Varje år den 6 februari samlas människor under München-plaketten vid Old Trafford för att sjunga The Flowers of Manchester, en låt som skrevs av Manchesterbon Eric Winter kort tid efter olyckan i München 1958, till minne av The Busby Babes. Låten har under åren spelats in av flera artister, först av Liverpoolbandet The Spinners 1962, senare av Salfordbandet Hanky Park och folksångaren Terry Mechan…
Varje år den 6 februari samlas människor under München-plaketten vid Old Trafford för att sjunga The Flowers of Manchester, en låt som skrevs av Manchesterbon Eric Winter kort tid efter olyckan i München 1958, till minne av The Busby Babes. Låten har under åren spelats in av flera artister, först av Liverpoolbandet The Spinners 1962, senare av Salfordbandet Hanky Park och folksångaren Terry Mechan. Texten till låten publicerades anonymt i folkmusikmagasinet Sing i oktober 1958 med en not om att melodin var High Germany. Länge förblev också textförfattaren okänd men innan han avled berättade Eric Winter, redaktör för Sing, för Spinnersmedlemmen Tony Davis att det var han som hade skrivit texten (att publicera texter anonymt var eller är vanligt för folkmusiker). Texten vi sjunger idag är inte identisk med Winters original (flera rader i originalet vittnar om att texten måste ha skrivits kort tid efter olyckan) utan en den version som The Spinners arbetade fram tillsammans med Ewan MacColl (The Spinners använde melodin från MacColls The Ballad of John Axon och rykten gjorde länge gällande att det MacColl även hade skrivit texten).
I år, 50 år efter München, har Mick Groves (Unitedsupporter och medlem i The Spinners) spelat in låten på nytt. Groves framförde den nya versionen på Old Trafford den 30 januari i år när United besegrade Portsmouth med 2-0. Mer information om nyinspelningen, samt en video, finns på http://www.flowersofmanchester.net/.
Annars är det idag Hanky Park som är mest förknippad med The Flowers of Manchester. De senaste åren är det folkmusikduons version som har spelats på Old Trafford och Hanky Park har också hållit i allsången under München-plaketten (både den 6 februari och inför den hemmamatch som ligger närmast årsdagen av München-katastrofen i tiden).
Nedan presenterar jag den text som i huvudsak används idag samt texten till originalet med ändringar noterade.
The Flowers of Manchester
One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory,
Eight men will never play again who met destruction there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester
Matt Busby’s boys were flying, returning from Belgrade,
This great United family, all masters of their trade,
The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times they tried to take off and twice turned back again.
The third time down the runaway disaster followed close,
There was slush upon that runaway and the aircraft never rose,
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And eight of the team were killed as the blazing wreckage burned.
Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor who were capped for England’s side.
And Ireland’s Billy Whelan and England’s Geoff Bent died,
Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also,
They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow.
Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain,
And Ireland’s brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again,
The great Matt Busby lay there, the father of his team
Three long months passed by before he saw his team again.
The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
and one of them Big Swifty, who we will ne’er forget,
the finest English ‘keeper that ever graced the net.
Oh, England’s finest football team its record truly great,
its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there,
the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester
The Flowers of Manchester (originalet)
One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Seven great football stalwarts conceded victory, [1]
Seven men will never play again who met destruction there, [1]
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester
Matt Busby’s boys were flying, returning from Belgrade,
This great United family, all masters of their trade,
The pilot of the aircraft and the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times they tried to take her up and twice turned back again.
The third time down the runaway disaster followed close,
There was ice upon the wings and the aircraft never rose, [2]
It ran upon the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And seven of the team were killed when the battered aircraft burned. [3]
Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor who were capped for England’s side.
And Ireland’s Billy Whelan and England’s Geoff Bent died,
Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also,
Before the blazing wreckage went ploughing through the snow. [4]
[5]
The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
and one of them was Big Swifty, we never will forget,
the greatest English ‘keeper who ever graced a net.
