View Full Version : Wings of an Eagle
Mighty!
20 Nov 2007, 12:37 PM
At the mls cup did anyone else hear the Revolution Fans (to call them supporters would be wrong) sing Wings of an Eagle.
At the game my wife turned to me and exclaimed, "Paul Revere didn't have wings, why are they singing that song?"
Why do they sing Wings of an Eagle???
Am I wrong to assume that DCU Supporters sing it because our mascot is an eagle.........
gocaps
20 Nov 2007, 12:43 PM
History lesson! :D
The original chant is "Wings of a Sparrow" and its not a DC original - I'd presume that English fans or somebody created it.
We didn't start doing it here until the end of the season in 1997, when Sam Pierron from KC (the same man who coordinated the creation of the Supporters Shield, incidentally) used it to win the chant contest at the inaugural Capital Soccer Ball the night before MLS Cup. We changed "sparrow" to "eagle" because its on the United crest and because we're the Screaming Eagles, and started singing it at the game the next day.
GrillMaster
20 Nov 2007, 12:45 PM
The song was the winner of the 2000 Capitol Soccer Ball as sung by the KC crew (i.e., Sam Pierron) and voted on by acclamation from the gathered supporters' groups.
We adopted it 'cause it's funny, and has nothing to do with our logo.
GM
JINX!
It was 2000 cause Don Craft and the Barn Burners were there.
gocaps
20 Nov 2007, 12:52 PM
It was 2000 cause Don Craft and the Barn Burners were there.
It was 1997. Don was there with a couple of other people because Chicago had been announced as a new expansion franchise.
Plus, it was at Lucky Bar. I remember this well :D
BBBulldog
20 Nov 2007, 12:57 PM
what, noone sang You'll Never Walk Alone? :D
Mighty!
20 Nov 2007, 01:12 PM
most importantly....
paul revere didn't have wings, correct?
GrillMaster
20 Nov 2007, 01:17 PM
It was 1997. Don was there with a couple of other people because Chicago had been announced as a new expansion franchise.
Plus, it was at Lucky Bar. I remember this well :DIt wasn't at Lucky Bar, it was in the downstairs area of some bar down Wilson from Summers.
Nanny, nanny, boo-boo! :D
GM
what, noone sang You'll Never Walk Alone? :D
And, oddly enough, Canadians did NOT invent "Who are ya?" :D
The more you know...
KGDG2005
20 Nov 2007, 01:28 PM
It wasn't at Lucky Bar, it was in the downstairs area of some bar down Wilson from Summers.
Nanny, nanny, boo-boo! :D
GM
Why don't both of you memory challenged souls just ask Sam himself :p
btw - the Rhodeside Grill was the CSB spot that you were thinking of... as for when the song became part of the scene you'll have to ask better historians than myself.
KGDG
Come On United (States and DC)
www.screaming-eagles.com
Can sing out of tune with the best of 'em
gocaps
20 Nov 2007, 01:32 PM
It wasn't at Lucky Bar, it was in the downstairs area of some bar down Wilson from Summers.
Nanny, nanny, boo-boo! :D
The other way I know - I wasn't even AT the 2000 Capital Soccer Ball :p
nobletea
20 Nov 2007, 02:06 PM
I do recall the sparrow version being sung at games in England and had known it to previously exist. I did not know the local history.
But the question remains: Why do NE fans sing the eagle version?
Answer: L o s e r s
It can't be that hard to come up with a version that goes like, if I had the hooves of a stallion I'd rear up to stomp and shit on those bastards below...
TEConnor
20 Nov 2007, 03:42 PM
The other way I know - I wasn't even AT the 2000 Capital Soccer Ball :p
Sam definitely sang "Wings of an Eagle" at the ball at Lucky Bar in 1997. I remember this for a few reasons: (1) that is the only "Ball" that I ever remember attending and (2) Kevin Payne was pumping up the crowd with a colorful F-bomb filled rallying speech to which the moderator Ray W followed up, "Thanks for keeping it clean, Kevin."
And Sam did sing "eagle" as an appeal to the DC supporters. Just my recollection.
