwein-Drei!" to start it off, and everyone joins in with gusto.

Now that Germany's out of the final at the last hurdle, I'm throwing it up as a salute to the Mannschaft. They sure have been fun to watch -- I never had really seen Philipp Lahm before this, and what a dynamic little package he is to watch out for in the coming years. Likewise, Miroslav Klose seems certain to be going to one of the big Euro leagues some day soon.

Here it is -- quite charming and instantly likable. If anyone can give me a translation, send it along and I'll post it as an update.

UPDATE

Well, that was fast. Big props to e-mailer Markus Weigl for sending along a quick translation of the Sportfreunde Stiller song "54 74 90 2006" -- er, forget to mention that, and if you're wondering about the sequence those first three numbers refer to Germany's three World Cup titles -- and adds the comment that "if it had bagpipes would sound like one of those amazing Scotch anthems. Agreed, Markus. Over to you:

54 74 90 2006

1 and 2 and 3 and '54, '74, '90, 2006
Yes, we all join in
With hearts in our hands and passion in our legs
We will be the world champions

We don't exactly have the greatest sporting culture
We're not exactly filigrees
But we have dreams and visions
And a master plan up our sleeves.
The motto for our long journey out of crisis
And out of depression
goes: Nothing but up onto the football-throne!

1 and 2 and 3 and '54, '74, '90, 2006
Yes, we all join in
With hearts in our hands and passion in our legs
We will be the world champions

The whole world is grasping for the golden cup
But only one will hold on to it
Now that's the way it is
The whole world is playing itself crazy
But the cup stays in our land.
1 and 2 and 3 and '54, '74, '90, 2006
Yes, we all join in
With hearts in our hands and passion in our legs
We will be the world champions

The first time it was a miracle,
The second time it was luck
The third time it was an earned reward
And this time it'll be a sensation!

1 and 2 and 3 and '54, '74, '90, 2006
Yes, we all join in
With hearts in our hands and passion in our legs
We will be the world champions

'54, '74, '90, 2006
Yes, we all join in
With hearts in our hands and passion in our legs
We will be the world champions

Comments

[Mike Chen]

Well, at least that sounds better than New Order's World In Motion. Nothing like making a pretty bad song from a great band even worse by throwing in a...crappy rap verse about footy into the bridge.

[Uhclem]

I can't believe it. England's still out of the final!

[cy]

'fraid so, clem. but it appears that someone still hasn't caught on. This from The Fiver today:

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON'S WORLD CUP DIARY: JULY 5, 2006

7.34am
Wake from sound night's sleep when alarm rings. My, it's early. Yawn! Never mind; rising with the lark helps keep the old brain sharp. Time to rise and shine. Get up off floor and clamber into bed.

7.35am
No, that's not right. Get out of bed.

7.37am
Shower and shave. Then get dressed. Wonder why there's green, orange and purple cards everywhere. Then wonder why I'm featuring in a thinly-disguised rip-off of the Graham Poll diary that appeared in a recent Fiver.

7.40am
Decide Fiver writer must be stuck for time and not to kick up a fuss. The sooner the Fiver goes back to being sent out at 5.23pm the better. Put on rimless spectacles.

7.41am
Put on rimless spectacles.

7.42am
Put on rimless spectacles.

7.43am
Attempt to leave hotel room and career straight into wardrobe. Bah! Never mind, time for breakfast.

8.15am
Arrive in dining room and help myself to orange juice, smoked mackerel, toast, butter and coffee. Where is everyone? At training, no doubt. The World Cup final's on Sunday and it's their destiny after all.

8.45am
Adjourn to video room to check out likely opponents. Germany or Italy - who will it be? After hammering Portugal on Saturday, it doesn't really matter - we're obviously the team everyone fears.

10.40am
Stagger ashen-faced from video room holding thick sheaf of notes. Sample scribbles: "galloping full-backs", "rampaging midfielders", "amazing technical ability", "created chance after chance" and "much better than England". But enough about Germany, it's Italy we've got to face.

11am
Regain composure in time for daily press briefing.

11.30am
Storm out of daily press briefing after losing temper with hacks. With a World Cup final looming, how dare they not turn up?

... it goes on from there.

[Albert Springer]

Well Jeez, with 'Embrace' as their World Cup song, it's amazing England even qualified! As for Sven, it's only a matter of weeks before he's strategizing a brilliant victory for... somebody... at shuffleboard at the old folk's home.

[Christa]

I was in Germany during the World Cup and I learned the song by heart... it's amazing hearing it sung by the Germans. I still remember it word by word and I use it to cheer myself whenever England lose :]