Released 2 May 1988 | Format Vinyl | |
"Anfield Rap
(1988) "Pass & Move (It's the Liverpool Groove)"
(1996) | ||
"Anfield Rap (Red Machine in Full Effect)" was a song released by members of Liverpool F.C. before the 1988 FA Cup Final against Wimbledon F.C.. The song reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was co-written by Liverpool's midfielder Craig Johnston, rapper Derek B and Mary Byker from Gaye Bykers on Acid.
Contents
Style
The song is a parody of a number of hip hop tracks, notably the intro from LL Cool J's "Rock the Bells" and Eric B. & Rakim's "I Know You Got Soul" (which sampled the opening drum roll from Funkadelic's "You'll Like It Too"). The song also featured the guitar riff (and the Ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh element) from "Twist And Shout" by The Beatles who hailed from Liverpool.
Participants
The track featured John Aldridge and Steve McMahon, the only two native Liverpudlians in the regular line up at the time, making fun of the accents of the other players. The other players featured were John Barnes, Bruce Grobbelaar, Craig Johnston, Kevin MacDonald, Gary Gillespie, Steve Nicol, Ronnie Whelan, Alan Hansen, Ray Houghton, Jim Beglin, Nigel Spackman and Jan Molby, along with manager Kenny Dalglish. One verse of the song was performed by then-ITV football commentator Brian Moore. There were also archived voice clips from the club's former manager Bill Shankly.
Reception
Reviewing the history of sports songs in 2012, BBC reporter Mark Savage credited the song as "the worst offender... an inexplicably awful track".