FC Luzern In English

So Called Football Songs

Avid JCBT readers know that FC Basel celebrated its last league title in Summer with a plastic Tina Turner disco party at St. Jakob Park. Admittedly though, not only the Basel stadium DJs regularly reveal a very bad taste when it comes to picking the right music for what they think is necessary for the modern football stadium ambiente.

While most fans would gladly be spared the tedious humpty-dumpty mix of shallow pop music every time the referee blows the final whistle, most club officials don’t give a damn about the very basic fan demand that the atmosphere inside the ground should come from the terraces, even after the game.

To prove that FCL fans have a good musical talent and the creative genius to at least match stadium evergreens such as Genesis, Tina Turner or Right Said Fred, United Supporters Luzern have come up with a very special piece that is the product of the clash of two vibrant Luzern subcultures: the football fan scene, and the music scene. They called themselves the Open Minded Riot Crew and they produced a fan CD.

The double album is entitled So genannti Fuessballsongs (So Called Football Songs), a reference to media journalist who, in their irrational anger towards non-conformist fan culture, use the term So genannte Fussballfans (So called football fans) to describe everything in a stadium who is just slightly more emotional than a chartered accountant on his honeymoon. The title leads the way though. This CD does not feature the every day hit single, perfectly adapted to your local radio station. It is sometimes hard and scruffy, sometimes reflective, calm and contemplating, then bright and with witty humour again. A colourful mix of different styles and topics performed by Luzern bands and artists such as 7 Dollar Taxi, Henrik Belden, Count Gabba or Tobi Gmür from Mother’s Pride, who was also one of the main persons in charge of the project.

The lyrics which encompass the whole range of experiences and emotions of a real football fanatic were mostly conceived by FCL fans. You will find the song Fegg di! (Fuck you!) that humorously treats the enormous amount of diplomatic skills a football fan might need in order to not make his girlfriend feel all too neglected when another day with the football buddies is coming up. Another example of a successful parody comes with the song Liibesvisiatione-Maa (Body check man) that changes the rather unpleasant security checks at stadium entrances into a much coveted event in a sexually loaded athmosphere.

Slightly more aggressive tones you get from local punk rock band Boys Porno in Porno 6000 and Hattrick Baby or from Count Gabba in his opening song Ei Schtadt, ei Liebi (One city, one love), enumerating the several advantages of living in beautiful Luzern as opposed to dull and dreary places, such as Bern or Sion.

Certainly one of the biggest musical surprises on the album are the two melancholic folk tunes Alkoholiker (Alcoholic) and Mer schtönd hender der (We stand behind you) by Mauro Guarise. The first is a wonderful ode to FCL’s general inability to do anything successful, the latter is an anthem on friendship and solidarity which could easily serve as the theme song of FCL’s next European campaign.

The album reaches its emotional climax though with the Coldplay like anthem D Ziit esch riif (The time is ripe) by Romain Schmitt. It summarises a lot of what an FCL fan is waiting for, it contains all the longing for a title and you can literally imagine the masses with their scarfs and flags held up in the air, singing this song at New Allmend before the decisive game. Goosebumps guaranteed.

Even though you might own CDs of higher musical value, So genannti Fuessballsongs is an intelligent and creative piece of art that offers a look into what is one of the biggest, but also one of the most misunderstood subcultures in Luzern. If you love football, you will like it. Else, it is also very useful to brush up your Lozärndütsch as the glossy booklet comes with all lyrics.

The easiest way to get your copy is to order it online on www.fussballsongs.ch or go to Old Town Store at Grendelplatz. USL might also sell copies at the games.

Here is also a video of the song Keini vo de gwöhnlech Schöne (Not one of the commonly beautiful) by Henrik Belden. An obituary to Old Allmend with pictures of days passed by: