And when did Liverpool fans start singing it at games and why? Just wondering because I always hear it consistently brought up and being associated with Liverpool. Thanks.
From LFC.TV You'll Never Walk Alone. The song that the world knows as the Liverpool song sums up so much for the club and supporters alike. It captures the importance of unity crucial to everything achieved by the club, and it remains a source of comfort to those affected by the tragic events that have hit the club. Oh, and it was also a hit for local lad Gerry Marsden. When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high, And don't be afraid of the dark. At the end of a storm, There's a golden sky, And the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Though your dreams be tossed and blown... Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, And you'll never walk alone... You'll never walk alone. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, And you'll never walk alone... You'll never walk alone. The song first began to be sung in the sixties when Gerry Marsden (of Gerry and the Pacemakers) had a UK hit with it. In the early Merseybeat days bands covered Broadway show tunes as a source of material. The Beatles recorded "Til there was You" from Music Man. This song is by Rogers and Hammerstein from the show Carousel
Expanding on what liverbird wrote: It started when, in the early sixties and the Mersey Sound was drawing the attention of the world, the Kop, in an act of local pride, began singing songs by Liverpool acts before the game. There exists some wonderful footage of the massive crowd singing and swaying to “She Loves You.” The fact that it also happened at the same time as the rise of the first great Shankly team (champs in 64 and 66, Cup winners in 65) isn't a coincidence. Over the years the song has taken on a life of its own, as its simple but powerful message of retaining hope in the face of adversity has resonated throughout a city nearly torn apart by Thatcherism, unemployment, race riots, crime, Hillsborough...
Another point is that the pre-game rendition is triggered still by Gerry Marsden (on record) over the, as the British say, tannoy. The really thrilling versions are when the Kop begins to sing at the end of a hard fought victory triggered by itself. Or when the lads haven't done too well in a pissing rain, on a miserable pitch, at St James Park right after Xmas and the travelling supporters drown out the Geordie's to let the team know the true supporters are still with them. Or when the first game after Hillsborough found Liverpool and Celtic fans standing as one to sing "Walk on"
Even Everton fans joined in before the FA Cup final at Wembley in 1989. Marsden sang it live on the pitch before the match and ended up in tears as both sets of fans belted it out. Very much as a tribute to the 96 that had fallen.
Too busy wiping tears from my eyes at the beautiful responses from our "honourary scousers". Taking a two-hour lunch break on a Friday didn't help either!
Liverbird, we're "Honorary" rather than "Wannabe!" Now, I'm just waiting for usscouse to tell us that it was his mate down the street that started singing it...
If you want it, you have to spell it right! As for usscouse, he couldn't hear his mate singing it cos his hearing aid was on the blink.
LOL.. Goes along wid “Ooze yeh judy la?” translation, “Who is your young lady sir?” Just think before YNWA came around the crowd favourite was…wait for it…! “These Boots were Made for Walkin" by Ol’ Blue eyes kid Nancy. We used to belt out “These boots were made for shootin," clever huh? Imagine THAT as the Anfield anthem. “Wouldn’t that be special …???” They were just showing off with their new sound system during a pre-game spell in the early 60’s Me an’ Joe Bewley were there, and one of the records they played was Gerry and the Pisstakers doing “YNWA” followed by “Ferry across the Merzy”. YNWA seemed to hit it with the Kop and the crowd (Geezus got goose pimples again!) So we chanted for it again, and yet again. The powers that live up in the Kop rafters heard us and played it twice and once again as we were leaving. I Next home game we were waiting for it and went wild when they played it for us. We sang so loud I had to turn my hearing aid off! The rest, as you say is “History”
And talking of "History" My wife just called me to look at the TV. “Antique Roadshow” was on and one guy had… Eat your heart out “Lanky Dave” This guy had a “Letter Box” (‘Mail drop box’ to the uninitiated) From Penny freekin’ Lane. It was the type that was mounted into the sandstone wall they have along side of the road. Cast iron with VR on it. They started to tell him how much it was worth and he stopped them saying “I don’t care what it’s worth, it’s not for sale…!!!” It’s off topic but it seemed apropos