Sunshine on Leith

[SirDavidsNapper]

Old article from Bill Leckie but it's sent me off again. Good read.


(http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/archives/news/150586/id-love-to-sing-hibees-anthem/)https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/archives/news/150586/id-love-to-sing-hibees-anthem/

[Jim44]

Old article from Bill Leckie but it's sent me off again. Good read.


(http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/archives/news/150586/id-love-to-sing-hibees-anthem/)https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/archives/news/150586/id-love-to-sing-hibees-anthem/

I think he should update this article. Maybe he did, of course. :nlgwa

[SirDavidsNapper]

I think he should update this article. Maybe he did, of course. :nlgwa

I'm sure he expressed his disappointment in another article that he only heard our Scottish Cup winning rendition of SOL from the bowels of Hampden because of the pitch invasion and mass celebrations.

[One Day Soon]

Stunningly good piece. Tell every Hearts fan you know. And here it is for everyone who doesn't want to click through to the Sun website:


"NEVER wanted to support a team other than the one that’s in the blood.

Never understood glory hunters who coat-tail clubs they never actually see in the flesh.

Never, in all honesty, yearned to swap any of the cards my lot have been dealt for someone else’s hand.

Well, except maybe one.

Boy, what I’d give to be part of a victory song like Sunshine on Leith.

The day 30,000 Hibs fans sang it in a Hampden blizzard after their team had won the 2007 League Cup will stay forever as one of the most spine-tingling moments I’ve known.

And hearing it ring out once more from around Easter Road after their midweek Scottish Cup replay win over Hearts . . . well, the feeling was one of sheer, naked envy.

Yes, to be in among your own lot after you’ve won a trophy and to bawl along to Oh When The Saints is what it’s all about, an experience none of us would trade.

Sure, to be there as Parkhead or Anfield shudder to You’ll Never Walk Alone or in the Nou Camp when Barca’s club song is roared by 90,000 throats is a genuine privilege.

To have an anthem, though, that’s written by two of your own fans about how much they love the very streets where your club lives? That’s something else. That’s proper hairs on the back of the neck stuff.

Apart from anything else, it’s a gorgeous song in its own right. The lyrics, the melody, the plaintive fiddle, the swell each time it reaches the word Sunshine; lovely, just lovely.

It’s a perfect singalong number, one where it doesn’t matter that you don’t have perfect pitch, plastic or otherwise, because you can just get swept along with the mood of it all.

Plus, the verse and chorus are both repeated, so it’s not hard to learn the words. But best of all, in an era where football chants are increasingly negative and aimed at knocking the opposition rather than supporting your own favourites, it’s uplifting, it’s life-affirming. It’s, well, it’s nice.

Your heart was broken, then you met someone who made it all better and now, as long as the sun shines, you’ll thank a higher power for making it happen. Got to be better than Somebody-Somebody’s Two- Coloured Army repeated seven zillion times in a row, hadn’t it?

For me, Sunshine On Leith is the antedote to all the cringeworthy guff that comes out of our stands every matchday, all the sectarianism and politics, all the abuse that seems to have become second nature, even to people who wouldn’t say boo to a goose the other six days of the week.

That freezing cold Sunday at Hampden nine years back, after a vibrant Hibees side led by John Collins had beaten Killie 5-1, is still crystal clear in my mind. Normally, as soon as I’ve sent over a match report on a day like that, the laptop’s in the bag and it’s indoors asap a) to thaw out and b) to do all the post-match interviews.

This time, though, I found myself transfixed by the celebrations as a band of brothers — Scott Brown, Steven Fletcher, Lewis Stevenson, Steven Whittaker and more — walked round the pitch clutching the trophy, picking up scarves and hats tossed by adoring punters, waving to friends and family, thinking life couldn’t really get much better.

Then realising that, yes, it could.

Because just then, the DJ put on Sunshine On Leith. At which point, I only wish newspaper technology allowed me to somehow embed the clip so I could listen to it as I write and you as you read.

Call me over-emotional — and my old mum always did say our family’s eyes were too near our bladders — but it was pretty overwhelming.

And as a neutral, you could only wonder at how great it must have felt to be a proper part of it all.

Last Tuesday night, a new Hibs side — though still containing the immovable object who is Stevenson — got to experience that same wave of love and of song as they went on a lap of honour after dumping their city rivals.

As they looked up into the stands, saw those thousands of scarves held aloft, heard those thousands of voices singing the praises of their club and their community, it must have been something amazing to belong to.

And I surely can’t have been alone in wondering just how astonishing a rendition it might be should they ever play Sunshine On Leith to celebrate Hibs actually winning the Sc . . .

No, I’d better not jinx it.

Let’s just say I’ll hope to still be around if it ever happens."

[brog]

Always been a fan of Bill Leckie despite who he wrote for. Top article & a good reason ( along with Chris Brookmyre ) to welcome St M back to the top flight.

[Scott Allan Key]

Always been a fan of Bill Leckie despite who he wrote for. Top article & a good reason ( along with Chris Brookmyre ) to welcome St M back to the top flight.

Obviously a genuine Buddie!

[Famous Fiver]

If I remember correctly there is footage somewhere on line of Saints fans giving SOL big licks after their draw last season which guaranteed their place in the championship.

Perhaps one of our techies can find it and upload it?

[NAE NOOKIE]

If I remember correctly there is footage somewhere on line of Saints fans giving SOL big licks after their draw last season which guaranteed their place in the championship.

