When exactly did 'bom bom bom bom' find its way into the Geelong post-match club song?

[Geelong_Sicko]

I was just watching this classic final five minutes of our victory over Port Adelaide in Round 14, 2003 (they were first on the ladder, we were 15th and we hadn't beaten them in the last four years) and they include the club song at the end;



There's no 'bom bom bom bom'!! When did this line actually start bobbing up in the club song? Anyone know?

 

[Cursed Cat]

I was just watching this classic final five minutes of our victory over Port Adelaide in Round 14, 2003 (they were first on the ladder, we were 15th and we hadn't beaten them in the last four years) and they include the club song at the end;



There's no 'bom bom bom bom'!! When did this line actually start bobbing up in the club song? Anyone know?

No - but my money's one either James Kelly or Shannon Byrnes busting out with it for the first time ...

 

[Boxhead_31]

I was just watching this classic final five minutes of our victory over Port Adelaide in Round 14, 2003 (they were first on the ladder, we were 15th and we hadn't beaten them in the last four years) and they include the club song at the end;



There's no 'bom bom bom bom'!! When did this line actually start bobbing up in the club song? Anyone know?

The sweet sound of Clinton Grybas commentating

 

[GeelongFTW]

its that what theyre saying? i always thought we were just repeating 'ball' some more times- ' we're always on the ball ball ball ball'

 

[Turbocat]

Putting words on the scoreboard in the finals... I wanted them to sing the second verse... it never gets sung for some reason.


Bom bom bom... I never even thought about that. ... it sounds a very carlton thihg to do

 

[Catsace]

I think it may have come during the '07-08 winning era, but this was a flashback that was nice to see. Chappy and Gazza with hair, and when near the end of the game the mention of the 50th anniversary of the '51-52 Premierships, and at that stage a half a century later just one had been added 40 years previously.

Might be early to call, but i wonder if Geelong will have any eye on the magic record of 23 wins in a row? I suspect that if they get through the first 2-3 games, it might start to be a thing, a sort of chance to go into a unique record book. Although i suspect the main game is to be there at season's end like this year.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

its that what theyre saying? i always thought we were just repeating 'ball' some more times- ' we're always on the ball ball ball ball'

Maybe my ears are rooted. I've got copies of all our 2022 finals and I've had a listen to the club song vs both Collingwood and Brisbane. Even with the sound up I still can't tell!!

You might be right though. It makes more sense if it actually was

we're always on the ball (ball ball ball ball)

we play the game as it should be played (hey!)

at home or far away

rather than 'bom bom bom bom'

 

[jim boy]

The second line has never really made much sense, "we're always on the ball" - what does that even mean? John Watts must have had writers block at that point.

TBH I would like to get rid of the banjo/brass sound behind, it makes it cheesy and is just reflective of the bad musical taste at the time it was written(we had an accordion player in the rooms before the 63 GF to rev us up FFS!) - perhaps bring it back to something more in with the original Toreador song

As for the 'bom bom bom' I like it when sung in the huddle, adds some flair, but should we change it to 'bureau, bureau, bureau'?

 

[Catsace]

Well, something has to rhyme with 'We are Geelong, the Greatest team of all'..... so we're restricted to words like ball, call, fall, or perhaps....'We're better than you all'?

Actually Schmegg has said to me in the past 'We own the Mall' as a possible rhyme to greatest team of all!


Don't mind always on the ball to be honest. I recall the actual Toreador anthem being played on loudspeakers during my forlorn foray to City Hall after 1995's GF, was rather a paradoxical feeling listening to the rousing anthem but welcoming home a side that had been smashed.

But i do reckon Geelong has always played the game as it should be played. hence the best footy that can be seen is Geelong in full flight, something we as Cat fans have experienced a lot of since '07 and more generally since '89. Cats '07-08 I reckon was about as imperious as any footy you'd ever see. Much more aesthetically pleasing to watch than as one member here coined the phrase for the Tigers of '17-'20, being Auskick for Adults with a huge slice of Dusty.

 

[GeelongFTW]

Maybe my ears are rooted. I've got copies of all our 2022 finals and I've had a listen to the club song vs both Collingwood and Brisbane. Even with the sound up I still can't tell!!

You might be right though. It makes more sense if it actually was

we're always on the ball (ball ball ball ball)

we play the game as it should be played (hey!)

at home or far away

rather than 'bom bom bom bom'

I reckon even the player's arent sure what exactly they're saying lol. They've probably just blindly continued the tradition to a point where nobody knows who started it or why (not too dissimilar to most traditions mind you)

 

[jim boy]

Well, something has to rhyme with 'We are Geelong, the Greatest team of all'..... so we're restricted to words like ball, call, fall, or perhaps....'We're better than you all'?

We're champions of football?

We're in for the long haul?

We play hard at the ball?

We also play netball?

We like a good pub-crawl?

We like to eat meat balls?

Remember Derek Hall?

 

[Catsace]

We're champions of football?

We're in for the long haul?

We play hard at the ball?

We also play netball?

We like a good pub-crawl?

We like to eat meat balls?

Remember Derek Hall?

Dogs best anthem is when they had 'Bulldogs bite and Bulldogs roar, Remember '54', so i can actually really work with bringing back memories of our famous #19 of the latter 90's.

 

[InnocentBystandr]

I'd like to see a chant developed, sort of like a haka, with a challenge and response. The team I played for (many many years ago) had a chant rather than a song. Felt tougher than singing.

