German Football Players Singing (MP3)

I have to apologize for today's post, and I recommend that you don't play any of the MP3 files unless you are either severely intoxicated or deaf. If not, you may try to play them backwards or put lots of sound effects on them. (I recommend pitch shifting, or even dual pitch.) If you choose to listen to the music unprotected, don't complain to me about any damage to your ear or brain. For more football music, tune in tomorrow, July 3, at 7pm Eastern, to Do or DIY with Vicki Bennett.

It might not be so well-known outside of Germany, but Franz Beckenbauer had a career in singing and soup commercials before he became the "emperor" and the "shining light" of German football. His song "Gute Freunde kann niemand trennen" (Good friends can't be separated) made it into the German charts in 1966, and if you feel brave, you can listen to it right here (MP3). Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a copy of his Knorr soup commercial. Please leave a comment if you have any on-line source for this video.

The Brazilians are out of the tournament now, but Ronaldo still upstaged Gerd Mueller as the top scorer at World Cups. However, in the field of atrocious recordings by sports heroes, Ronaldo will have a hard time beating Mueller's song "Dann macht es bumm" (MP3, Thoroughly Idiotic Title).

Nobody knows why, but the German team which won the World Cup in 1954 recorded a 7" single in 1973, singing about the traditional colors of their team jerseys, "Schwarz und Weiss" (MP3, Black and White). It shouldn't have happened, but now we have to document it.

Last but not least we have a recording by Petar "Radi" Radenkovic, the Yugoslavian goalkeeper who played in the Bundesliga in the 60s, and became quite successful as a singer and a model in Germany during that time. Here is is smash hit (it actually made the German top 10) about himself in Bavarian dialect: "Bin i Radi, bin i König" (MP3, When I'm Radi, I Am King).

There is even more, but I fear for my (and the readers') sanity, so I'll stop here. OK, a last one, in case you were wondering about the picture of the CD cover with the Village People and the German team. Yes, they recorded a song for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. Watch the video at YouTube and admire the wild dancing and singing of a young Jürgen Klinsmann.

Comments

[Trent]

I love how all the German players are just barely singing along with the Village People. All, except for Jurgen Klinsmann. He can REALLY sing!!!

Germany will win this World Cup. Definitely.

[Camila Ueoka]

If you have traveled to Germany of the last couple of decades, you might notice a underlying shame that remains from the II World War. The World cup in Germany has allowed the German people to raise their spirits and move beyond the travesty of their past. I hope that Germany wins and that this win will and the theme about Saying no to all types of racism prevail into the future.

[Trish]

1982: The Scotland World Cup Squad had a hit with their song, "We Have a Dream"

[BREAK]

In the link you can find the annoying video of the Spanish team.

[Albgardis Ungvarsky]

Thanks so much for these wonderfully hilarious old songs. I am a german immigrant, old enough to remember Gerd Mueller shooting the winning goal in 1974. He was a hero! And I do remember his songs were played even on northern german radio stations (considering the fact he is Bavarian, that is a sensation!!). Does someone have the outstanding "Fussball ist unser Leben" as mp3 by the national team (I think 1974)??? That would be a special treat!

[Boris]

Team manager Beckenbauer famously kicked backup goalkeeper Uli Stein off Germany's squad during the '86 world cup because the latter had called him a 'Suppenkasper' (= soup clown). Though most considered Stein to be Germany's best goalie at the time, the 'Kaiser' had relegated him to warming the bench in favor of Toni Schumacher, whose two blunders during the final against Argentina cost Germany the championship.

[not interesting]

Schumacher said afterwards "Ich habe gehalten wie ein Arsch" ("I kept like an ass"). (Kann das wer besser übersetzen?)

[Michael]

The Soupspot with Beckenbauer is to see here in a TV-Show-Hommage after 4 Minutes, just 10 Seconds or so. Maybe you can cut it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv-P0QDqumI

Best

Michael