Definitely loads of songs about Maradona

Yesterday, I speculated that only one song had been written about Maradona. How very wrong I was. Here is a selection from Youtube. At least two of them are by Manu Chao, but one's better than the other. Also the one by La Guardia Hereje is pretty special.

1. Si Yo Fuera Maradona [If I Was Maradona] by Manu Chao

Maradona is in this video. Maradona is literally everywhere!

In this song Manu Chao details the things he would do if he were Maradona, including yelling at FIFA, telling them that they are theives. But life is a lottery [tombola] and he’s only a world-famous singer. Them’s the breaks.

2. Santo Maradona [Saint Maradona] by Manu Chao

This song was originally performed by Manu Chao's punk band Mano Negra. It's pretty self explanatory. I like the football chants.

3. Para Verte Gambetear [To See You Dribble] by La Guardia Hereje

Although the title is quite comedy when translated to English, this is a really lovely song. The lyrics describe town folk gathering to watch Maradona play - kids skipping school, people ringing bells and blowing whistles, and no spare TV sets to be found in any neighbourhood. Not only Argentines but Cubans and Brazilians watch Maradona, who, with his chest inflated, is bathed in light, light radiated from within the dreams of the oppressed. In the streets, people cry with joy. Although Maradona was flawed, they say, the town-folk prayed to see him dribble - a kid with a smile and a warm heart, who could turn his left foot into a hammer. The song ends saying there's no need anymore to squint at TV sets to see what Maradona has inspired. Beautifully played as well.

4. El Francotirador [Sniper] by Attaque 77

This band sound a bit like an Argentine Your Demise, which is either a good or a bad thing depending on who you are. In this song, Maradona is called the revenge of the poor - a saint and a sinner, a winner and a loser. He is an ideal of anti-corruption, and he is a sniper who can shoot through the abuse of power. It's interesting how Maradona's legend status bleeds into all the different scenes and traditions of Argentine music and culture, from the punk scene to acoustica.

5. Maradona Blues by Charly Garcia

Charly Garcia has got the blues like Maradona. But it's a woman, not cocaine, who is his drug. Nice blues.

Right then, that was interesting. Now I'm off to write a song about David Seaman.