Bill Oddie - embarassing or best chant ever

[pea]

It's the greatest chant ever, and I'm glad it's getting sung more often at home nowadays. We are the only club who can sing the same song for twenty years, and after twenty years a large section of "supporters" only hear about it for the first time!

THIS haha, kind of makes me love it more though, its origins are (for most) lost in the depths of history

[Green]

We are the only club who can sing the same song for twenty years, and after twenty years a large section of "supporters" only hear about it for the first time!

Not gonna get into a "I'm a better supporter than you" argument (if only because I'll lose) but my point is that we haven't been singing it for 20 years, at least not continuously. I had a season ticket for our last three seasons at Elm Park, and always stood on the right side (We're the right side etc), and I never heard it.

But that aside - I'm interested by your comment - why are we the only club this could happen to? Is it that you think we have a more fickle supporter base than other clubs, or just that ours are hard of hearing

[Mr Optimist]

Genius. Has been in existence or around 20 years. If you had not heard it at an away game c.20 years ago then you are not one of the 300 regular away followers from the time and clearly a JCL plolastic.

[Green]

JCL?

[Mr Optimist]

Johnny come lately. The comment wasn't aimed at you Green, just having a bit of a joke

[Green]

That's fine mate, I'm not exactly gonna come on here and claim to be Mr Reading FC having attended one home game in ten years.

Those that still do regularly attend, good luck to you.

[Optimist]

We are the only club who can sing the same song for twenty years, and after twenty years a large section of "supporters" only hear about it for the first time!

Not gonna get into a "I'm a better supporter than you" argument (if only because I'll lose) but my point is that we haven't been singing it for 20 years, at least not continuously. I had a season ticket for our last three seasons at Elm Park, and always stood on the right side (We're the right side etc), and I never heard it.

But that aside - I'm interested by your comment - why are we the only club this could happen to? Is it that you think we have a more fickle supporter base than other clubs, or just that ours are hard of hearing

Well the "origins" story that I'd heard was that when Erotic by Madonna came out (circa 92/93), some Reading fans thought she was singing "Bill Oddie", so made up the chant. So it's twenty years, continuously or not.

I can't explain why really, it's just to do with the difference between your token "Bill Oddie" singing Away fan and your token West Stand/sit in silence/barely knows anything about the club Home fan.

[Mr Optimist]

I was a regular home and way merchant from late 80s to late 90s but a move a long way out of the area has meant my visits "home" aren't exactly frequent these days so it was meant tongue firmly in cheek(s).

Pretty sure I know the origins of "Bill Oddie" though as it coincided with my golden era of support before I turned to plolastic!

Bill Oddie was always meant to be ironic, along with the "reading drinking squad" of a little earlier, in the testosterone world of football lads on the piss 20 years ago, it's obvious homo erotic lyrics were always meant to be a pisstake to that world.

Being stood with 200 other Royals on a windswept away terrace at Boothferry Park or Field Mill, the look of sheer bewilderment on the home Neanderthal northern monkeys turning to ask their mates if they have heard the words right was priceless. That is Bill Oddie's genius in my humble opinion!

[Mr Optimist]

I was a regular home and way merchant from late 80s to late 90s but a move a long way out of the area has meant my visits "home" aren't exactly frequent these days so it was meant tongue firmly in cheek(s).

Pretty sure I know the origins of "Bill Oddie" though as it coincided with my golden era of support before I turned to plolastic!

Bill Oddie was always meant to be ironic, along with the "reading drinking squad" of a little earlier, in the testosterone world of football lads on the piss 20 years ago, it's obvious homo erotic lyrics were always meant to be a pisstake to that world.

Being stood with 200 other Royals on a windswept away terrace at Boothferry Park or Field Mill, the look of sheer bewilderment on the home Neanderthal northern monkeys turning to ask their mates if they have heard the words right was priceless. That is Bill Oddie's genius in my humble opinion!

[Deadlock]

Theres been an argument going on on facebook whether Bill Oddie is the best song ever at Reading or a real embarassment. Whats your view?

Best chant ever, of course, but how can we all dogpile in and call the wrongheaded out if you don't provide a link?

[UpThePrem]

Theres been an argument going on on facebook whether Bill Oddie is the best song ever at Reading or a real embarassment. Whats your view?

Best chant ever, of course, but how can we all dogpile in and call the wrongheaded out if you don't provide a link?

https://www.facebook.com/READINGFCFANS

Yesterday at about 11:20 by Dan

[Kitsondinho]

My favourite chant of ours.....beats all the crappy Sloop John B stuff every club sings (which is now as annoying as 'Save Chip' banners or 'Easy, Easy, Easy' ever was.....or every chant in 1996/7 being to the tune of Three Lions!!).....plus Bill Oddie loves it!! As for when I first heard it....I have been going since the 1989/90 season and I remember it (infrequently tbh) at Elm Park and (especially) on many away days......

[southbank1871]

Theres been an argument going on on facebook whether Bill Oddie is the best song ever at Reading or a real embarassment. Whats your view?

Best chant ever, of course, but how can we all dogpile in and call the wrongheaded out if you don't provide a link?

https://www.facebook.com/READINGFCFANS

Yesterday at about 11:20 by Dan

Jesus Christ, why did I just click on that?

[Scutterbucketz]

madonna song was 92-93

I'm sure that when it started off it followed the tune to the Madonna song. Now it's just sung flat and fast and there's no upturn on the "body". Because of this it's not as good as it used to be, in my opinion.

[Compo's Hat]

The helmets on fb have probably never heard the Madonna version.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

madonna song was 92-93

I'm sure that when it started off it followed the tune to the Madonna song. Now it's just sung flat and fast and there's no upturn on the "body". Because of this it's not as good as it used to be, in my opinion.

Pretty much every song these days doesn't sound as good. Mainly because people feel the need to speed it up to some ridiculous tempo! Chill guys.

[Schards#2]

Took a couple of spurs fans to the spurs game and it was pretty much the highlight of their day, they couldn't stop talking about it for days. So the neutral's verdict is a big thumbs up.

[melonhead]

We are the only club who can sing the same song for twenty years, and after twenty years a large section of "supporters" only hear about it for the first time!

Not gonna get into a "I'm a better supporter than you" argument (if only because I'll lose) but my point is that we haven't been singing it for 20 years, at least not continuously. I had a season ticket for our last three seasons at Elm Park, and always stood on the right side (We're the right side etc), and I never heard it.

But that aside - I'm interested by your comment - why are we the only club this could happen to? Is it that you think we have a more fickle supporter base than other clubs, or just that ours are hard of hearing

i have been singing it, continuously for 20 years, in my head.
its literally the soundtrack to my life

[melonhead]

madonna song was 92-93

I'm sure that when it started off it followed the tune to the Madonna song. Now it's just sung flat and fast and there's no upturn on the "body". Because of this it's not as good as it used to be, in my opinion.

agreed.

it has morphed a bit

[soggy biscuit]

What's the origin of this?

I've heard people say it dates back 30 years or so, but I can't remember hearing it on the South Bank circa 1995 - 1998.

Notts County fans sang it during the original first ever association football match.