They said that Duncan Edwards had an injury to his brain, [6]
They said that Jackie Blanchflower would never play again,
Matt Busby he was lying there, the father of the team [7]
Six months or more did pass before he saw another game [8]
Oh, England’s finest football team its record truly great,
its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Seven men will never play again, who met destruction there, [1]
the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester
[1] Originalet säger sju döda, den moderna versionen åtta (Duncan Edwards avled den 21 februari 1958).
[2] Den tekniska undersökningen visade att det var skräp på landningsbanan och inte is på vingarna som orsakade kraschen.
[3] Åtta döda, inte sju och ett delvis annorlunda ordval.
[4] Texten delvis ändrad (notera att originalets ”blazing wreckage” används i [3] i den moderna versionen).
[5] I den moderna versionen kommer vers fem före vers sex.
[6] Duncan avled till följd av skadorna han fick i samband med olyckan.
[7] Ett delvis ändrat ordval.
[8] Busby återvände till England och såg United förlora FA-cupfinalen på plats, knappt tre månader efter München. Originalet säger att det tog sex månader eller mer innan Busby såg en fotbollsmatch igen, sannolikt för att författaren (när han skrev texten) trodde att Busby som tidigaste skulle vara tillbaka till säsongsstarten 1958/59.
—
Nu är inte The Flowers of Manchester den enda låt som handlar om The Busby Babes eller olyckan i München. Flera, mer eller mindre kända, artister har skrivit om olyckan medan Edric Connor skrev United Calypso som en hyllning till The Busby Babes redan 1954. Nedan presenterar jag flera av de låtar som skrivits i ämnet med så mycket information som möjligt.
United Calypso
En sång som åter har blivit väldigt populär bland Uniteds supportrar, framför allt på bortamatcher. Originalet skrevs, som nämns ovan, 1954 av den trinidadiske musikern Edric Connor medan den version som hörs idag har arbetats fram allt eftersom tiden har gått. Låtens refräng syns idag på Old Traffords östra fasad, tillsammans med en bild på Uniteds laguppställning i bortamatchen mot Röda Stjärnan den 5 februari 1958 (The Last Line Up).
Oh Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted,
Whenever they’re playing in your town,
Be sure to get to that football ground,
Take a lesson, come and see,
Football thought by Matt Busby.
[Följande verser är inte lika populära idag.]
Down on Maine Road’s greasy pastures,
Play a load of dozy bastards,
Colin Bell, the city ace,
A ruptured duck has got more pace,
Oh Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted,
Now football is a funny game,
Played in the sun, played in the rain,
And the team that gets me excited…
Is Manchester, Manchester United
They’ve got a player who can tackle and run,
Well he goes by the name of Tony Dunne,
Oh Manchester, Manchester United,
They’ve got a player who can run for miles,
Well he goes by the name of Nobby Stiles,
Oh Manchester, Manchester United,
They’ve got a player who can beat all the rest,
Well he goes by the name of Georgie Best,
Oh Manchester, Manchester United!
United Calypso (originalet)
Now football is a pleasant game,
Played in the sun, played in the rain,
And the team that gets me excited,
Is Manchester United…
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
If ever they’re playing in your town,
You must get to that football ground,
Take a lesson come to see,
Football taught by Matt Busby, and…
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
They are the greatest team today,
If you don’t believe me go and see them play,
A type of football second to none,
Now they’re at the top of Division One, who?
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
If ever they’re playing in your town,
Get yourself to that football ground,
Take a lesson come to see,
Wizardry by Matt Busby, and…
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
It’s the greatest team you’ve ever seen,
They are almost a soccer machine,
They are the best there is no doubt,
So raise a cheer and give a shout, for…
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
If ever they’re playing in your town,
Get yourself to that football ground,
Take a lesson come to see,
Wizardry by Matt Busby, and…
Manchester, Manchester United,
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes,
They deserve to be knighted.
They are the Busby Babes from Lancashire,
Oh that’s Manchester, Manchester United, Manchester United, who?
Manchester United, Manchester United, Manchester United.