 

[Spearman]

I'd like to see a chant developed, sort of like a haka, with a challenge and response. The team I played for (many many years ago) had a chant rather than a song. Felt tougher than singing.

+1 show tunes don't really cut it. Need something more sing alongy. Don't mind the lyrics actually.

BTW FYI 'on the ball' means up for it, competent or capable, awake or alert.

 

[Landgraft]

I'd like to see a chant developed, sort of like a haka, with a challenge and response. The team I played for (many many years ago) had a chant rather than a song. Felt tougher than singing.

I think that's the kind of thing that's really cool in theory, but if you try to force it then it just feels weird and doesn't quite work. This goofy little song is a part of our heritage, better to work with it than to try and invent an artificial replacement for it imo.

 

[catstorm]

The second line has never really made much sense, "we're always on the ball" - what does that even mean? John Watts must have had writers block at that point.

TBH I would like to get rid of the banjo/brass sound behind, it makes it cheesy and is just reflective of the bad musical taste at the time it was written(we had an accordion player in the rooms before the 63 GF to rev us up FFS!) - perhaps bring it back to something more in with the original Toreador song

As for the 'bom bom bom' I like it when sung in the huddle, adds some flair, but should we change it to 'bureau, bureau, bureau'?

I'm surprised you have never heard that before, it's a pretty common tern of phrase as far as I'm concerned.

"On the Ball"
Indicating competence, alertness, or intelligence.

 

[jim boy]

"On the Ball"
Indicating competence, alertness, or intelligence.

well yeah, but we've gone from line one saying "we're the greatest" to line two saying "we pay attention", may as well be saying "we brush our teeth at night "- if that is the only meaning that John Watts is trying to convey, than that's not really inspiring

 

[catstorm]

well yeah, but we've gone from line one saying "we're the greatest" to line two saying "we pay attention", may as well be saying "we brush our teeth at night "- if that is the only meaning that John Watts is trying to convey, than that's not really inspiring

It’s more like saying we are always ready to go and at the top of our game.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Well, something has to rhyme with 'We are Geelong, the Greatest team of all'..... so we're restricted to words like ball, call, fall, or perhaps....'We're better than you all'?

Actually Schmegg has said to me in the past 'We own the Mall' as a possible rhyme to greatest team of all!


Don't mind always on the ball to be honest. I recall the actual Toreador anthem being played on loudspeakers during my forlorn foray to City Hall after 1995's GF, was rather a paradoxical feeling listening to the rousing anthem but welcoming home a side that had been smashed.

But i do reckon Geelong has always played the game as it should be played. hence the best footy that can be seen is Geelong in full flight, something we as Cat fans have experienced a lot of since '07 and more generally since '89. Cats '07-08 I reckon was about as imperious as any footy you'd ever see. Much more aesthetically pleasing to watch than as one member here coined the phrase for the Tigers of '17-'20, being Auskick for Adults with a huge slice of Dusty.

Richmond Union. When we've got it hack it forward and when they have it tackle like maniacs....oh and Dusty.

 

[Turbocat]

The second line has never really made much sense, "we're always on the ball" - what does that even mean? John Watts must have had writers block at that point.

TBH I would like to get rid of the banjo/brass sound behind, it makes it cheesy and is just reflective of the bad musical taste at the time it was written(we had an accordion player in the rooms before the 63 GF to rev us up FFS!) - perhaps bring it back to something more in with the original Toreador song

As for the 'bom bom bom' I like it when sung in the huddle, adds some flair, but should we change it to 'bureau, bureau, bureau'?

Id think dual ism of being on the ball ... is probably a bit football but mainly related to a term probably used far more back then... being "on the ball" is being alert focused and ready...

then add they want a rhyme ... its probably nota great line.

 

[Spearman]

just in general usage, rather that dictionary definition, 'on the ball' just means 'top shelf', said with respect for whomever's notable capabilities.

maybe in the song for the double entendre with footy terminology

 

[Night90Cat]

I would rearrange it slightly so the change room version went like this:

We are Geelong, the greatest team of all
We are Geelong; we’re always on the ball
We play the game as it should be played
At home or far away
And when the ball is bounced, to the final bell
Stand up and fight like hell!

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

I would rearrange it slightly so the change room version went like this:

We are Geelong, the greatest team of all
We are Geelong; we’re always on the ball
We play the game as it should be played
At home or far away
And when the ball is bounced, to the final bell
Stand up and fight like hell!

Yeah, those lines in the second verse are killer. I could imagine FIGHT LIKE HELL!! being shouted in a death metal roar.

We'd blow Richmond's club song right off the park!!

 

[goyoucatters]

It’s more like saying we are always ready to go and at the top of our game.

Agreed. Of course, it is sadly not always the case.

I think it was during the 'annus horribilis' that was 2006 that my frustrations with the team led me to compose an alternative version of the lyrics for our performances during that season.

We Are Geelong, that woeful team you saw
We are Geelong, we always waste the ball
We play the game as it should be played
Mostly not on match days
Our banner's flying high, despite results
Need booting it up the $%#@

Suffice to say that GF Day 2007 saw me returning to belting out the actual words with gusto. What a difference a year makes...

 

[goyoucatters]

Richmond Union. When we've got it hack it forward and when they have it tackle like maniacs....oh and Dusty.

My terminology was 'Ultimate Mugby', and I absolutely stand by it.

I totally get how successful they were, and that can't ever be erased. But to suggest that it was either great football or compelling to watch is just nonsense in my opinion. The way we played towards the back end of '22 was so much better to watch than anything the Tigs consistently produced during their years of competition dominance.