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Local Hero/Going Home - Bring it back?


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I was at the Everton game (My first since 1989 - due to living in Texas) and I was disappointed not to hear Local Hero.  The fact that the new song repeats "united, united" is no reason for picking a song that has no connection to the team and the city.  If they want a change from Local Hero, then it has to be Blaydon Races.

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I do miss local hero but I am going to plump for the Blaydon Races

 

Which version?

 

It would be a instrumental & not that comedy mix either. I would crank it reeeeeeeeeeet for when the lads came out of the tunnel & hope a few thousand people sing the words  over the top.

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I do miss local hero but I am going to plump for the Blaydon Races

 

Which version?

 

It would be a instrumental & not that comedy mix either. I would crank it reeeeeeeeeeet for when the lads came out of the tunnel & hope a few thousand people sing the words  over the top.

 

OK, the 'original' always sounds a bit too old for me.

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I do miss local hero but I am going to plump for the Blaydon Races

 

Which version?

 

It would be a instrumental & not that comedy mix either. I would crank it reeeeeeeeeeet for when the lads came out of the tunnel & hope a few thousand people sing the words  over the top.

 

OK, the 'original' always sounds a bit too old for me.

 

I have scanned Youtube looking for a decent mix  & cant find one. We will have to get Jimmy Nail or the Shindig boys to make a more modern sing a long version.

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I do miss local hero but I am going to plump for the Blaydon Races

 

Which version?

 

It would be a instrumental & not that comedy mix either. I would crank it reeeeeeeeeeet for when the lads came out of the tunnel & hope a few thousand people sing the words  over the top.

 

OK, the 'original' always sounds a bit too old for me.

 

I have scanned Youtube looking for a decent mix  & cant find one. We will have to get Jimmy Nail or the Shindig boys to make a more modern sing a long version.

 

Are you guys crazy? This is the best version of the Blaydon Races ever produced and we should build a big screen just to show the video as the lads run out:

 

http://www.tomorrows-history.com/CommunityProjects/PE0100050001/Final%20chorus.MPG

 

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Local Hero still the fans’ home banker

 

Oct 16 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

 

THE search for the definitive Newcastle United anthem gathered pace yesterday as The Journal was inundated with responses from fans.

 

Scores of readers emailed, texted or went online to vote for the song the black-and-whites should run out to.

 

And the overwhelming majority of fans who have voted so far want the Magpies once again to emerge on the pitch to Newcastle-born Mark Knopfler’s guitar classic Local Hero.

 

Supporters believe it has become synonymous with the pride and passion of the fans and the club.

 

But earlier this season, the 1983 classic was sidelined by club officials who said they wanted to introduce a new number to “improve the atmosphere” at the ground.

 

They opted for If the Kids Are United, by London punk band Sham 69, because of its upbeat ending, a chant of “United, United”.

 

But the switch received a mixed response from followers, many of whom were dismayed to lose the long-standing anthem.

 

So now The Journal is giving all Magpie fans the chance to choose the song they believe will best galvanise the crowd. And the club have promised to listen, insisting they want to find the perfect Magpie anthem, whether it be one of those two or The Blaydon Races.

 

We want all readers to write, text, or go online to chose their preference.

 

By last night – just hours after our poll was launched – we had received almost 200 votes. Local Hero is already miles ahead with 165 votes, against 12 for The Blaydon Races and just four for If the Kids Are United. Seven people voted not to have an anthem at all.

 

Season ticket holder Heather Wales, of Gateshead, was right behind Local Hero. She wrote: “The hairs on the back of my neck used to stand up every time the players ran out on to the pitch when Local Hero came on.

 

“Why on earth they felt they had to change it is beyond me. I want to enter my vote to bring back Local Hero.”

 

Streams of fans also logged on to our website journallive.co.uk to register their vote, with Local Hero also taking pole position.

