Scape Goat I have finally understood what happened after 2004 (or #ChangeTheSong)

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Change The Song
May 26, 2017
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42,755
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Port Adelaide
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We won the flag in 2004, and, out of a sudden, our wheels fell off. We have never been the same since. I have finally understood the reason.

It was in my face all the time. Amazing that I haven't realized this before. The issue is in the team song!

The song says:

"We'll never stop, stop, stop
'Til we're top, top, top
"


Pay attention to it. It says that we won't stop UNTIL we are top.

It is the same as saying that once we are top, we stop. Why on Earth should we stop? Still, that's precisely what we did.

We must reach the top and stay there for as long as we can. We would never win six flags in a row otherwise. Still, after every win, we keep repeating those words. That's not right! Worse, it has affected us.

So, for our club's sake, in order to avoid repeating what happened after 2004, I come here to propose a change on the lyrics. The song should say:

"We'll never stop, stop, stop
'CAUSE we're top, top, top
"


This simple modification would make the team song to be more attuned to the ethos of the Port Adelaide Football Club. It would have a pedagogical effect on the people that are part of the club; especially on players and coaches.

I believe the #bringbackthebars movement should embrace my proposal due the shared spirit between these noble causes.

Thank you all for your attention.
#FOOTYISBACK


#ChangeTheSong
 
Last edited:
May 26, 2017
20,762
42,755
Uruguayana, RS (BRA)
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Grêmio, DC United, Pistons
yeah, it's like in the song. i get it.



Our song says two absurdities: (a) we aren't top; and (b) we will stop as soon as we become it.

After 2004, we did stop; and, now, we are comfortable with mediocrity ("a little suburban working-class club").

It is not a coincidence...


 
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Jun 7, 2015
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Perhaps the song was predicting carona virus, we finished top then had to stop.

That line in the song has ALWAYS annoyed me, thank you for emphasising it.

Also, I'm glad to hear you are safe.

PS - I've always preferred this song, just have a listen to the words mate and imagine singing it at the game.
I get shivers just thinking of it.

 
Mar 1, 2014
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17,154
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Our song says two absurdities: (a) we aren't top; and (b) we will stop as soon as we become it.

After 2004, we did stop; and, now, we are comfortable with mediocrity ("a little suburban working-class club").

It is not a coincidence...




I can recall the line in the club song re stopping was discussed at length some years back, ( it may have been on TPFP and not this site ), and the general opinion at the time was we would start again, but you make a good point GP it may be better to not have it in the song at all.
 
May 26, 2017
20,762
42,755
Uruguayana, RS (BRA)
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Grêmio, DC United, Pistons
Perhaps the song was predicting carona virus, we finished top then had to stop.

That line in the song has ALWAYS annoyed me, thank you for emphasising it.

Also, I'm glad to hear you are safe.

PS - I've always preferred this song, just have a listen to the words mate and imagine singing it at the game.
I get shivers just thinking of it.


"Power to the people and power to the game,
Power to Port Adelaide, it's where we get our name.
And Alberton sons and daughters, under South Australian skies,
Win or lose, we're back again, to claim the winner's prize.
"

Courtesy of RussellEbertHandball (who else?), the lyrics can be found here:

I agree with Butters Made Me Do It, that the song's music needs a twist in order to be used in football games.
 
Last edited:
Jun 7, 2015
6,965
13,665
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
"Power to the people and power to the game,
Power to Port Adelaide, it's where we get our name.
And Alberton sons and daughters, under South Australian skies,
Win or lose, we're back again, to claim the winner's prize.
"

Courtesy of RussellEbertHandball (who else?), the lyrics can be found here:

I agree with Butters Made Me Do It, that the song needs a twist in order to be used in football games.

Thanks mate, was very interesting to go back and read that thread.

I've never studied music and am no expert but I absolutely love this song and would swap to it in a heartbeat.

I would change a few words though:

"Power to the people and power to our game,
Power is at Alberton, it's where we made our name.
All of our sons and daughters, under many different skies,
Know win or lose, we follow the creed, to claim the premiers prize.
"
 

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Thanks mate, was very interesting to go back and read that thread.

I've never studied music and am no expert but I absolutely love this song and would swap to it in a heartbeat.

I would change a few words though:

"Power to the people and power to our game,
Power is at Alberton, it's where we made our name.
All of our sons and daughters, under many different skies,
Know win or lose, we follow the creed, to claim the premiers prize.
"
For any change to fit, you have to get the same number of syllables per line as the original line.
 

Marat

Club Legend
Sep 13, 2017
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Thank you Gremio - Philosopher King carrying wit and wisdom from distant shores. In the beginning was the Word - the Word was manifest in 2004 - the Word has continued to Manifest post 2004 - never doubt the power of the Word
 

Marat

Club Legend
Sep 13, 2017
1,283
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Marrickville
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These are the lyrics to an old folk song by Woody Guthrie - it’s the sort of song that can make a man mad with courage. I would like to see them tweaked for a port Adelaide theme song . I’ve also posted a link to Guthrie singing the original - listen to it and tell me you wouldnt have to be held back from jumping the fence!





