Albion (Jerusalem) Hymn. - Just a Thought.

[Jack Straw]

Wishfull thinking, but surely even the "Gibbons on Speed" who completely wreck GOSBTS couldn't speed this up Shirley?
Words changed just slightly.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was The Albion builded here
Among those green satanic hills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built The Albion
In England's green and pleasant land.

Imagine 22,000 at the Amex belting this one out?

 

[16bha]

This is an England hymn. Can't see the relevance?

 

[fork me]

I hate it. I've ALWAYS hated it, besides which, our songs should be for club, not country.

 

[Superphil]

I hate it. I've ALWAYS hated it, besides which, our songs should be for club, not country.

Agree with that, I'd LOVE it if Albion fans were to sing GOSBT properly, it's a marching song, it would be IMMENSE if everyone knew the words, and gave it the 'Delilah' treatment.

How about some of those chants/anthems the CY club Ultras sing? Anorthosis fand blew my socks off last year, they just go on and on and on, no idea what they are singing, my brother, who lives thee, believes it's part political, part religous and part venom against their arch rivals.

 

[fork me]

The AEL fans sing right through the game, starting about ten minutes before kick off and continuing right through half time. They have a drum and two loonies who have their back to the game most of the time conducting them and shouting at people not singing enough.

Some of the songs are political (most clubs over here are political), some are club based some are anti the officials. (A bilingual Cypriot friend translated one of AEL's songs as being roughly translated as "I don't believe you made the correct decision there referee and if I get hold of you after the match I'll tear you a new arsehole").

Some of them are pretty extreme, one of AEL's lyrics (again roughly translated) means "I'll only got to jail for AEL".

As for the politics thing, in Limassol, AEL started out as an apolitical club (AEL translates as "Athletic Union of Limassol") with fans from the full political and religious spectrum, but a lot of their founders were from AKEL, the Communist Party of Cyprus, and this led to Apollon breaking away and taking the right wing fans with them. The younger AEL fans mainly claim to be anarchist these days. The old english ACAB phrase is graffitied all over Limassol, their arch rivals Apollon, are right wing and Greek Nationalist.

In Nicosia, the two big clubs are APOEL and Omonia. APOEL are right wing and Greek Nationalist. Back at some time early in the club's history, they decreed that all players had to sign up to join the Fascist Party or leave the club. Those that left formed Omonia and used images of Che Guevarra as part of their symbolism. Omonia fans still wear the classic Che portrait on their shirts and their main graffiti is the Greek for "f*** your nation". Last year they vandalised (actually, pretty much destroyed) the main APOEL clubhouse and sprayed that all over the remains.

Maybe unsurprisingly, when I saw AEL play Omonia, it was the only match I've been to here where there WASN'T lots of tension between the fans and they freely mingled in the kebab shops etc after the game with no trouble. In cup competition etc, AEL fans will normally support Omonia over any "right wing" club and vice versa.

The violence at matches here has started getting out of hand again, the police stated a couple of weeks ago that they are now refusing to police the games. Today's AEL/Apollon match is the first derby since that statement. God knows how it will end up. I normally attend the AEL/Apollon derbys but decided to give it a miss this time!

The main AEL anthem is thus:

ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΑΜΕ ΟΛΟΙ ΤΟΝ ΚΙΤΡΙΝΟ ΛΑΟ
ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΕΧΟΥΜΕ ΓΙΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΘΕΟ
Σ’ ΟΠΟΙΟ ΓΗΠΕΔΟ ΚΙ ΑΝ ΠΑΙΖΕΙΣ ΕΙΜΑΣΤΕ ΠΑΝΤΟΥ
ΠΑΝΤΑ ΔΙΠΛΑ ΣΤΗ ΨΥΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΛΕΜΕΣΟΥ
ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΑΜΕ ΟΛΟΙ ΤΟΝ ΚΙΤΡΙΝΟ ΛΑΟ
ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΕΧΟΥΜΕ ΓΙΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΘΕΟ
ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΚΙΤΡΙΝΗ ΦΑΝΕΛΛΑ ΣΥΜΒΟΛΟ ΤΙΜΗΣ
ΚΑΝΤΕ ΤΟΠΟ ΝΑ ΠΕΡΑΣΕΙ Ο ΝΙΚΗΤΗΣ
ΑΕΛ ΟΛΕ ΑΕΛ ΟΛΕ
ΔΕΝ ΘΑ ΛΕΙΨΟΥΜΕ ΑΠΟ ΔΙΠΛΑ ΣΟΥ ΠΟΤΕ

Which is all Greek to me.

Google translate says it means:

They worship ALL THE PEOPLE YELLOW
AND WE HAVE TWO FOR GOD
In KI STADIUM WHICH ARE EVERYWHERE PAIZEIS
ALWAYS NEAR THE SOUL OF LIMASSOL
They worship ALL THE PEOPLE YELLOW
AND WE HAVE TWO FOR GOD
THE YELLOW Vest PRICE SYMBOL
MAKE A PLACE TO HAVE A WINNER
AEL AEL OLE OLE
Leipzig BE NEAR YOU EVER

I'm certain there must be a better translation somewhere!

 

[Thimble Keegan]

Personally I am not in favour of the 'Jerusalem' variation being sung by us but I definitely think it is worth persisting with the normal speed version of Sussex-By-The-Sea. I think the best way is to get a group together who wish to sing at the correct speed and start the song...Then when the majority of the crowd take-up voice and go racing off this group must continue at the proper pace...Eventually the speed merchants will fade out and hopefully they should then still be able to hear those still singing the correct version and cotton-on.

Therefore everyone will get educated and in time for Falmer too...

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Littlehampton BHA

 

[Lady Whistledown]

How about some of those chants/anthems the CY club Ultras sing? Anorthosis fand blew my socks off last year,

Would love to support you Phil but my Greek really isn't all that.

 

[Fef]

Nice thought, but er... keep taking those photos, Jack !

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

If you need to keep in time to GOSBTS - get a trumpeter to play at the right tempo and all will surely follow.

 

[olliwarne]

are you allowed to have a trumpet at football ?

 

[Giraffe]

are you allowed to have a trumpet at football ?

Why not? Trumpeter is a great idea as long as it is only a couple of times during a match

 

[Fef]

If you need to keep in time to GOSBTS - get a trumpeter to play at the right tempo and all will surely follow.

As it's an old marching song, shirley we need a bloke banging away on a big bass drum?? [Kidding!]

 

[portlock seagull]

Can't take a trumpet into the ground. Der! This is the Albion we're talking about. You could throw it at the away fans. Banned.

 

[Gully]

I agree with the sentiment about singing GOSBTS slower, it is like a race to be finished first and completely ruins the song...contrast that with the Spurs song that is sung really slowly, that creates an amazing atmosphere and gets the hairs on the back of the neck to rise, and there is no way that I would describe myself as a Spurs fan!

 

[Spamdrew]

Jerusalem is a brilliant anthem, i agree that with even a few hundred people singing this it would sound fantastic

 

[Jack Straw]

Jerusalem is a brilliant anthem, i agree that with even a few hundred people singing this it would sound fantastic

Thank you. Not just me then!

 

[Monkey Man]

Gaah. Jerusalem is possibly my most disliked song - preposterous, jingoistic nonsense. Hearing it at Falmer would be as welcomed by me as Song 2 as goal celebration music. But each to their own.

When Sussex by the Sea belts out on the PA system at Falmer for the first time it's going to be one of those "I've got something in my eye" moments for a lot of us, I suspect.

 

[Jack Straw]

Go on. Try this version by Mark Stewart & Maffia.
Heavyweight riddim.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UuwHZ3ZGM4