The Fossa Dei Leoni sing You'll Never Walk Alone ... a special moment
Posted by Rushian on May 17, 2005, 02:20:22 AM
This is how the fans of the Curva Sud sing You'll Never Walk Alone today:
http://www.fdl.it/sound/fdl-you'll_never.mp3It's a more original take on the song than other fans (many of the German, Dutch and *cough* Scottish clubs) who have faithfully echoed our rendition - the Milan fans have adapted the song and arranged their own version, turning it into a drum fuelled, staccato chant. It's uniquely Italian. Uniquely Milanese.
The Fossa Deo Leoni, their Ultras, have also produced a CD called ‘Da Liverpool a San Siro la leggenda continua’ (From Liverpool to San Siro the legend lives on) including live chants recorded at Anfield and at the San Siro (which I think is available from Johnny Mac over on
RAOTL, thanks to his long established links with the Milan fans).
But it's another version of YNWA sang by the Milan fans that I want to talk about. It remains one of my most enduring (and emotional) memories in football. I was watching BBC's Sportsnight four days after Hillsborough. Numb to the bone as everyone was, I think it was my desperate attempt to find some football and to find some meaning to it all.
The programme was to throw up something so special it counteracted the absolute vile published by The S*n that very morning, a bile-inducing tissue of lies that saw us rushing to burn copies in the street or throw up in the nearest gutter.
Milan were playing Real Madrid in the second leg of the European Cup that night, having drawn 1-1 away. This was the great Milan, Sacchi's masterpiece (and as he later admitted, modelled on our four-time European Cup winning team) with the beautiful Dutch trio of Rijkaard, Van Basten and Gullit spearheading Baresi and Maldini's magnificent defence.
The mood on the TV show was perfunctory - football hardly seemed to matter, the presenter and commentators were on autopilot. I sat there, desperately clinging onto my latest crutch measuring 40% by volume, staring blankly at my black and white portable screen.
The game kicked off and not long in the referee blew his whistle and picked up the ball. It was a signal for a minute's silence. I, like many others I'm sure, was confused. I watched on as the the San Siro fell silent. Then slowly, but surely, a very moving and note perfect rendition of YNWA started to rise from the Curva Sud gaining in intensity as the minute went on.
I burst into tears. There's tears in my eyes as I type this. It remains to this day the quintessential act of solidarity by one group of fans to another. The game continued and Milan ran Madrid ragged, winning 5-0 in one of the greatest performances in the history of the competition. Their players and fans ascended to legendary status that night.
Because of that perfect act of kindness by the Milan fans in 1989 they have always had the utmost repsect by Liverpool fans (especially of my age). Of all the many things said and done by football fans all over the world after Hillsborough it remains for me the most moving, and unexpected moment.
This is how the Milan fans remember the day:
http://www.milanmania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17693c'è una canzone inglese che noi facciamo che è l'inno del Liverpool che è Walk on una canzone degli anni 60 che è stata presa dai tifosi del Liverpool come loro inno col ritornello che dice
Walk on walk on
with hope in your heart
and you'll never walk alone
you'll never walk alonec'era uno di noi che aveva il disco con questi cori che lì da loro non c'è nessuno che li dirige col microfono partono spontaneamente parte questo Walk on che sembra un urlo che viene da lontano e così noi abbiamo cercato di impararla abbiamo dovuto fare i foglietti con su com'era scritto perché molti dicevano Welcome cioè benvenuto invece di Walk on camminiamo abbiamo spiegato che cosa voleva dire e tutto quanto finché siamo riusciti a impararla questa canzone e ci ha resi famosi in tutta Europa perché l'abbiamo fatta quando sono morti i tifosi del Liverpool schiacciati contro le transenne a Sheffield è successo al sabato e noi domenica avevamo la partita col Real Madrid di Coppa dei campioni che abbiamo vinto 5 a 0 una partita memorabile
avevamo preparato uno striscione con scritto SHEFFIELD YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE c'era il minuto di silenzio e noi eravamo pronti per fare la canzone e mettere fuori lo striscione invece l'arbitro uno svedese ha fatto iniziare subito la partita noi mettiamo fuori lo striscione ma la cosa sembrava finita li poi però di colpo lui ferma il gioco e si mette la palla ai piedi per il minuto di silenzio cazzo io lì in quel momento non avevo neanche il microfono sono salito sulla transenna e senza microfono come fanno loro siamo partiti con questa canzone c'ho il video a casa ogni tanto lo rivedo e mi viene la pelle d'oca tutti i giocatori sull'attenti poi si sente tutto lo stadio in piedi a applaudire si vede l'arbitro che guarda verso di me perché sente il coro si vede benissimo il coro che sale And you'll never walk alone anche adesso che lo dico mi emoziono l'hanno fatto vedere per 6 mesi su tutte le reti inglesi almeno una volta al giorno lo facevano vedere sono arrivate tante di quelle lettere di tifosi inglesi voi siete dei veri amici e per tutta la vita noi saremo sempre vostri amici
Leoni armati
stiam marciando
siam la FOSSA DEI LEON...
dei..leon..leon..leon...
leon...leon...
siam la FOSSA DEI LEON !!!
sangue ! violenza!
FOSSA DEI LEONI !!!
Milan ! Milan ! Milan !This is a translation from matty on ynwa.tv:
There is an English song we sing which is the Anthem of Liverpool, a song from the 60s with a chorus that goes:
Walk on walk on
with hope in your heart
and you'll never walk alone
you'll never walk aloneOne of us had the record with these words, but for them (Liverpool) there is nobody who leads with the microphone, the words seem to come like a shout from afar. So we have tried to learn the words using a printed sheet because many said 'welcome' instead of 'walk on' and also what the words actually meant. We succeeded in learning the song and it made us famous in all Europe because we sang it when the Liverpool fans died at Sheffield and we played Real Madrid in the Semi final of the Champions cup won 5-0.
We had prepared a banner with Sheffield You'll Never Walk Alone. There was the minute's silence and we were ready to unfurl the banner and sing the song but instead the Swedish referee started the game immediately. We unfurl the banner but the moment seemed lost, but then the referee stopped play and began the [f***ed up] silence. At that moment I didn't even have a microphone, we started as they (liverpool) do with the song. I have the video at home and every so often I look at it again, my hair stands up, all the players and crowd applaud and the referee looks towards me because it is so well known, this song, and the chorus rises 'you'll never walk alone' and it was shown so many times on the English TV networks, and I received many letters from English fans. You are true friends and we are always your friends.
Armed Lions!
We are marching
We are the Lion's cave
the lions, lions, lions, lions
We are the lion's cave
Blood! Violence!
The Lion's cave!
Milan! Milan! Milan!The 25th May 2005 will see the meeting of two great clubs and two great sets of fans in Istanbul. It's the first time the two clubs have met in a competitive match, yet it smells, feels, tastes and sounds like THE classic fixture, THE gran clasico of European football. Let's remember that day back in 1989, let's both sing You'll Never Walk Alone and let's show the world how special football can be.
© Rushian 2005
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