How to start your own chant

Yesterday I asked you the reader to let us know what the most iconic Philadelphia Union chant was, and while we got some good answers (I’ll do something on this later in the week), something I saw from time to time was frustration over how either no one knew any songs or how there were no new songs.

Trust me when I say that this is not a new issue – these complaints probably started halfway through the first match. What I can tell you is that getting upset about it doesn’t help anything, nor does blaming the Sons of Ben or the capos on the stand.

What can help is trying to come up with original ideas for songs. Yes, you. Get a few friends together and try and come up with a few. Remember, songs should be catchy and to a tune most people are already familiar with. You’re probably not going to have much luck getting people familiar with a complex melody full of words they’re hearing for the first time. It’s why the sing-song “Philadelphia” is so often done – anyone with a pulse can do it.

Come up with a few ideas. Come up with a ton of ideas. Why? I guarantee that most of them are going to suck. Look, it happens. Even the great artists put out something that in retrospect makes you question what drugs they were on. The more you come up with, the more chance you’ll have of coming up with something that is easy and memorable.

When it comes match time, wait for a lull in the singing and then just belt it out. As loud as you possibly can. Of course people are going to look at you, but isn’t that the point? Try and get people around you to join in. Try also to get the attention of one of the capos – if they can hear you and nothing else is happening most times they’ll try and get people to join in.

If this is one of the chants that sucks, well good thing you thought of more. Let it go, and then during the next lull try your next idea. Try and get people to join in – that’s how Bohemian Rhapsody started. A few friends and I thought it’d be funny and we just started doing it during the rain delay against Chivas USA. (Yes it’s a complex melody, but most everyone already knows it or at least parts of it.)

We were just being assholes, yet people started singing it and the next thing we knew other people started singing it at matches before we did.

What else can be done? Talk to the capos and Sons of Ben about your idea. Again, if it’s good I’d almost guarantee they’ll go with it. And hey if it sucks, they may be able to work with you on it. If not don’t take it personally, just try and figure something else out.

Good luck!