Forever & Ever
John Fisher skrev dikten Forever & Ever. Dikten publicerades i Uniteds matchprogram i januari 1976.
Forever and ever we’ll follow the boys
Of Manchester United The Busby Boys
For we made a promise to defend our faith
In Manchester United The Busby Babes
We’ve all sworn allegiance to fight till we die
To stand by United and the red flag we fly
There’ll be no surrender we’ll fight to the last
To defeat all before us as we did in the past
For we’re Stretford Enders with United we grew
To the famous Red Devils we’re loyal and true
To part-time supporters we’ll never descend
We’ll never forsake you we’ll be here to the end
For we all remember that ’58 day
And the plane that once stood on the Munich runway
As it tried to take off for the third fatal time
The immortal young Babes were cut down in their prime
In the cold snow of Munich they laid down their lives
But they live on forever in our hearts and our minds
Their names are now legend for the whole world to see
Why this club’s a religion spelt M.U.F.C
So bow down before them and lift up your eyes
For Old Trafford’s glory will always survive
The Red Flag/Manchester United Will Never Die
Refrängen till den här låten sjungs ofta av Uniteds supportrar, hela texten sjungs mer sällan.
United’s flag is deepest red,
It covered all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts blood dyed its every fold.
So keep United’s banner high,
Beneath its shade we’ll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We’ll keep the red flag flying here
We’ll never die, we’ll never die,
We’ll never die, we’ll never die,
We’ll keep the Red flag flying high,
‘Cos Man United will never die.
There is a Plaque at Man United
Melodi: What A Friend We Have In Jesus. Plaketten som det talas om är den ursprungliga München-plaketten som idag är en gömd del av Old Traffords betong på Main (South) Stand (plaketten ansågs vara i för dåligt skick för att kunna flyttas). Det här är inte den kompletta versionen, flera verser har tyvärr förlorats med tidens gång (rimligtvis fanns det verser om Geoff Bent, Mark Jones och David Pegg).
There is a plaque at Man United,
It’s underneath the old Main Stand,
It bears the name of Duncan Edwards,
He was the finest in the land.
But he died on Munich’s runway,
Without a tear, without a sound,
His strong body battered and broke,
As he lay helpless on the ground.
From Salford hailed Eddie Colman,
He’d been a Red for all his life,
For the team he’d played for and supported,
Our dear Eddie Colman died.
The oldest Babe was Roger Byrne,
He was the captain of the team,
He gave his life for Man United,
With his best friend Liam Whelan.
The Barnsley boy was Tommy Taylor,
He cost nearly thirty thousand pounds,
He too died on Munich’s runway,
As the plane sleighed on the ground.
But one man survived the aircrash,
And he lived to tell the tale,
Of the boys who played in Red,
For they did not know how to fail.
So we’ll drink a toast to Matt Busby,
And we’ll drink one to that team,
They were acclaimed the whole world over,
They were the finest ever seen.
All Those Years Ago
Fifty years ago,
A team lay in the snow,
Battered and bloodied and some of them died,
Some of them survived.
Charlton and Matt Busby,
Went to Wem-ber-ley,
They beat Benfica by four goals to one,
All those years ago.
Munich Air Disaster 1958
Indiepoplegenden Morrissey, född i Manchester och självklart Unitedsupporter (som alla vet är Manchester en blå stad*), skrev den här låten som gavs ut som en b-sida på hans singel Irish blood, English heart år 2004. Han framförde låten live flera gånger samma år och låten är inkluderad på Moz liveskiva Live at Earls Court från 2005.
We love them
We mourn for them
Unlucky boys of Red
I wish I’d gone down
Gone down with them
To where Mother Nature makes their bed
We miss them
Every night we kiss them
Their faces fixed in our heads
I wish I’d gone down
Gone down with them
To where Mother Nature makes their bed
They can’t hurt you
Their style will never desert you
Because they’re all safely dead
I wish I’d gone down
Gone down with them
Fifty Years
Pete Martin, som är en av två medlemmar i Hanky Park, skrev nyligen den här låten som en hyllning till The Busby Babes i samband med femtioårsminnet av München.