 

A Newcastle United spokesman said: “We hear a lot of different opinions from fans. People are quite divided – some like Local Hero, others would like to hear The Blaydon Races, while some say they don’t want any music at all so the crowd can build the atmosphere.

 

“We are keen to hear from fans so we can get the best formula and ensure the atmosphere at St James’s is as good as it always is.”

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nufc.com say

 

 

Amid ongoing rumblings from some fans over the "theme from Local Hero" tune, we've inevitably had requests from various quarters to either back calls for its reinstatement or mount a campaign to try and achieve that.

 

At the risk of infuriating the Mark Knopfler fan club though, can we just say that we won't be adding our weight to any protests of petitions.

 

Quite simply, we don't miss it and can't quite understand why some people seem to be getting quite so het up about its removal from the SJP pre-match running order.

 

After all we're talking about an instrumental track originally composed by a Glaswegian living in London for a film set in Scotland.

 

The ring tone generation seem up in arms because the tune is part of our "heritage", but  for us, the tune first heard here in the mid 1990s became synonymous with Alan Shearer and lost whatever relevance it had after his retirement.

 

And given the globalisation of our squad, it's a moot point who the local heroes actually are now - the nearest perhaps being Greenwich- born Steven Taylor or Nigeria's Shola Ameobi.

 

And unlike the pre-match rituals at Liverpool (You'll Never Walk Alone) and West Ham (Blowing bubbles), there's nothing participatory about Local Hero, no words to sing - and to our mind the only contribution to the atmosphere were the cheers of relief at the end after the final drum beats.

 

The current Sham 69 ditty probably isn't the answer, but in a perfect world we'd like nothing to be played - and the crowd build up their own atmosphere.

 

Those days seem to have gone, sadly - not helped by the teams coming out together - not separately - and fannying about with handshakes and introductions that were once only seen before cup finals and internationals.

 

We can't claim credit for an original suggestion, but how about an attempt at the Blaydon Races - and not the traditional old version that only seemed to be aired before losing home cup ties in extra time or penalties.

 

Surely some local beat combo could supply a souped-up version of Geordie Ridley's genuine Tyneside ode that could be played and turned off in time for the crowd to supply the vocals for the chorus?

 

A sign of the times would be that some sort of lyric sheet would probably be required - unless the club can run to a new scarf giveaway, with the lyrics woven in.....

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Knopfler wants the return of Local Hero

Oct 22 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

 

MUSICIAN Mark Knopfler has told of his desire to see his classic theme from Local Hero ring round the terraces of St James’s Park once again.

 

The former Dire Straits frontman spoke yesterday of his sadness that his 1983 song Going Home – the theme tune from the film Local Hero – has been sidelined at the ground.

 

The musician, who was brought up in Gosforth, Newcastle and is an ardent Magpies fan, told The Journal how proud he was when his song was selected as the song for the players’ entrance on to the pitch – and he is now desperate to see it return as the official anthem.

 

But the song was ditched at the beginning of the beginning of the season by officials, who said they wanted to “improve the atmosphere.” They plumped for punk band Sham 69’s If The Kids Are United.

 

But now more than 1,000 Journal readers have registered their vote to get Local Hero returned to the terrace.

 

Knopfler said: “I must admit to being surprised at the choice of If The Kids Are United as it was sung by a Cockney band and has already been used for a McDonalds advertising campaign. But I’ll stay an NUFC supporter no matter what.”

 

 

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2007/10/22/knopfler-wants-the-return-of-local-hero-61634-19987139/

 

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Guest Reservoir Mags

Rather Local Hero than that cockney dirge from Sham 69 TBH.  If we have to change (and I don't see why we should) then Blaydon Races is the obvious choice, but if something else has to be played then how about "The Wildhearts" "Geordie in Wonderland".  I can actually see the crowd joining in with that once the words are known.

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It doesn't matter if it HAD anything to do with Newcastle before, now it does and it means a lot to most fans. It's just not the same when the lads come out and it isn't playing, you don't get the shiver down the spine.