Cheers,
Tim
TEConnor
20 Nov 2007, 03:47 PM
I do recall the sparrow version being sung at games in England and had known it to previously exist. I did not know the local history.
But the question remains: Why do NE fans sing the eagle version?
Answer: L o s e r s
It can't be that hard to come up with a version that goes like, if I had the hooves of a stallion I'd rear up to stomp and shit on those bastards below...
Saw one of those stupid ESPN talk shows (at the gym, no choice but to watch) yesterday that ended their show with their Big Finish: NE Revs are the Buffalo Bills of Soccer. Ouch, this is a show that ignores soccer...so to have them do the big finish with a dig at the Revs, things have to be really bad. So maybe they should sing, "If I had hooves of a Buff, if I had the ass of a Bill..."
Cheers,
Tim
Sam definitely sang "Wings of an Eagle" at the ball at Lucky Bar in 1997. I remember this for a few reasons: (1) that is the only "Ball" that I ever remember attending and (2) Kevin Payne was pumping up the crowd with a colorful F-bomb filled rallying speech to which the moderator Ray W followed up, "Thanks for keeping it clean, Kevin."
And Sam did sing "eagle" as an appeal to the DC supporters. Just my recollection.
Cheers,
Tim
Kevin Payne, f-bombs? I'm shocked I tells ya! ;) I missed the first CSB but I've heard the tale about Sam doing this there so it must be true. But GM is right that we did have a song contest at the CSB at Rhodeside in 2000. The Barn Burners might have won (I don't recall who did) and Don Craft was most likely dressed in a kilt. I do remember the River Ratz doing a really goofy song that had them kneeling down and I think had some hand motions (I guess they were supposed to be Ratz?) Kids this is what happens with age and booze, you can't remember stuff that happened 7 years ago.
K
AMERICANS SC
20 Nov 2007, 05:03 PM
Saw one of those stupid ESPN talk shows (at the gym, no choice but to watch) yesterday that ended their show with their Big Finish: NE Revs are the Buffalo Bills of Soccer. Ouch, this is a show that ignores soccer...so to have them do the big finish with a dig at the Revs, things have to be really bad. So maybe they should sing, "If I had hooves of a Buff, if I had the ass of a Bill..."
Cheers,
Tim
:D:D:D
Cheerio!
gocaps
20 Nov 2007, 05:31 PM
(2) Kevin Payne was pumping up the crowd with a colorful F-bomb filled rallying speech to which the moderator Ray W followed up, "Thanks for keeping it clean, Kevin."
That was hysterical. It was in theory a party for all fans from around the league, but Denver had gotten hit by a blizzard that weekend and almost no one from Denver came to DC. So KP is like "We're going to go out and show everyone who the BEST F'ING TEAM in Major League Soccer is" and the place went apeshit :D
The other thing I remember from that night was ESC founder Sandy Canetti graciously wishing DC good luck the next day. That era is long over...
Didn't Alan Kelly drop a few f bombs too?
scarshins
20 Nov 2007, 07:29 PM
most importantly....
paul revere didn't have wings, correct?
no, but his horse did.
KATref
20 Nov 2007, 08:32 PM
I do recall the sparrow version being sung at games in England and had known it to previously exist. I did not know the local history.
But the question remains: Why do NE fans sing the eagle version?
FWIW the NE supporters sing Wings of a SPARROW if you heard otherwise it's because you know the tune and your brain hears what it expects to hear.
McOwen
20 Nov 2007, 10:57 PM
FWIW the NE supporters sing Wings of a SPARROW if you heard otherwise it's because you know the tune and your brain hears what it expects to hear.
I wouldnt be so sure there smart guy... Hell, I am willing to bet half the Barra Brava sings "La Barracudas" every time we sing our song... And on that same coin, I'll bet half of your intrepid bunch also do not know the difference :p
Darth Norteņo
21 Nov 2007, 07:19 AM
FWIW the NE supporters sing Wings of a SPARROW if you heard otherwise it's because you know the tune and your brain hears what it expects to hear.
What my brain expects to hear from NE supporters usually involves crickets and the whipping winds of Foxboro. Maybe a crying child, or a pin dropping somewhere therein...