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The suggestion by our Club President Glen Bartlett that there may be consideration given to changing the words of our Club theme song, "It's a Grand Old Flag" has raised eyebrows and received a mixed reception from club supporters. But what's in a club song? George on The Outer looks at this rather tuneful subject ... CLUB THEME SONGS AND THEIR ORIGINS by George on The Outer We all know our own Club theme song, but singing such a thing has not always been done. Over many, many years those songs have evolved, with the majority borrowed from other sources with the lyrics suitably adjusted. So where did they come from, and what insights into the team and its own history do they give? Richmond: http://youtu.be/LxMHbg3R00g http://youtu.be/5Cz92GzEt2I This clip explains a lot about Richmond supporters. Remember this when you next hear it! Especially the sexual overtone ... no, doesnt bear thinking about ... But the best version of their team song is this one: http://youtu.be/KBD49n36F9k Fremantle: http://youtu.be/pDsuU6v2gYE Original: http://youtu.be/E-qz4Icl3_Q Freo supporters should be serious vodka drinkers ... Melbourne: Original: http://youtu.be/GvdHKS-rskA Sorry for the American overtones ... Adelaide: http://youtu.be/otd-dfhzaEw Original: http://youtu.be/itUDOuFcWb4 and even more American overtones ... Essendon: http://youtu.be/AL0DRyhUt1c Original: http://youtu.be/MCN9KIPfMPE Visions of the prohibition era ... not much has changed at the Dons! Brisbane: http://youtu.be/i2OnZG6VnJk Original: http://youtu.be/4K1q9Ntcr5g There was something wrong with this played at the Grand Final in front of 100,000 Australians Collingwood: http://youtu.be/7lGXFVf7xKE Original: http://youtu.be/Zsbwba3dA70 Its bad enough listening to the original song they pinched but their supporters havent changed over the history of the club: http://www.convictcreations.com/football/collingwood.htm Geelong: http://youtu.be/akAkWj7kXt0 Surprisingly they tried this version in 1992, when they thought they would parody Pinball Wizard by the Who: http://youtu.be/oQFwnOIpej4 Original: http://youtu.be/Dk-g6tsbAhI you have to wait a bit for the chorus to recognise it ... Hawthorn: http://youtu.be/p2pumIAeS0c Original: http://youtu.be/StDpLge_ITM More Americanism, but gotta love Cagney! Carlton: http://youtu.be/JPpe2LVfgwo Original: http://youtu.be/n4NMnwrKwpk If you listen to the words it simply wouldnt be written today! The song was No. 21 on the White Star line orchestra play list when the Titanic went down. St.Kilda: http://youtu.be/--f9cjE9h4s Original: http://youtu.be/wyLjbMBpGDA Shortest lyrics of any club song. Satchmo is great regardless! Sydney: http://youtu.be/H1oQjBUeqAE Original: http://youtu.be/hSd_l508dwA What does shake down the thunder from the sky mean? West Coast: http://youtu.be/yr5vcF66lH8 Original: http://youtu.be/iVQPsro2p0A Why do all Mike Brady songs sound the same?...Very 80s Footscray: The song is based on an old sea shanty called Sons of the Sea Its such a catchy little number that no-one has recorded it. Port Adelaide: http://youtu.be/D2cUM71RA24 The original was penned local composers Quentin Eyers ( who plays in a Sikh band ) and Les Kaczmarek (the original bass player with Cold Chisel). Like the people who support the club, it is a shocker, and the alternative lyrics are probably more appropriate: We've got no Power at all Our ****s are so small Come on, Port Adelaide are wankers We are the Bogans from Port We're always in court It's true Port Adelaide tradition We'll never stop, stop, stop Growin our drug, drug crop There's history here in the making Port supporters are sad No-one knows who's their dad Paternity tests is ours for the taking With our drug network so strong We can't go wrong We're the Alberton crowd Port Adelaide proud And the losers are those Who've earned the right To wear the silver - teal And black and white And the Port supporters Oh so small True Ferals One and all Gold Coast: Original: http://youtu.be/qGPHbeNUDFg However I much prefer the Kazakhstan version ( rarely heard): http://youtu.be/GkVKyXDv81I GWS: http://youtu.be/epvc4wDWQCQ Put together by Harry Angus of The Cat Empire! But could he have recently attended a Jewish wedding when he composed this piece? http://youtu.be/-BMtlNLnXxI