Perhaps one of our techies can find it and upload it?

Don't doubt you, but it seems a strange thing to sing a song about a place on the other side of the country that has nothing to do with your team or where it comes from to celebrate one of its achievements. That's the great thing about SOL ... its non transferable :greengrin

[1van Sprou7e]

Don't doubt you, but it seems a strange thing to sing a song about a place on the other side of the country that has nothing to do with your team or where it comes from to celebrate one of its achievements. That's the great thing about SOL ... its non transferable :greengrin

To be fair they secured their place in the championship on a sunny day in leith

[NAE NOOKIE]

Its fun reading the comments under these videos of SOL ... Fans of loads of other clubs especially from England and the continent saying nice things about you as a support is always good to see :thumbsup:

Can do without the posts from Sellic fans talking about our brothers n' awe that ***** though.

[NAE NOOKIE]

To be fair they secured their place in the championship on a sunny day in leith

Ah right enough, I had forgotten it was us they were playing that day ..... brought a big and noisy support as I recall, fair play to them for joining in then :greengrin

[Famous Fiver]

Nice to see you caught up there, Nae Nookie.

[1van Sprou7e]

Ah right enough, I had forgotten it was us they were playing that day ..... brought a big and noisy support as I recall, fair play to them for joining in then :greengrin

I don't think they sang it with us, there's a video somewhere of them singing it in a pub though

[SirDavidsNapper]

If I remember correctly there is footage somewhere on line of Saints fans giving SOL big licks after their draw last season which guaranteed their place in the championship.

Perhaps one of our techies can find it and upload it?

I remember a lot of Saints fans staying back and filming it

[Famous Fiver]

Ivan, That's the one. They gave it big, big licks.

[LaMotta]

If I remember correctly there is footage somewhere on line of Saints fans giving SOL big licks after their draw last season which guaranteed their place in the championship.

Perhaps one of our techies can find it and upload it?


I don't think they sang it with us, there's a video somewhere of them singing it in a pub though


I remember a lot of Saints fans staying back and filming it

https://twitter.com/HFCTransferNews/status/861369326150062083?s=19

:thumbsup:

[sadtom]

https://twitter.com/HFCTransferNews/status/861369326150062083?s=19

:thumbsup:


Nope.Nope. Cant have it. Shut up and gie's it back immediately. Away an get yer aine.

[1875godsgift]

Nope.Nope. Cant have it. Shut up and gie's it back immediately. Away an get yer aine.

Immatation is the sincerest form of flattery 😀

But I can guarantee I'll never sing a song about Paisley 🚱

[LancsHibs]

SOL is becoming well known by football fans across the country, it’s probably the best thing we are known for outside of Scotland. By far the best football anthem and unique to our club. A real credit.

[scm70nyd1973]

SOL is becoming well known by football fans across the country, it’s probably the best thing we are known for outside of Scotland. By far the best football anthem and unique to our club. A real credit.

Yup - we are becoming known for singing a beautiful song - the Jambos are getting better known for stealing from charities and having no shame about it either. Or am I being a bit too harsh to them - answers on a postcard to New Zealand

[Kato]

Yup - we are becoming known for singing a beautiful song - the Jambos are getting better known for stealing from charities and having no shame about it either. Or am I being a bit too harsh to them - answers on a postcard to New Zealand

The last time their fans made the world-wide press was for booing the minutes silence for a dead Pope.

[Famous Fiver]

I decided not to watch but I hope big teeth didn't have the small mindedness to be cavorting about with the flag at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games trying to do the 5 1.

[SirDavidsNapper]

Wonder how Hearts fans feel about having famous neighbours

[WoreTheGreen]

I decided not to watch but I hope big teeth didn't have the small mindedness to be cavorting about with the flag at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games trying to do the 5 1.

5 top row 1 bottom row

[SirDavidsNapper]

I decided not to watch but I hope big teeth didn't have the small mindedness to be cavorting about with the flag at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games trying to do the 5 1.

Please tell me she didn't do it? 🙈

[snooky]

Immatation is the sincerest form of flattery ��

But I can guarantee I'll never sing a song about Paisley ��

Maybe not however you may have sung a Gerry Rafferty song at one time.

:hmmm: Just had a thought, maybe you were meaning the Rev. one. :wink:

[scm70nyd1973]

Maybe not however you may have sung a Gerry Rafferty song at one time.

:hmmm: Just had a thought, maybe you were meaning the Rev. one. :wink:

Or mibbies “These Streets” by Paolo Nutini - it has several references to Glenfield Road in Paisley - nae a bad song actually !

[iwasthere1972]

https://twitter.com/HFCTransferNews/status/861369326150062083?s=19

:thumbsup:

I'm more surprised that you can get a pub full of St Mirren supporters than I am of them singing SOL.

Saying that they did well with the song.

[One Day Soon]

Yup - we are becoming known for singing a beautiful song - the Jambos are getting better known for stealing from charities and having no shame about it either. Or am I being a bit too harsh to them - answers on a postcard to New Zealand


The truth is that they're not well known for anything outside of Scotland. Apart from winning WWI obv.

Neither were we until 21 May 2016, but now Sunshine on Leith - on the back of that day - is becoming more and more widely known and regarded as THE finest club anthem in the world.

When you have Sir Alex Ferguson saying "A couple of years ago, when Hibs won the Scottish Cup final and that celebration, Sunshine on Leith? I don’t think there’s a better football celebration ever in the game” you know you have something unique.