World in Motion

[BillyStubbsTears]

Pays every once in a while to reflect on the role that World in Motion had on making football cool, when it had been in a dark place. That's the only time there has ever been a football song that stood on its own merits as a great song, by a truly great band. Three Lions in comparison is a plodding, saccharine pub sing-song.

The John Barnes rap was a truly iconic moment. In the context of the "ain't no black in the Union Jack" terrace culture of the 1980s, seeing a cool, confident, superbly talented black guy rapping as well as he played was a seminal experience.

But there is a very different alternative universe out there. In some dark, fetid parallel world, Peter Beardsley did that rap. And the whole of human history went off on a bleaker path.

https://youtu.be/0KT_tE-lmaM

[River Don]

You know, I think football was already cool and dangerous.

Throughout the 80s with that whole football lads culture on the terraces, it was cool. New Order took that culture and mixed it with the dance music of the time and that was cool. And Italian 90 was cool because Italian football was still a bit unknown and exotic, and the stadiums they had prepared, particularly San Siro. That was like the future. So cool all the way.

At the time New Order I think we're just past the peak of their songwriting but Barney had become more focused on trying to do good pop songs, rather than arty experimental stuff. And the was perfect for a football song.

The stars just aligned.

[River Don]

BTW. I never liked the John Barnes rap and it still makes me cringe a bit. Barnes is black so he can rap... Er well sort of. I know why they did it for the right reasons but nah, it's a bit naff.

[BillyStubbsTears]

RD.
I think we are talking about different concepts of "cool" with regard to football culture. At the back end of the 80s, racism, xenophobia and a violent tribalism were central to football culture.

We used to sing "Shag your women and drink your beer" but the reality was more often "drink your beer till we can't control ourselves then kick the f**k out of anyone within swinging range".

WiM pointed the way towards a more innocent, self-confident culture. Tribalism without the brooding threat.

[turnbull for england]

Ecstasy played it's part too

[BillyStubbsTears]

BTW. I never liked the John Barnes rap and it still makes me cringe a bit. Barnes is black so he can rap... Er well sort of. I know why they did it for the right reasons but nah, it's a bit naff.

Listen to that YT clip. Given the choice between Barnes and Beardsley...

[River Don]

BST

The Barnes rap directly addressed the racism issue, which is why the delivery of it is less important.

I meant the terrace youth culture in the 80s was pretty cool. The violence wasn't but it was like the old mods at the seaside. Pretty cool kid's getting up to no good.

And there was an attempt to address that too in the song and with things like the No Alla Violenza T-shirts.

[BillyStubbsTears]

It was a fascinating turning point time. Bill Buford's Among the Thugs book captured that. The Firm he got in with kind of dissipating  into a more laidback hedonism after Italia 90.

Didn't all happen overnight though. I was at Wembley watching England play France in 1992 (Alan Shearer's debut). The pubs before the game were full of NF mobs screaming "No Surrender" and at one point in the game a 30-something women in the row in front of us, with her two Primary school age kids stood up and launched into a 60 second, vein-popping tirade at the French fans along the lines of "Fack off back facking home facking froggy caaaarrrrnnnnts!" You sort of wonder where that level of bile comes from and why football attracted it for so long.

[River Don]

More laid back hedonism... Turnball is right with the word ecstasy. The 90s rave era changed things and New Order were around that too.

[Herbert Anchovy]

Certainly down here in London, the Rave scene played a huge part in reducing the level of hooliganism at football. Firms who’d previously been kicking the shit out of each other were now dancing together in fields. It still went on of course, but not at the levels of the early 80’s when it was at near epidemic levels. New Order were part of that whole rave scene.

In his book, Peter Hook gives a brilliant description of them recording the song and making the video with the England team!

[River Don]

I don't think I ever heard a New Order track played at a rave but they certainly influenced the music and were influenced by it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I never did do any "out in a field" raves. The thought of jerking my hands in the air with a bunch of E'd up City spivs never really appealed. But I did hear Fine Time at the BYO which was about the closest to a rave you got in Donny.

[River Don]

I never did outside either BST. I only ever went to one festival. Freezing, chucked it down. It was like the Somme. Never again.

We used to go to Sheffield. Occasions and Cuba club. It was the best experience ever. I've been out in London and other cities but nothing ever came close to that grimey little club in Sheffield.

In Donny, do you remember the upstairs room in Ritzy? In there there used to be a group of black lads who played Unique 3 The Theme repeatedly and toasted over it. That was the first time I ever felt the earth moving bass of pure techno.

[BillyStubbsTears]

RD
Do you want to feel old?

I think I'm right in saying that not a single member of the current England squad was born when WiM was released. I think Walker is the oldest. He was born the week after it was released.

[River Don]

We are getting on.

