From Back Home to World in Motion via This Time (We’ll Get It Right), life often imitates World Cup art once England leave the studio
The official 2018 World Cup anthem – Live It Up, by reggaeton star Nicky Jam, dancehall singer Era Istrefi, and polite fast-talker Will Smith – was released at the weekend, and met by the worlds of football and music with thundering indifference ... just as committee-approved pop, designed to please everybody but satisfying no one, always should be. File alongside spirit-sapping efforts such as R Kelly’s Sign Of A Victory, Ricky Martin’s Cup of Life, and Anastacia’s admittedly memorable Sepp’s Gonna Sexx Ya Up.
Still, at least Fifa are trying. England don’t bother any more, which is a terrible shame, as for a while they’d been world leaders in the field. Spin back to 1965 when the FA commissioned over-the-brow skiffle legend Lonnie Donegan to write a song for their upcoming tournament. He introduced us to World Cup Willie, tough as a lion, who never will give up. “That’s why Willie is favourite for the Cup!” The trad-jazz swinger wasn’t Lonnie’s best, but he did record the definitive version of Rock Island Line, and without his influence you’re getting no Beatles, so he had plenty of credit in the bank. Also England lifted the trophy with this ringing in their lugs, and there’s no arguing with results.
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