Along in the sun and the rain
Along in the sun and the rain
Long oh long oh long oh long
Along in the sun and the rain
Hey, boys, I've come a long ways
Well, boys, I've come a long ways
Oh boys, I've come a long lonesome ways
Along in the sun and the rain
I seen a whole lot of things
I seen a whole lot of things
Yes oh yes, well a whole lot of things
Along in the sun and the rain
I kissed a whole lot of lips
I've kissed a whole lot of lips
Lord oh lordy, and a whole lot of lips
Along in the sun and the rain
I've seen a lot of towns
I've seen a lot of towns
I've seen a lot of towns
Along in the sun and the rain
I've had a lot of fights
I've had a lot of fights
I've had a lot of fights, man
Along in the sun and the rain
I've shook a lot of hands
I shook a lot of hands
I shook a lot of hands, poor boys
Along in the sun and the rain
I'm gonna get my job done
I'm gonna get my job done
I'm gonna get my job done, oh done
Along in the sun and the rain
 
"Power to the people and power to the game,
Power to Port Adelaide, it's where we get our name.
And Alberton sons and daughters, under South Australian skies,
Win or lose, we're back again, to claim the winner's prize.
"

Courtesy of RussellEbertHandball (who else?), the lyrics can be found here:

I agree with Butters Made Me Do It, that the song's music needs a twist in order to be used in football games.
That thread you quoted from was the day after we beat reigning premiers West Coast by 3 pts at Football Park in the 2007 Qualifying Final. A bit of context why the thread was started.

West Coast were on the edge of a dynasty as they had played 2 GF's in a row, won in 2006 and only had 1 player who was 30 years old in their squad. But they were drug ****ed after many players going on big drug benders post 2006 flag and it destroyed the club's opportunity to build a dynasty. They started the 2007 season with the best list and flag favourites, the wheels fell off a fair bit, drug issues and injuries, but not completely and finished 3rd to us just behind us on percentage, but they went out in straight sets, losing the semi final to Collingwood at home in extra time. WCE then finished 15th /16 teams with 4 wins in 2008, 11th with 8 wins in 2009 and wooden spoon in 2010 with 4 wins.

So whilst we were favourites to win the final as it was at home, WCE had about 16 premiership players playing, and fought like the wounded champions they were. That's why the song - the chorus in particular - played at times during breaks in the game and post game - struck a cord that night (as well as Pavarotti and game highlights after 2/3rd of the crowd had left) because we had a poor 2006 and were expected to be a marginal chance to make finals in 2007. But we went on a good run found some new champions, Westhoff, Robbie and Boak, drafted in November 2006 and when you win a QF, you get a week off and get to host a home PF and a bloody big chance to play in a GF.

In the thread I said it was a song that John Schumann wrote in 2002 and I saw it on The Footy Show and he had changed the chorus for Port.

John Schumann was lead singer of the band Redgum in the mid 1970's to late 1980's. I was a big fan in my youth. When I helped Lockhart Road and his 9RAR colleagues in 2014 with the boxing up of Peter Chant's war medals ( and also Bob and George Quinn's) for permanent presentation at the club, I met John a couple of times thru this, as 9RAR had adopted John as an honourary member of their group because of his 1983 seminal song - I was only 19 - about Australians conscripted to fight in the Vietnam war. Oz Vietnam Veterans have adopted the song as representing their struggles during and post Vietnam. Schumann and Redgum wrote the song - Virgin Ground - about Australians who moved to Paraguay in the mid to late 1890's to set up New Australia in the middle of Paraguay, and I put the words in your thread re 1954's sons's visit to your place.

John told me that before Port entered the AFL, the club asked a few Adelaide musicians to write a song for them. He originally wrote that with the Port chorus in 1996 or early 1997, (not in 2002 and then changed it for the Port chorus as I wrote in the thread in 2007). He said that the club wanted him to donate the song to the them and not pay royalties. Being a good music union man, he said no, you have to pay something for it.

He wasn't a die hard Port fan, even though he supports Port these days. Not sure if the club would have picked the song, but he refused to consider it if they didn't pay for it. Another couple of musicians and Port fans Quentin Eyres and Les Kaczmarek wrote the club song in 1996 or early 1997.

Les was bass guitarist for a band called Orange, a heavy metal band, which included Don Walker, Ian Moss and Steve Prestwich. The lead singer left in 1973, 16/17 year old Jimmy Barnes replaced him and they changed their name 2 or 3 times before settling on Cold Chisel in 1974. In mid 1975 Les left and was replaced by Phil Small on bass. Next year they started doing well and the rest is history and they became one of Australia's most successful rock bands and Jimmy Barnes has been a club ambassador for about 30 years.
 

PowerForGood

2020. The year the competition became terminal. Ju
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We won the flag in 2004, and, out of a sudden, our wheels fell off. We have never been the same since. I have finally understood the reason.

It was in my face all the time. Amazing that I haven't realized this before. The issue is in the team song!

The song says:

"We'll never stop, stop, stop
'Til we're top, top, top
"


Pay attention to it. It says that we won't stop UNTIL we are top.

It is the same as saying that once we are top, we stop. Why on Earth should we stop? Still, that's precisely what we did.

We must reach the top and stay there for as long as we can. We would never win six flags in a row otherwise. Still, after every win, we keep repeating those words. That's not right! Worse, it has affected us.

So, for our club's sake, in order to avoid repeating what happened after 2004, I come here to propose a change on the lyrics. The song should say:

"We'll never stop, stop, stop
'CAUSE we're top, top, top
"


This simple modification would make the team song to be more attuned to the ethos of the Port Adelaide Football Club. It would have a pedagogical effect on the people that are part of the club; especially on players and coaches.

I believe the #bringbackthebars movement should embrace my proposal due the shared spirit between these noble causes.

Thank you all for your attention.
#FOOTYISBACK


#ChangeTheSong
Had it been mentioned that even the Top Top Top bit was a premonition of where we finished the H&A in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
#ChangeTheSong
 

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