![]() ![]() ![]() These chants document ancient rivalries or help to whip a stadium crowd into a frothing fever pitch. But often, there are particular versions particular to a country. Many fan bases - such as the Dutch - have adopted versions with the melody of Verdi's Triumphal March of Aida as a soundtrack for their soccer travels. But impromptu stadium ditties are sometimes the inspiration of a single person, and then popularized into wider use. It may take a Madison Avenue-style campaign to develop something worth repeating. I believe that as the United States matures as a soccer nation, it will move away from the insipid "USA, USA" chant into more intricate musical territory. In the span of more than half a dozen World Cups, I've taken great pleasure in hearing soccer fans intone chants, which become battle hymns and which the fans relish as much as their national anthem.īut in South Africa, above the din of the vuvuzelas, I have heard little of the songs, which were a soundtrack of World Cups before.Īs an anthropological exercise, I have recorded a few of the chants I've been hearing for years and which have fascinated me as fans pour as much emotion into the songs. Netherlands' fans like this one will be chanting, "Hup, Holland, Hup," as their team takes on Uruguay in the semifinals. ![]()
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