`It's not 1974 it's not 1976,
You're not at Stamford Bridge
You're on the Boer Ridge'
It's classic Mark E Smith – megaphones screaming, indie guitars pumping, lyrics ripping the gloss off footy's polished image… And somewhere in the background is a swaying singalong anthem that will please the nation's post pub choirs as they swagger home. And this was very nearly the FA's official England record.
The FA originally approached Mark E Smith's publishers to come up with something for the World Cup, along with four other contenders. Mark collaborated with some time Fall guitarist Ed Blaney and Jenny Shuttleworth, of Girl Peculiar, to create the track, but before the FA had heard anyone's songs it decided not to do an official record this year. Mark, Ed and Jenny decided to release it anyway under the name of Shuttleworth – and it's certainly creating divots in the music and football scene.
Without even being on the radio yet England's Heartbeat has hit number 9 in the Amazon download charts, it's being played on SKY's Soccer AM this weekend and the NME has given it a glowing review.
"It's great to have something real out there and I think some footballers are going to be shocked when they hear it" laughs Ed "Basically Mark's just telling them how it is - `Take care of the invention of your nation' and stuff like that. When I got the lyrics I was made up but had to keep some back because they were a bit too strong, about getting poisoned and things like that. I knew the FA wouldn't go for them so it's just as well it's not official.
"There's been a bit of editing going on and overlapping vocals, and there's some hidden pops at individuals in the football establishment – I'm not saying what they are but it's the muffled ones through a loud hailer" he adds "Mark's an engineer's nightmare because he pulls that megaphone out and says `Right get that down' but I think it's a brilliant bit of writing by him."
It's also a cross club collaboration, with Mark E a Man City fan, Ed a Red and Jenny sat on the fence, originally from Bolton but now living in Salford.
"If anyone has a right to do a World Cup record it's got to be Mark E Smith" says Ed "And this is a Salford thing, written and recorded here. It's Mark E Smith in fine form and I'm really proud of it."
England's Heartbeat is on download at Amazon and I-Tunes and is released as a CD on June 7th.
You can hear a sample of the track and buy it for 79p at Amazon – click here…
"For your heartbeat, never wanders, like a
rainbow, through a storm, we are born, with a heartbeat sent from
heaven, when you're losing your dreams, hold on tight, and Think..ENGLAND..."
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