Someone in Buenos Aires might sing a song that first became popular in Italy, then was adapted in the UK, and later rewritten in Spain. And yet despite these vast changes across cultures around the world, everyone knows the words immediately, no sheet music required. How does this happen?
Football chants are unique among both music and speech in that they are one of the last genuine forms of oral tradition. And like oral traditions, they change over time, adapt to local accents as they move across borders, and become embedded into the sport through repetition rather than education. Football chants reveal something fundamental about language: we transmit how we feel before what we mean.
What Is an Oral Tradition?
Stories and songs are among the oldest communal activities, and from these, oral traditions formed. One of the defining features of an oral tradition is that it is not written down; rather, it is transmitted through speech, generation after generation. Typically, this occurred because young people would listen to their elders tell stories and sing songs, and then, eventually, when they grew up, they would become the ones telling the tales and performing the songs for the younger generations. The Griots (pronounced GREE-ohs) of West Africa are one example. These individuals have historically been responsible for preserving history, genealogy, and notable events through story and song, without errors or exaggerations. Now, football chants have begun to function similarly.
Chants during a match are rhythmically simple, largely because crowds need predictable patterns that are discernible even over noise and in the absence of coordination. The notes are usually accessible, so participants donโt require a significant vocal range to participate. Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes is a great example; its words are boiled down to โoh-oh-ohโ in a predictable pattern that is accessible in any language. Similarly, โQue Sera, Seraโ appears frequently, with the line โWeโre going to Wembleyโ replaced by the location of the football match (e.g., โWeโre going to Parisโ). And the โChi-Chi-Chi! Le-Le-Le! Viva Chile!โ that comes from Chile, as you might expect, functions as a call and response for people to shout their national pride.
Why the Language Doesnโt Matter
So why do people strip down a song to its basics for a chant? Isnโt the purpose of a song to tell a story or convey meaning? Not necessarily. Football chants, by their nature, demand access; there is no predicting which nations your team might be playing against or which language(s) they speak. Despite the lack of words in most chants (or very simple words), you can probably tell exactly what the crowd is feeling.
Thatโs because chants confirm something profound about language: that often, the feelings are felt before the meaning, and in some cases, the feelings are the sole point. Rhythm, tone, and emotional force come quickly and even subconsciously. Thatโs why you can tell if a song โsoundsโ triumphant, defiant, communally welcoming, or something else.
Combine this with the specific aura of a football stadium, and you may quickly see why football chants are an iconic part of the game. Itโs all about unity. A crowded stadium falls into synchronized participation, with thousands of strangers merging into a sort of massive, collective entity. In fact, sociologists have a term for this phenomenon: collective effervescence. Collective effervescence demonstrably elevates individuals above their current stressors, reducing worry and boosting their sense of community and positive emotions.
This is one of the main reasons why football produces chants more effectively than essentially all other forms of entertainment. The constant repetition and emotional stakes of the sport naturally lend themselves to the development of traditions that form quickly; think of how many matches take place over the span of a season.
Another reason why football chants are so accessible, regardless of language, is that skill doesnโt factor into it. Do you need to know the words perfectly? No. Do you have to have the voice of an angel? Certainly not. In that sense, the feeling overcomes the meaning and execution, so even songs that are not in your language might be part of your regular repertoire. No one is going to judge you for subpar performance; you are part of the effervescence, and you are welcome.
Most modern societies have entirely lost their communal oral culture. However, football remains one of the few major exceptions. Imagine a football match without the chants. That image in your mind indicates just how important oral traditions are in culture.
So, how does a chant travel the globe without anyone writing it down? It all comes down to humans engaging in the same behavior we have engaged in for thousands of years: joining together to share stories and songs. A chant may be translated and adapted over time, but far from diluting its impact, that process broadens its reach and cements its place in the collective memory of the game.
Image credits: Gobierno de la Ciudad Autรณnoma de Buenos Aires, CC BY 2.5 AR, via Wikimedia Commons
