Is this thread a joke - the banjo is in both versions - just toned down. You'll find we are not the only club with the dreaded banjo.

I took an American friend to the footy many years ago - Melb v Richmond. It was well into the first quarter before he could pick himself up off the ground laughing at both songs.

Funny as most of them are based on patriotic American songs.

Funny as most of them are based on patriotic American songs.

And look what we did to them .

I'd like some thought into a new song .

Ours doesn't do it for me .

There's no " Riding the bumps with a grin" , " Fight and Fight and win " , " The greatest team all " , "the team that never let's you down" etc , etc .

What 'ave we got ' Should old aquaintance be forgot " Pffft .

I agree as well 'Fork 'em', & have done Now for about 10 - 15 Years.

I'd like us to add some lyrics about mateship instead of flags. About fighting for one another. I don't mind the loyalty angle, it's a great principle. But flag, sorry, it just doesn't do it.

Fighting for your loved ones and your mates & your country.

# As for the new Sound Audio, I liked it. It was Raw'er, & more Organic. Good.

#Edit: I think they've Upped the tempo a little, as well. I just listened to it again. I still like it.

this thread makes me throw up in my mouth,

The original recording that has been used since channels 7's inception of team songs is beautiful, the original recording brings a seasoned history and wealth to the club which all the new clubs with awful keyboard recordings dont have.

i dont know who commissioned that recording but so help me if i hear it at a game...

You're [censored] me right? We genuinely have the second best song running round in the AFL - only better one is Richmond.

I know, I love the "yellow and black" bit that is shouted out. Nothing like exercising the lungs at the footy is there?

Funnily enough, I remember reading about a poll done of footy fans - out of all theme songs, Richmond was the favourite.

Can't hear ours enough though!

There was another version put on the AFL themes album a few years ago and it was MUCH worse than this. This just seems like a slightly updated version of the old song with a stronger banjo added, don't know why it needs to be changed TBH.

Yes! I remember that!

Seriously terrible techno remix of the theme song.

It was cringeworthy.

I would be disappointed if this became our standard theme.

Same. Not shattered, but I don't like it as much.

It's still far better than the suggestion we make a new song. Yuck.

The banjo in the old version begins a beat into the vocals, this new one starts from the top. Just sounds too weird to me, different time signature maybe, are the vocals up an octave or a different key? Just seems too different for a clean up.

If they want to do anything give the second verse a run.

Funny as most of them are based on patriotic American songs.

Many of them are based on songs that first appeared on stage and became 'patriotic' afterwards.

Melbourne's song was based on You're a Grand Old Flag, and was a tribute to the US flag. It was written for the musical George Washington Jr by George M Cohan in 1906. Here's another archive recording. No banjo.

The chorus was:

You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true

'neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there's never a boast or brag.

But should auld acquiantance be forgot

Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

Our club song is the only one that doesn't mention where we are from i.e. Melbourne

or who we are i.e. demons

That said I am a stickler for tradition and I wouldn't change it The duelling banjos I haven't noticed before

but it's not that bad.

The one thing I'd like to see change is that it's sung a lot more throughout the season

Did the club originally have a flag .....as an emblem? Do we have a flag now but not used much?

The only 'flag' I've seen are those little ones on a stick you buy to wave at a game (with the logo on it).

I've never really got the connection with a flag and an emblem.

And I don't think the flag is a reference to the old premiership pennants (flags)....or is it?

"Can't hear ours enough though!"-Suzanna

Can hear ya there Suz, maybe that's all gonna change ova next few seasons, or should I say "THAT WILL CHANGE"........Nothing the matter with our song when sung by the boys in the rooms after a win. Anybody no the history of our song and how long we've sung it????

I know, I love the "yellow and black" bit that is shouted out. Nothing like exercising the lungs at the footy is there?

So what's wrong with the 'Whadda we sing?'

The Melbourne team departed for Hobart at the end of June 1912. It was on this Tasmanian trip that "A Grand Old Flag", based upon an American marching tune, and reportedly written by proinent supporters J. o. Smith and Frank Lonie was sung for the first time.

The Grand Old Flag: The Histouy of the Melbourne Football Club. Lynda Carrol 1999.

There is another reference that it was used again after the 1926 grand final victory over Collingwood, which is now alluded to in the second verse.

I know, I love the "yellow and black" bit that is shouted out. Nothing like exercising the lungs at the footy is there?

Funnily enough, I remember reading about a poll done of footy fans - out of all theme songs, Richmond was the favourite.

Can't hear ours enough though!

Haha, that's cause it's barely been sung since 2006

Hey do you reckon the song trailerpark on this site would work for a membership add?

