Put 'Em Under Pressure

For the panel game with a sporting theme, see Put 'Em Under Pressure (TV series).
"Put 'Em Under Pressure"
Single by Republic of Ireland Football Squad
B-side"Pacemaker"
Released1990
Recorded1990
GenreNovelty
Length5:03
LabelSon Records, London Records
Songwriter(s)Trad.
Producer(s)Larry Mullen Jr.

"Put 'Em Under Pressure" was the official song to the Republic of Ireland national football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign in Italy.

Background

Produced by U2's Larry Mullen, it featured an intro by Moya Brennan. The song was created by Mullen, Denis Woods, John Donnelly and engineered by John Grimes. The song features 'spoken-word' mash-up taken from the film Que Sera Sera.[1][2]

The guitar riff takes inspiration from the song "Dearg Doom" by Horslips,[3] which features on the album The Táin.[4]

Release

The title became a catchphrase of then manager Jack Charlton, whose soundbites were sampled for the verse; the chorus was a combination of the familiar football chant "Olé Olé Olé" and a reworking of "Ally's Tartan Army" (which was itself set to the tune of "God Save Ireland"), the unofficial theme tune for Scotland in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, and for 13 weeks the song was at number one in the Irish Singles Chart helped by a pulsating video again directed by Billy McGrath featuring footage from Que Sera Sera and the team recording the song in Windmill Lane.[5]

The song is regularly played in celebration at Irish homes matches.[6][7][8] It was used as the opening theme for the compilation episode of BBC Switch series Chartjackers.[9] In 2011, RTÉ One aired a quiz show titled Put 'Em Under Pressure, presented by Gráinne Seoige.[10]

The phrase Put 'Em Under Pressure is to this day used in relation to the Ireland national football team.[11]

References

  1. ^ Lynch, Declan (1 April 2010). "Days of Heaven: Italia '90 and the Charlton Years: Irish Soccer's Finest Hour". Gill & Macmillan Ltd – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Keane, Trevor (1 October 2010). "Gaffers: 50 Years of Irish Football Managers". Mercier Press Ltd – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Hogan, Louise; Evrony, Ayelet (3 July 2009). "Psychedelic folk rockers take a trip down memory lane". Independent.ie. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  4. ^ "HORSLIPS - THE TÁIN [VINYL LP]". Celtic Note. 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  5. ^ Keane, Trevor (1 Oct 2010). Gaffers: 50 Years of Irish Football Managers. Mercier Press Ltd. p. 211.
  6. ^ O'Brien, Brendan (16 November 2011). "Here We Go Again". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 November 2011. Old favourites like Put 'Em Under Pressure were pumped out over the PA system, a new generation of fans experienced their first attempt at the Mexican Wave and punters entertained themselves by floating paper aeroplanes onto the pitch. It was that kind of evening: Giddy and childish and wonderful.
  7. ^ Finn, Melanie (16 November 2011). "Cheers boys". Evening Herald. Retrieved 16 November 2011. As the fans chanted 'Keano, Keano', and 'Ole Ole Ole', the DJ blasted out famous soccer anthem Put 'em Under Pressure as the crowds in Dicey Riley's cheered on their heroes.
  8. ^ Tevlin, Rory (17 November 2011). "Irish nurse sore heads after Euro qualifying party". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 November 2011. Old classics such as Put 'Em Under Pressure and Give It A Lash rang out lustily.Heroes such as Ronnie Whelan and Ray Houghton from past campaigns also joined the party.
  9. ^ Producers: Jonathan Davenport and Adam King (21 November 2009). "Compilation". Chartjackers. Series 1. Episode 11. BBC. BBC Two. Archived from the original on 2013-09-21.
  10. ^ Presenter: Gráinne Seoige (Fall 2011). "All episodes". Put 'Em Under Pressure. Series 1. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ One.
  11. ^ Kelly, Paul (11 November 2011). "Put 'em under pressure, former Latvia boss Johnson urges boys in green". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 November 2011.