April 11, 2006

Horse 528 - England's 2006 World Cup Song

Usually about this time every two years before the start of a major tournament we have to endure the latest song for the England assault on another football trophy. Tunes like Three Lions (1996) found their way onto the terraces and there's always at least one version of The Great Escape running around; we've also had to endure things like We're On The Ball (2002) by Ant and Dec and who can forget (even though we try) World In Motion from 1990 with both Gazza and John Barnes rapping away.

In 2006 the England official song has fallen to the group Embrace with Danny McNamara and they've written a ditty called World At Your Feet. I heard this and I thought that it sounded vaugely familiar, and then I thought... it's a blatant rip-off of:

Think of a Number with Johnny Ball.

It is isn't it? It jolly well is. They've decided that the best way to showcase England this time around is a kids show from the early 80s. I get it now - it's retro kitsch innit? Think Of A Number was a kids maths puzzle type program that ended circa 1984 (sic) and I bet that half of the current England squad would have seen it themselves as children.

If they get Wayne "Shrek" Rooney to rap on this one then I'm afraid that it will really have come full circle. 6 year old kids (or those with the mentality of 6 year olds) singing songs for 6 year olds.

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