Id give it to the club for free if I thought they would use it:

www.myspace.com/moodmarket

Did the club originally have a flag .....as an emblem? Do we have a flag now but not used much?

The only 'flag' I've seen are those little ones on a stick you buy to wave at a game (with the logo on it).

I've never really got the connection with a flag and an emblem.

And I don't think the flag is a reference to the old premiership pennants (flags)....or is it?

My understanding Daisy, and confirmed by Wiki (not that it's the be all or the ultimate reliable source lol) is that we were originally often referred to as the Melbourne redlegs sometime during the 1870's as a result of the following.....

..."The name "Redlegs" was coined after a Melbourne official returned from a trip to England with one set of red and another of blue woollen socks. Melbourne wore the red set while the blue set were, allegedly, given to theCarlton Football Club. This may be the source of Carlton's nickname, 'The Blueboys'."

To me there should be some reference to us as the mighty redlegs in the song ....somewhere. I wouldn't be adverse to the song's lyrics being tweaked somehow to include it. Although in reality a totally new version would probably have to be recorded.

Having said that, i prefer the original fable singers version of our song by a country mile. When the newer version was released (whenever it was struck, as i don't believe there was ever any formal announcement, asking of members' opinions or launch of the song.....it just appeared) i could pick it straight up. It's a slightly more up tempo smaltzy 'auto tuned' (or is it an auto vibrato?) attempt at a modern day "fable" copy. S.E.N. use it all the time unfortunately. It completely sucks versus the old gutsy and real fable voice version....without the fake (GAY!!) vibrato!!

My understanding Daisy, and confirmed by Wiki (not that it's the be all or the ultimate reliable source lol) is that we were originally often referred to as the Melbourne redlegs sometime during the 1870's as a result of the following.....

..."The name "Redlegs" was coined after a Melbourne official returned from a trip to England with one set of red and another of blue woollen socks. Melbourne wore the red set while the blue set were, allegedly, given to theCarlton Football Club. This may be the source of Carlton's nickname, 'The Blueboys'."

To me there should be some reference to us as the mighty redlegs in the song ....somewhere. I wouldn't be adverse to the song's lyrics being tweaked somehow to include it. Although in reality a totally new version would probably have to be recorded.

Having said that, i prefer the original fable singers version of our song by a country mile. When the newer version was released (whenever it was struck, as i don't believe there was ever any formal announcement, asking of members' opinions or launch of the song.....it just appeared) i could pick it straight up. It's a slightly more up tempo smaltzy 'auto tuned' (or is it an auto vibrato?) attempt at a modern day "fable" copy. S.E.N. use it all the time unfortunately. It completely sucks versus the old gutsy and real fable voice version....without the fake (GAY!!) vibrato!!

Yeah Rusty I knew all that stuff about the socks etc

I was just wondering where the "its a grand old flag.......it's the emblem for me...." came from.

I understand the original yankee connection of the original song to the american flag but why did we keep the flag word in our version?

Not a big deal, but esp this year with our new emblem and emphasis on history/tradition I just got me wondering what the flag/emblem connection was

rpfc should know this stuff?

The banjo features more predominantly in the new one, almost completely replacing the trumpet in the intro. Quite obvious. And awful. And the singers don't really have the same gusto as the original team. Compare 0:12 when they say "for me and for you" and then compare it to the original. Really awful stuff in comparison. Keep the original. You won't find voices like that ever again. Quite distinctive to the era, and ageless.

I would love to hear another version with even more "Banjo!" ...............Give me more "Banjo!"

Kazooie as well?

My understanding Daisy, and confirmed by Wiki (not that it's the be all or the ultimate reliable source lol) is that we were originally often referred to as the Melbourne redlegs sometime during the 1870's as a result of the following.....

..."The name "Redlegs" was coined after a Melbourne official returned from a trip to England with one set of red and another of blue woollen socks. Melbourne wore the red set while the blue set were, allegedly, given to theCarlton Football Club. This may be the source of Carlton's nickname, 'The Blueboys'."

To me there should be some reference to us as the mighty redlegs in the song ....somewhere. I wouldn't be adverse to the song's lyrics being tweaked somehow to include it. Although in reality a totally new version would probably have to be recorded.

It could be worse, we could have Fushias in our theme song.

The mighty Fushias! Thank god we changed our name/mascot!

Gippy

Melbourne Red Sox?

It could be worse, we could have Fushias in our theme song.

The mighty Fushias! Thank god we changed our name/mascot!

Gippy

We're getting off topic, there is no mention of "Demons" in our theme song either

There is only reference to a 'flag' as being the 'emblem'

To me, the song refers to a literal flag bearing the club's emblem.

I wouldn't have thought it was that obscure.