 

Bring it back, it must happen.

 

Also, it's 79p from iTunes so I can always listen to it myself!

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It doesn't matter if it HAD anything to do with Newcastle before, now it does and it means a lot to most fans. It's just not the same when the lads come out and it isn't playing, you don't get the shiver down the spine.

 

Bring it back, it must happen.

 

Also, it's 79p from iTunes so I can always listen to it myself!

 

Exactly it dosent matter if it wasnt made for Newcastle, it now does have the connection & was done by a Geordie.  Its irrelevant which film it was made for, it was adapoted by Nufc and change shouldnt happen just for the sake of it.

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I'd prefer it to be saved for a handful of matches each season.

 

Playing it before every game means it loses its value.

 

I disagree. I think it's part of our identity. Either play it every home game or not at all.

 

How?

 

Its a cheesy song written by a Scotsman for a Scottish film IIRC.

 

I don't recall NUFC being in Scotland.  ;)

 

When was it made? Early 80's? What did we do before then? When was the 1st time it was played, who decided that we adopted it? (really would like to know where it all stems from if anyone can answer, ta)

 

People over rate this song, its boring, dull and uninspiring. A new era could easily bring a new song, something with a bit of passion and charisma. Its not our culture, we can get rid of it, it doesn't define us by any mean.

 

 

 

Load of s****. It's not about the connection to the area, if it was then we'd have Jimmy f****** Nail singing Crocodile f****** Shoes. It's about the way it gets the crowd up and creates an atmosphere.

 

If you can put forward an alternative song that would be just as good i'm all ears.

 

 

How about Big River by Jimmy Nail?

Its all about the Tyne and far more appropriate than some dirge written by a scottish/american/geordie wannabe

 

Walking on cobbled stones, little bits of skin and bone

Jumping on a tram car for a ride

I can remember when, I was a just a boy of ten

Hanging around the old Quayside.

Now all the capstans and the cargo boats

And Stevadores are gone

To where all the old ships go

But memories, just like the sea live on

'Cause that was when coal was King

The river was a living thing

And I was just a boy but it was mine

The coaly Tyne.

This was a big river

I want you all to know

That I was proud

This was a big river

But that was long ago

That's not now, that's not now

My father was working man

He earned our living with his hands

He had to cross the river every day

He picked up his Union card, out of the Neptune yard

Mouths to feed and bills to pay

There came a time for him to sail across the sea and far away

And finally when the war was won

They brought him home and home he stayed

And when his days were done

Under a golden sun

They took him back to where he longed to be

Back to the sea

This was a big river

I want you all to know

That I was proud

This was a big river

But that was long ago

That's not now, that's not now.

The Neptune was the last to go

I heard it on the radio

And then they played the latest number one

But what do they do all day

And what are they supposed to say

What does a father tell his son?

If you believe that there's a bond between our future and our past

Try to hold on to what we have

We build them strong, we built to last

'Cause this is a mighty town

Build upon solid ground

And everything they've tried so hard to kill

We will rebuild.

This is a big river

I want you all to know I'm so very proud

This is a big river

But that was long ago

That's not now

This is a big, big river

And in my heart I know it will rise again

The river will rise again.

 

 

PS anyonesuggesting crap from Top Gun should be played needs to be shot with sh1te

Good god man. Whilst Big River is a very good song, it's almost as depressing as Everybody Hurts by REM

 

Traditions have to start somewhere, and i'm sure there were a contingent of Hammers who were up in arms about "I'm forever blowing bubbles", and what the f*ck has Z-Cars to do with Everton?

 

Truth be told, most of the country associate NUFC and only NUFC with local hero - why not make it our tradition, and I agree, combined with Carmina Burana, it is spine-tingling.

 

So - let's get it back. Let's make it part of our tradition.

 

What better place than here?  What better time than now?

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