Our Bay Area Gooners off-season poll revealed a strong desire for more people joining the songs and chants at Maggie’s.
You may have hesitated because you don’t know the words, so here’s a few basics. I share these with the hope Maggie’s gets louder on match days. Note: Each chant/song mentioned includes a link to lyrics and a recorded version.
This first one is easy-peasy, as they say. After every Arsenal goal, we sing this ditty, Ooh to be a Gooner! Another frequent favorite is And it’s Arsenal. Other simple chants include Arsenal Til I Die and Who’s that Team We Call the Arsenal? The latter has an impolite reference to the opposition manager’s mother, and in recent years, we’ve amended that to be a bit less misogynistic, She’s a very nice lady.
There are numerous player songs. Saliba’s chant is hugely popular while Martin Ødegaard’s song takes a bit of soul to carry off. And let’s not forget the gaffer. Here’s We’ve Got Super Mik Arteta. There are plenty more where these came from, and Fan Chants has a pretty good selection of Arsenal chants, old and new.
Last but not least, the chorus of this little ditty, The Angel (North London Forever) by Louis Dunford, has become an anthem of sorts for Arsenal supporters near and wide. Here’s the verse you’re going to want to know:
North London forever
Whatever the weather
These streets are our own
And my heart will leave you never
My blood will forever
Run through the stone
One final song note. We never sing 1-nil to the Arsenal, out of respect for dearly departed Gooner bartender, Patrick Dunphy, which we covered recently here.
Fulham this Saturday!
Following a 4:30am season opener and a nerve-wracking Monday match, we get a weekend kickoff at a reasonably time.
Let us know on our Facebook page if you’re coming!
One week left to get your BAG kit!
You have one more week to get our new Bay Area Gooners’ Transatlantic Trip Kit. Designed by our own Holly Hickman, and inspired by the swirling fog and ocean currents enveloping the area and our city’s mind-expanding musical heritage.
Emblazoned with a numerical nod to our patch of 49 square miles, Arsenal’s Invincibles, and San Francisco’s own 49ers, and featuring the late Patrick Dunphy, on the sleeve.
Not available at the pub, these are ONLY be available through preorder from Olive & York.
I’m excited to get back to the pub Saturday. We’ll have BAG scarves and t-shirts for sale.
Best,
Mark
Bay Area Gooners 