manchester showbiz
Tuesday, 28th March 2006
Embrace bag World Cup song spot Embrace's Danny McNamaraAfter months of speculation, the guitar band were unveiled as the choice of the Football Association. The anthem will be called World At Your Feet and demos have already been recorded. Embrace's lead singer Danny McNamara said: "The band can't wait to get into the studio and record the new track. We think we've got a really good song and hopefully it will repeat the success of previous songs such as New Order's World In Motion." Everyone from the Kaiser Chiefs to Tony Christie had been linked to the job. FA marketing manager Tom Harold said: "With only 75 days to go until England's first game against Paraguay, everybody has been asking who will get the gig. "We'd like to think we've pulled off something of a coup by bagging such a great band and keeping it secret - until now." Institution
He added: "The official World Cup song has become something of an institution and it is really important that we have an original and exciting track. "We're confident that Embrace's song will capture the imagination of the fans and players alike." The FA had been inundated with entries from record companies, artists and members of the public hoping to land the gig, he said. Embrace, all said to be passionate football fans, are a five-piece from Brighouse, West Yorkshire. They had their first top 10 hit in 1997 with All You Good Good People, followed by Come Back To What You Know in 1998. Their debut album The Good Will Out went to number one and their success continued until the fourth album flopped. Written off in some quarters of the music industry, they made a comeback in 2004 with the critically acclaimed album Out Of Nothing, which topped the chart. Fifth album This New Day was released yesterday and current single Nature's Law is at number two in the chart. FA The FA negotiated the deal with Embrace's record label Independiente and publisher EMI. Melanie Johnson, EMI Music Publishing's promotions manager, said: "I'm a huge fan of Embrace and felt strongly that the band had it in them to meet the challenge of delivering England's World Cup song. "Their music has an uplifting, anthemic feel which will capture the spirit of the occasion." Kaiser Chiefs were said to be the FA's initial choice but they released a statement saying they had no plans to write the song. New Order's World In Motion, recorded for Italia `90, remains the gold standard for England World Cup songs. Three Lions by Baddiel and Skinner is also an enduring anthem, recorded for Euro 96 and re-released for the 1998 World Cup campaign. What do you think? Have your say
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