It’s fifty years, since you were taken, the pride of football, our Busby Babes.
We’ve shed our tears, and watched the newsreels, whilst you have slumbered, in your graves.
Though life’s moved on, the Reds continue, we’ve plumbed the depths, we’ve touched the sky.
Our mem’ries of, the flowers of Manchester, like Man United, will never die.
Roger Byrne, our worthy captain, Geoff and Eddie, Salford brave,
David Pegg, and Tommy Taylor, Mark and Liam, such pleasure gave.
For all you men, you football stalwarts, death was instant, life was gone.
For fifteen days, of pain and struggle, mighty Duncan, lingered on.
We don’t forget, the other victims, United players who survived.
Some played on, achieving glory, some too injured to make the side
Our thoughts now turn to all non-players, this tragedy, was theirs as well
The wretched grief, for friends and families, so far removed from where they fell.
You are the strength and inspiration, for those who play your roles today.
We look for flair and pace and passion, to play the game United’s way.
Though life’s moved on, the Reds continue, we’ve plumbed the depths, we’ve touched the sky.
Our mem’ries of, the flowers of Manchester, like Man United, will never die.
Will never die, will never die, like Man United, will never die
Will never die, will never die, like Man United, will never die.
News and Tributes
The Futureheads (indiepopband från Sunderland) album News and Tributes (2006) är namngivet efter en rubrik i Daily Mirror, titelspåret hyllar de som dog i olyckan.
Cut down in their prime,
In silence, on that day,
February 58, they got what they need,
From Belgrade and back home to sleep.
More than a name, to millions,
What could have been changed,
By all the boys leaving Munich on that day,
The snow came and sent them to sleep.
(This, fall, was, greater than them all)
News and tributes come leaking (in)
As all eyes turn to Rome,
I forgotten the sadness (feel)
Voices turn us towards.
Cut down in their prime,
In silence, on that day,
February 58, they got what they need,
From Belgrade and back home to sleep.
(This, fall, was, greater than them all)
News and tributes come leaking (in)
As all eyes turn to Rome,
I forgotten the sadness (feel),
Voices turn us towards.
They’re still singing despite the (years)
Sending them back into Rome,
There’s a ringing in the (ears),
That lasts them here to war.
News and tributes,
(Leaking in
Leaking in,
Leaking in)
Busby’s Babes
Den engelska folksångaren Iain Matthews spelade in sången Busby’s Babes a cappella som handlar om hur han som ung reagerade på olyckan.
I’ll see you again my red devil friends
I’ll hear you around my door
Touching my life like so many memories before
I was a child and so easily led
You were the leaders of men
Now I doubt in my life if this ever happens again
Oh how I cried when my mama said
Busby’s babes son, they’re dead
Oh how I remember that miserable day
When something was taken from me
Out on a snow covered runway in West
Germany
If you know your football history
Jag vet inte mycket om den här låten, mer än att Pete Boyle spelade in den på sin skiva Bidet Drawn Boyle – United We Sing 6.
If you know your football history,
if you know the fucking score.
You will know, now realise,
Frank Swift also fucking died.
And you won’t be singing Munich anymore.
Källor
Red News Great United Songs Vol 5
http://www.munich58.co.uk/flowers/index.asp
http://www.hankypark.co.uk/flowers_of_manchester.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster
*If you come from Manchester
Den här låten handlar förvisso inte om München eller The Busby Babes men det kändes passande att lägga in den här ändå, ifall någon inte förstod exakt vad jag syftade på.
If you come from Manchester,
You’re sure to be a blue,
Moston, Collyhurst, Salford, Ancoats too,
But if you think that this is true,
You’re nothing but a fool,
’Cos in this town called Manchester,
Man United rule,
Tra la la la, we all hate city
Tra la la la, we all hate city
We all know that Manchester is Red,
Manchester is Red, Manchester is Red
// Mikael Österdahl
Av: Mikael Österdahl [Den här artikeln har importerats från en gammal version av Muss.se.]