March 14, 2023, 09:47 | Updated: July 11, 2023, 5:52 p.m.
Hillsborough Vigil – You’ll Never Walk Alone
Here’s how a ballad from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical theater became a symbol of Liverpool Football Club.
The world of musical theater can seem a million miles from the stands of Liverpool’s Anfield stadium. So how does a big Rodgers and Hammerstein ballad Carousel end up as a symbol of the Reds?
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” premiered on Broadway as part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein to show, Carouselcreated in 1945.
The song was an instant hit – perhaps because its message of triumph in times of adversity spoke to the wartime crowds of April 1945 – less than a month before the end of World War II.
It remained popular throughout the 1950s, with artists like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley releasing covers. Then, in 1963, a recording by Merseybeat band Gerry And The Pacemakers brought the song to the doors of Liverpool FC.
Learn more: What is the Match of the Day TV theme music and who composed it?
Richard Rodgers, Iva Withers and Stephen Douglass in rehearsal for “Carousel”.
Photo: Getty
How ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ became Liverpool Football Club’s anthem
At that time, Liverpool’s Anfield stadium was one of the first football grounds to have a public address system, and the Top 10 charts were broadcast over the loudspeakers before the match, as a form of entertainment. pre-match.
This was also the time when ‘Merseybeat’ bands like The Beatles and Gerry And The Pacemakers were dominating the charts, so fans would have heard many of their local heroes on the tannoy. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” remained at No. 1 in the charts for around four weeks in 1963, by which time it had become Liverpool FC’s signature song.
The message of hope in the song has given Liverpool fans hope through some very difficult times – on and off the pitch.
In the 2005 UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul, Liverpool lost 3-0 to AC Milan. Legend has it that the motivating effect of fan singing You will never walk alone gave players hope when all seemed lost. This small act of defiance in the face of adversity galvanized the Liverpool team, who managed to pull away and win the match on penalties, crowning them European Cup champions.
Later, Carlo Ancelotti, then coach of AC Milan, was asked which club had the best supporters. He replied: “Liverpool fans in my opinion. When they sing a song, they… I don’t know in English, but your skin is… (wiggles fingers up and down his arm to explain).
Learn more: The best classic football songs
You’ll Never Walk Alone – Liverpool FC.
Photo: Getty
The song took on a much deeper and more tragic meaning after the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, when a human crush at Sheffield Stadium injured hundreds and 96 supporters lost their lives.
A 25-year legal battle ensued before the courts ruled that the victims were unlawfully killed and that a pattern of failings by police and ambulance services contributed to their deaths.
Throughout the painful process, the lyrics and themes of You will never walk alone were important.
The day after the Hillsborough tragedy, 13,000 people gathered at Liverpool’s Roman Catholic Cathedral; 5,000 in the church and another 8,000 in the streets outside. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was sung by a lonely altar boy, offering both comfort and hope to a grieving city..
Learn more: Music in Protest: 9 Powerful Images of the Role of Music in Times of Conflict
You will never walk alone.
Photo: Getty
What are the lyrics to “You’ll Never Walk Alone”?
When you’re going through a storm, keep your head up
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm there is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk through the wind
Walk in the rain
Although your dreams are tossed and blown
Keep going, keep going
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You will never walk alone
Keep going, keep going
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You will never walk alone
It’s no wonder then that the poignant lyrics have found their permanent home at Anfield, forever fixed in wrought iron above the stadium gates to continually remind fans that football is more than just a sport, it It’s a family.
