Chant of the Week: Let’s Go
Chant of the Week: Let’s Go
Bill Wolf
There is a bit of art to creating a good chant. You typically want to either have some interesting lyrics or an interesting melody. If the lyrics are too simple and the melody is too primitive, then the chant has no teeth and supporters get bored. However, if you select a challenging melody and complex lyrics, then the chant becomes too difficult to learn. Often, you want to keep one part simple and use the other to keep the chant interesting.
If you choose to create interesting lyrics, you want to find a simple melody. If you can base it off a popular tune, it is easy for people to recognize and learn, but if you base it off of something too simple like a nursery rhyme (say Twinkle Twinkle), everyone feels a little foolish singing. If you choose a more popular tune, then suddenly you realize that every other club in the world has a chant based on that song.
If you choose to go with simple lyrics, however, you can select a tune that is perhaps less well known. Maybe a tune from a Korean girl band formed two and a half years ago, that has had huge success in Asia and on the Billboard World Digital Songs Chart.
“Let’s Go” is a simple chant based off of a couple of sections from BlackPink’s “Boombayah.” It’s catchy, has a great beat and has a fun melody. The band is new enough that every club in the world hasn’t adopted a chant from them, but also popular enough that music lovers may have picked up on the group and recognize the tune. Regardless, the lyrics are simple enough that the chant will be easy for all to learn.
Lyrics
Shaa la-la la-la-la la la-la-la (x3)
Shaa-laaaa-laaaa-laaaa-laaa
(^x2)
Oh FCC, ole oleole oh (x3)
Let’s go, Let’s go!
(^x2)
Notes
This chant is extremely simple. The first phrase is repeated three times, and then drawn out in the forth phrase. The entire “Sha-la-la” section is then repeated.
The second grouping follows the first in format but not melody. The first line “Oh FCC,” is repeated three times, followed by a deviation of “Let’s go” for the forth phrase. Again, the entire section is repeated.
The lyrics are mostly sounds with minimal words. This chant is about the melody and the catchy driving beat. As the chant becomes familiar, hopefully, the “Let’s go” phrase can be punctuated to encourage the team to make something happen on the pitch.
Listen
Max Ellerbe has once again wielded his plastic box and stick and put together a simple training video available on the Knights of the Bailey You Tube channel.
Inspiration
Here is a video of the original song. You’ll have to jump around a bit to hear the parts that inspired the chant.
The Sha-la-la’s first appear at 1:39. To catch the Oh FCC part, jump to 2:16.
Keep the music video in mind when you sing the chant. It’s a dance tune and Nippert is the dance floor with 30,000 people singing the lyrics to what the DJ is spinning.
Previous Chants
Read about previous chants of the week:
Forza Cincinnati
Hey FC Cincinnati
Cincy Till I Die
Cincy Chants
Did you know there was an app for your phone that would tell you what chant was being sung by the Bailey? Check it out.