Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Translating Soccer Songs

Often when I’m watching soccer and my family is in the room, they’ll ask me, what are they singing?  My answer is always the same, “no idea.”  For me, neither raised in soccer culture nor fully indoctrinated, the singing I hear when I watch soccer or at the matches I’ve attended is not so much about the lyrics.  I know they’re significant but what seems more important is how they’re being sung. “Rabid” basketball fans don’t belt out “DE-FENSE”, much less entire songs as loud as soccer teams’ supporters sing these songs.

But, really, what are they singing?  Here are a few of the classics with a synopsis:

Liverpool F.C. - You’ll Never Walk Alone 

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the 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

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the 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

You'll never walk
You'll never walk alone.

Translation: No song is as widely famous and as closely identified with one club as this song. Plenty of inspiration and support.  A little sappy, no?

West Ham United – I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles

I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air,
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams they fade and die.
Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere,
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.

I'm dreaming dreams, I'm scheming schemes,
I'm building castles high.
They're born anew, their days are few,
Just like a sweet butterfly.
And as the daylight is dawning,
They come again in the morning!

CHORUS

When shadows creep, when I'm asleep,
To lands of hope I stray!
Then at daybreak, when I awake,
My bluebird flutters away.
"Happiness, you seem so near me,
Happiness, come forth and cheer me!"

CHORUS

Translation: Like I said, it’s not so much important what they’re singing. It’s more important how it’s sung and that it’s their song.  Maybe this song has deeper lyrical significance I’m not aware of.

Sevilla F.C. – Himno del Centenario

Cuentan las lenguas antiguas
Que un 14 de octubre nació una ilusión
Su madre fue Sevilla y le prestó su nombre
Y para defenderlo le dio a una afición

Ejemplo de Sevilla mía
Familia roja y blanca del Sánchez Pizjuan
Un corazón que late gritando Sevilla
Llevándolo en volandas por siempre a ganar

Y es por eso que hoy vengo a verte
sevillista seré hasta la muerte
La giralda presume orgullosa
De ver al Sevilla en el Sánchez Pizjuan

Mi Sevilla Sevilla Sevilla
Aquí estamos contigo Sevilla
Compartiendo la gloria en tu escudo
Orgullo del fútbol de nuestra ciudad

Dicen que nunca se rinde
Y el arte de su fútbol no tiene rival
Hace 100 años lleva mi equipo luchando
Y abanderando el nombre de nuestra ciudad

Ejemplo de Sevilla mía
Familia roja y blanca del Sánchez Pizjuan
Un corazón que late gritando Sevilla
Llevándolo en volandas por siempre a ganar

y es por eso que hoy vengo a verte
sevillista seré hasta la muerte
La giralda presume orgullosa
De ver al Sevilla en el Sánchez Pizjuan

Mi Sevilla Sevilla Sevilla
Aquí estamos contigo Sevilla
Compartiendo la gloria en tu escudo
Orgullo del fútbol de nuestra ciudad

y es por eso que hoy vengo a verte
sevillista seré hasta la muerte
La giralda presume orgullosa
De ver al Sevilla en el Sánchez Pizjuan

Mi Sevilla Sevilla Sevilla
Aquí estamos contigo Sevilla
Compartiendo la gloria en tu escudo
Orgullo del fútbol de nuestra ciudad

OoOoOoOoOo… 

Translation: Sevilla FC is the best.  I’ll support Sevilla until I die.  History, beauty, loyalty, and pretty catchy too.

5 comments:

  1. I am brazilian and I just loooove soccer!
    But really, what are they singing? LOL
    I'm watching soccer right now with my dad, and of course... I have no idea what they are singing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha glad I'm not the only one.

    Great job on your blog by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Like you blog. I'm a huge football (soccer) fan and played actively until about a few years ago. Follow the EPL (Man Utd fan) for the most part along with the other leagues in continental Europe. Here's a link you might like:

    http://red11.org/mufc/songs.htm

    ReplyDelete
  4. It doen`t matter sometimes what you hear, it is important that what you feel.I am a soccer fan of Galatasaray from Turkey. I would advice all to watch this amazing song by Galatasaray fans. Just feel it :)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkHJPsI0-t0

    ReplyDelete
  5. @14travel: Thanks for the link! I went to a match at Old Trafford a couple years ago. The passion of their fans was incredible.

    @Emre: I completely agree. Songs are a huge part of soccer culture and the atmosphere at stadiums. Great link by the way.

    ReplyDelete