North Melbourne will be singing to a different tune in season 2015 with the club set to record another version of it’s famous theme song.
You Am I frontman and passionate North supporter Tim Rogers is helping with the project, which is designed to enhance the match day experience at home games for supporters and inspire the players.
Rogers’ new version will replace the 1970s edition of ‘Join In the Chorus’ and will be played when the side enters the arena.
"It will be a great way to kick things off, hopefully get people to the ground a bit earlier and really welcome the players on to the ground,” CEO Carl Dilena said.
"The idea is for the whole stadium to capture the essence and we’re hoping all our fans will stand up and sing our anthem as one as the players run out.”
Players, staff and a lucky group of fans will sing on the recording next Tuesday which will include the popular "Hearts to Hearts" preamble that’s missing from the original.
Dilena hopes the concept will become a new home-game ritual for Roos fans.
"We want our passionate fans to get involved in what the players do when they win a game by singing the full version of the song.
"The 'Hearts to Hearts' chant is iconic and we consider it the best verse of any club song going around. We want to make it bigger and better on game day with everyone yelling and singing it together.”
Rogers has been putting in many hours at the Sing Sing recording studio in Richmond and only plans to use instruments sparingly on the track.
“Tim and his generous musician friends have worked closely with our match day staff to really drive and produce this exciting concept. We feel using our own song as part of this new pre-match entertainment piece all clubs are now creating, will resonate strongly with our supporters and we’re confident they’ll help make it something special.”
Dilena said Rogers didn’t hesitate when he was approached with the idea.
"Tim loves our song and puts it right up there with God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols and Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones. He will create this new version with great respect to the old one," Dilena said.
The original club song, based on the Scottish ditty A Wee Deoch and Doris and recorded by the Fable Record Label singers in 1972, will still be used at the clubs' away matches.
“It’s important for all our fans to know that we’ll still be using the old version this year,” Dilena added.
“Tim’s version will be played at home games at Etihad, but the old one will still be played if we win and when we travel or play as the away team.”
Rogers, who is currently playing in the Melbourne Theatre Company Show 'What Rhymes with Cars & Girls', believes the new rendition will be a hit with fans.
“When the talk about the song came up I was bamboozled because it is the only song I’ve sung more times than Heavy Heart or Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” Rogers told the Herald Sun.
“It was quite intimidating really because it was something that was part of my own history and a lot of people I know’s history and the club’s history – but I’m enthusiastic.
“I’m honoured… (and) I’m up for a challenge.
“I think everyone at North wanted to pay absolute due respect to what has been recorded already – it is my favourite single of all time – I just wanted to offer up our little enthusiastic, hopefully powerful, hopefully rousing version of it.”
The club song is not the only match day tradition to be revamped. The club will also unveil an exciting new banner for the players to run through.
"It's something spectacular that's never been done before and we're really excited to reveal it all to our people at our first home game against Brisbane in round two," Dilena added.
Listen to the current version below.
