España número uno

Cold War Kids - Red Wine, Success!

Fútbol en la Red

We Are Scientists - Easykill

Olé España

The Vines - Winning Days

Tres Juegos, Tres Triunfos

King of Prussia - Spain in The Summertime

La Furia Roja

Arctic Monkeys - Matador

Furia Española!

The White Birch - Your Spain

Descanse en paz

D. Antonio José Puerta Pérez, Sevilla FC (1984-2007)

Belle & Sebastian - I Don't Want To Play Football

Forza Azzuri

Scandal verdict awaiting...

Beirut - Postcards From Italy

Adiós, La Selección

Well done, Española, try harder next time.
See you in Euro 2008.

The Decemberists - Kingdom of Spain

Team Segundo, Tercer Triunfo

Oh No! Oh My! - Walk In The Park

Fantástico Comeback

Art Brut - Fight!

Viva España

Ratatat - Spanish Armada

Here We Goal!

The FIFA World Cup 2006 will only start kicking on June 9 in Germany, England's official World Cup anthem is already out now. Certainly the FA had picked a wrong band, British indie-crooner Embrace to record the anthem. The Yorkshire band produced a mellow ballad titled "World At Your Feet" [download] as the anthem that is supposed to be chanted in terraces and lift the spirit of England team winning the cup. I listened to the song and find no England, no football were mentioned, only vague lyrics like these in the chorus:

"With the world at your feet
There's no one you can't beat
Yes it can be done
With the world at your feet
There's no height you can't reach
This could be the one
It's calling, it's calling you now
You know it's going to be our time
Cause the world is at your feet
Yes the world is at your feet"

There is also Justin Hawkins singing the much-more uplifting "England" [download] in his solo project British Whale. The non-official anthem has provoked much controversy with its lyrics referring to World War II. Also, the chorus which is just the word "England", is based on the German anthem. Lyrics go like these:

"England men, England women, England boys, England girls
Tears of pride will
stain your faces when we conquer the world
England is the motherland of
football
And the World Cup will once again be hers

Football will be
our only weapon
Skill and power will be our only shield
We fought them
on the beaches, now we'll play them on the field
And once again the world
will surely yield

England, England, England, England, England, England,
England England, England, England, England, England, England, England

From the Tyne to the White Cliffs and the Cornish Sea Every rolling moor
and every shining city
Every town and village shouting ever so proudly For
an English victory
Our boys have got balls, all we need's a pitch Scratching
away at the 40 year itch
Pull on the England shirt, be proud of every stitch
'cos this year's pickings will be rich

England, England, England,
England, England, England, England England, England, England, England, England,
England, England

England, England, England, England

Engerland

England, England, England, England, England, England, England England,
England, England, England, England, England, England England"

With the title word mentioned at least 50 times, I can see the tanked British footie fans belting out the chorus in a German stadium, rather than the musically and lyrically not-so-brilliant official anthem. But how would the Germans react when English men singing to tune of their anthem? another World War?

Embrace - World At Your Feet

British Whale - England

Updated by YS