Hard luck to the Swedes last night but the Russians were flippin’ awesome. I wouldn’t normally get involved in international football squabbles but Sweden had it coming. Why?
For this monstrosity. It’s been 14 long, long years since ‘Cotton Eye Joe‘ became an international novelty hit. Since then the Swedes have given us The Cardigans, Robyn, José Gonzalez, The Knife and now Lykke Li. But they have been hiding a dark secret. Sweden, please tell me why you’ve been keeping the Rednex around on a retainer since then, piling up chart hits for fourteen years? Can you explain why you let them record THIS, ‘Football is Our Religion’, the unofficial Euro 2008 song? “Real geniuses on the grass” indeed…
Sample lyric – “The players are so cool / Get on the field / And play wonderful“.
I laugh now but if Ireland had qualified would it be any worse?
Yes.. The Rednex.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
Jeeeesus that line establishes new heights (/lows)for bad songwriters to reach! Though I must say I remember jumping around to Cotton Eye Joe when I was about..er…eight.
I quite like it in a weird way…. hehe.
the whole opening verse is amazing! are we overlooking the talent involved in singing such a poor poor song with such eh “passion”?!
oh my god, thats so fucking embarrassing as a swede..
Cotton Eye Joe was the first tape I ever bought. Timeless classic.
master nialler,
if you had a choice between this song and john barnes rapping, which would you choose?
Leigh i take it you are referring to the Anfield Rap? pure magic
….and Haddaway is the official entertainer for Euro 2008!
Gunther. Sweden’s redemption. Behold > http://www.gunthernet.com/
“if Ireland had qualified would it be any worse”
Irlande trois points, anyone?