When we moved to the Emirates Stadium back in 2006, everything felt a little bit manufactured, and a little bit too corporate for many fans.
Highbury was home. It was the house we had all grown up in. Then it was as if we had won the lottery and moved to this shiny new mansion down the road. It was bigger and better than the old creaky place, but it was not quite home.
The move to the new ground (13 years later, it is not so new anymore) was the correct decision. It meant 20,000 more Arsenal fans could go each week (how many reading this had spent 10 years on the waiting list for Highbury to the get their 1st season ticket at the new ground?). But it also felt like Arsenal had changed with the move; chasing the commercial revenue.
From the selling of the naming rights, the ring of boxes and the invention of club level allowing people to buy their way into a season ticket ahead of fans who had been waiting for years, it all felt like it was only about the money.
Add in the badge being changed and at the time it felt like our club had completely changed.
Synonymous with these changes was a new song. The Wonder of You.
For years Liverpool had sung “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, Manchester City had “Blue Moon”. West Ham “Bubbles”. The Arsenal board had taken it upon themselves to try and manufacture an anthem for Arsenal fans to sing. And it was horrible.
The Wonder of You was a song made famous by Elvis Presley in the 1970s. It had zero connection to Arsenal, and Arsenal fans failed to connect with it.
It was so bad that the club had to put the words up on the big screen. It simply was not Arsenal.
After a few years the club realised that The Wonder of You was not working and returned to classics such as “Good Ol’ Arsenal” and “Right Here Right Now”.
There is plenty the club can do to improve the atmosphere at the ground – from campaigning for safe standing to telling it’s stewards to be less aggressive with those trying to start a song. I even support the drum that is planned against Burnley.
What the club should not be doing, however, is taking a step backwards. They should not return to The Wonder of You.
Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
I agree that The Wonder of You did not work. I have for decades envied other clubs fans for having an anthem that they call theirs. I can recall many years ago that we had the Police band play before games. Its not an anthem but it was ours. We need a song that has an Arsenal connection. We have great bands that support Arsenal like the Who and Spandau my choice would be Gold written by a Gooner about an Arsenal colour and importantly can be sung by the crowd during games not just played before or after matches. Or rework the Good Old Arsenal lyrics written byJimmy Hill. WE NEED AN ANTHEM!
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I have always said Gold would be brilliant at the final whistle, starting off with the chorus. Imagine as the whistle goes it blasts out:
“Gold
(Gold)
Always believe in your soul
You’ve got the power to know
You’re indestructible, always believe in, ‘cos you are”
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We need new owners not a new song. Someone who cares about our history and the fans, not only about bottom line income. I’ll always love my Arsenal, but part of me is gutted to see the way we are going, especially the last few seasons where evena top 4 finish is something that we barely managed. Get rid of that useless b+stard Kroenke, he is what is ruining OUR club.
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As a fan base, we can not do anything about the owners. We can do a lot about the atmosphere
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Fair point.
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I can’t agree with you more, I used to get so angry with that song. It is not Arsenal and never will be.
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I agree it was a poor choice but any song picked is normally by the fans, it does not have to have any links to the club, what link does Delilah have to Stoke or bubbles to West Ham. I believe we do need a great anthem song. Let’s be honest Good old Arsenal does not cut it. At least. Sweet Caroline hits the mark but it is not our own. Personally I like Dream the impossible dream or My generation. Yes fans would need to learn it but so what, a well chosen song quickly accepted would soon become an anthem associated with the Gooners.
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The thing with the likes of Bubbles and Delilah is that begun naturally being sung by the fans. They were not an anthem that was suddenly forced on them
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A song that comes from the fans is always the best but 50 years after the Kop sung YNWA we have not found one. Agreed My Generation would also work. I love Keano suggestion about the chorus. So who is going to move it forward. KEANO perhaps you can round up the other groups as you did with the letter and get everyone on board and start the chant from the stands and let the club pick up on it. I would offer but i dont have the connections.happy to help.
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We have previously reached out to the club. In terms of before the game they seem happy with Good Ol Arsenal and Right Here, Right Now
After the game they have said that they have a “play list” which includes Sweet Caroline amongst others
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Keano I believe as fans we can still put pressure on the club to change the song just the way you guys did for the letter. Personally I will go with Dream the impossible dream because it is truly inspiring and motivating to do the impossible.
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