Good Old Arsenal

The 1971 single that reached number 16 and became a classic after the Double.

Good Old Arsenal is a single released by the English football team Arsenal in 1971. The record reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, marking a specific moment when the club entered the pop charts as a performing entity. Inspired by the England national team's hit 'Back Home' from 1970, this anthem was created to rival Liverpool's 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. It stands as the first record ever released to be performed by a football team's squad specifically to commemorate reaching an FA Cup Final.

Quick Facts

Artist: Arsenal F.C.
Released: 1971
Genre: Football song
Writer: Jimmy Hill

Lore & Background

The creation of 'Good Old Arsenal' began when ITV held a competition for fans to write an anthem, but none were selected because candidates were deemed 'too wordy'. Football pundit Jimmy Hill then approached manager Bertie Mee for permission to write his own. Hill composed the lyrics to the tune of 'Rule, Britannia!', and the song was performed by Arsenal's first team squad for the 1971 FA Cup Final. Initially, the track faced resistance from some fans who found it bland and predictable. However, younger supporters quickly embraced it for being easy to learn. The turning point arrived after Arsenal won the final, securing the second part of their historic double. Following this victory, 'Good Old Arsenal' gained widespread acceptance, evolving into a classic football song still sung by supporters today.

Reader's Guide

For fans seeking to understand the history of this record, the key dates are 1970 for the inspiration from 'Back Home' and May 1971 for the release of the single. The song's highest chart position was number 16, a fact confirmed by its seven-week run on the charts. Listeners should note that the performance was executed by the first team squad specifically for the 1971 FA Cup Final. The lyrical content, written by Jimmy Hill, was intentionally set to the melody of 'Rule, Britannia!' after fan submissions were rejected for being too wordy.