Edit: Barney Sumner who looked like a baby faced cherub with a hitler youth haircut now looks like Les Battersby.

The ineteresting thing is, I don't think music has moved on much in the last 30 years. I listened to Pete Tong on the radio the other week, he could have played that set in the 90s and nobody would notice anything was particularly new.

[NickDRFC]

John Barnes is surely the only recording artist in history who raps slower than he talks.

[Muttley]

Rees Mogg making World in Motion ever cooler...

https://twitter.com/i/status/1413112723555094530

[BillyStubbsTears]

We are getting on.

Edit: Barney Sumner who looked like a baby faced cherub with a hitler youth haircut now looks like Les Battersby.

The ineteresting thing is, I don't think music has moved on much in the last 30 years. I listened to Pete Tong on the radio the other week, he could have played that set in the 90s and nobody would notice anything was particularly new.

I spent the whole 80s trying to look like Barney. I've finally succeeded.

[River Don]

Me and my mate got that haircut and it caused a bit of a stir at school. Shaved!

Nowadays it seems every single kid wears that look. It's just standard. And kids at some schools can get sent home for having their hair too short, when back then they were always guarding against it being too long.

[IDM]

I still think the best football related “song” is The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme..  “Song” because it is an instrumental.

[Filo]

Much preferred New Order as Joy Division with Ian Curtis

[NickDRFC]

I still think the best football related “song” is The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme..  “Song” because it is an instrumental.

Atomic Kitten - Southgate You’re The One

 

[RobTheRover]

BST

The Barnes rap directly addressed the racism issue, which is why the delivery of it is less important.

I meant the terrace youth culture in the 80s was pretty cool. The violence wasn't but it was like the old mods at the seaside. Pretty cool kid's getting up to no good.

And there was an attempt to address that too in the song and with things like the No Alla Violenza T-shirts.

I've got the No Alla Violenza mix of World in Motion on 12".   Italia 90 will take some beating for many reasons. Tomorrow might, MIGHT, just shade it.

Anyone got tickets to see NO at Manchester in September? I'm going.

[River Don]

I saw No were planning a bit of a world tour with the Pet Shop Boys but it was put off because of covid. Is it part of that tour or a one off?

They were wearing Paninaro blue & white stripey T shirts in the promotions Always liked those marine T shirts.

Arthur Baker has remixed the latest effort, which has improved it. Not the finest moment but OK.

https://youtu.be/gtnKDHEHMjo

[BillyStubbsTears]

BST

The Barnes rap directly addressed the racism issue, which is why the delivery of it is less important.

I meant the terrace youth culture in the 80s was pretty cool. The violence wasn't but it was like the old mods at the seaside. Pretty cool kid's getting up to no good.

And there was an attempt to address that too in the song and with things like the No Alla Violenza T-shirts.

I've got the No Alla Violenza mix of World in Motion on 12".   Italia 90 will take some beating for many reasons. Tomorrow might, MIGHT, just shade it.

Anyone got tickets to see NO at Manchester in September? I'm going.

Me and our kid are seeing them at the Millennium Dome or whatever it's called now in November.

[StocktonRover]

BST

The Barnes rap directly addressed the racism issue, which is why the delivery of it is less important.

I meant the terrace youth culture in the 80s was pretty cool. The violence wasn't but it was like the old mods at the seaside. Pretty cool kid's getting up to no good.

And there was an attempt to address that too in the song and with things like the No Alla Violenza T-shirts.

I've got the No Alla Violenza mix of World in Motion on 12".   Italia 90 will take some beating for many reasons. Tomorrow might, MIGHT, just shade it.

Anyone got tickets to see NO at Manchester in September? I'm going.

Me and our kid are seeing them at the Millennium Dome or whatever it's called now in November.

Watching Gorillaz there in August

[RobTheRover]

I saw No were planning a bit of a world tour with the Pet Shop Boys but it was put off because of covid. Is it part of that tour or a one off?

They were wearing Paninaro blue & white stripey T shirts in the promotions Always liked those marine T shirts.

Arthur Baker has remixed the latest effort, which has improved it. Not the finest moment but OK.

https://youtu.be/gtnKDHEHMjo

The NO/PSB double header isn't coming to the UK, sadly.

Support in Manchester is Working Mens Club rather good too.

I got tickets for PSBs at the O2 next May, which has already been put back 2 years.

[River Don]

Talking of Arthur Baker, it looks like his latest venture is a DJ Hotel in Ibiza, wouldn't make a bad little holiday.

https://youtu.be/Z6btGG3WxBU

When I was in London quite a few years back, he was running a pool and cocktail bar round the back of Finsbury Park Market. I used to catch up with my Donny mates for a few rounds of pool and a few mojitos on a Friday after work. Baker would play a set quite often, so I imagine this will be a similar set up. Only with nice weather.