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‘Folk-ball’s coming home?’ Russian folk band pay tribute to legendary England terrace chant

11 Jul, 2018 07:01
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/ RT

England’s unofficial World Cup anthem ‘football’s coming home’ has become so popular following The Three Lions’ miraculous march to the semi-finals that a Russian folk band have made their own unique version.

Folk ensemble Partizan FM, who describe themselves as “the most upmarket folk band in Russia”, have produced a quintessentially provincial twist on the song currently on every England fan’s lips.

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RT were on hand to record a video of the ditty, with the ‘Partizans’ standing in a field, donning authentic Russian agricultural dress and playing on traditional instruments such as the balalaika and the gusli. One of the band members can also be seen, at the end of the clip, performing a traditional Cossack dance with a sabre.

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The song had originally been released for the Euro 96 tournament held in England, where the team reached the semi-final stage, and was sung by English comedy duo David Baddiel and Frank Skinner with Brit pop band Lightning Seeds. 

READ MORE: England overpower limited Sweden to return to World Cup semis for first time since 1990

The song's meaning is centered on the idea the tournament was first major competition to be held in the country since the nation –known as the birthplace of football as we know it today– hosted and won the World Cup in 1966.

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It became so popular that it was re-recorded for the France 98 World Cup and the chorus proved so catchy that it is still sung by the hordes of England fans that travel abroad to watch their heroes.

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The subsequent 'football's coming home' catchphrase has also gripped social media as much as fans, with many believing 2018 could be England's year to win it again, after over half a century since their maiden win.   

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England's current crop of Three Lions will try to keep that dream alive when they play Croatia in the semi-finals at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Wednesday.