World Cup 2006 Music: The Beautiful Game's Beautiful Music

It's that time again: World Cup time. Friday, June 9th, Germany and Costa Rica open the tournament followed by Poland v Ecuador.

Our partners at National Geographic just did a wonderful cover story in their magazine about the beautiful game. Check it out and dig deep on their site.

As with billions of people worldwide, I'll be watching as many games as I can. I also join that worldwide crowd of people who think we can beat the world any given afternoon playing pick-up football, soccer, futbol, balontan, or whatever you want to call it. Playing 'keep or winger, I have my fun, but now, it is time to sit back and watch the best do what they do.

This playlist compiles some great music from around the globe and shows the connection to soccer via these artists. Some of them played professionally, some of them own teams, some of their music has been featured at World Cups, African Nations Cups, and other football competitions. So get ready to watch some games and join in the worldwide party that is the World Cup. Put on your face paint, grab your flags, and listen!

My liner notes for "World Cup Music 2006: The Beautiful Game":

Selasee - Run

"RUN was selected as a sound track for the EA Sports '2006 FIFA World Cup' soccer video game. Ghana (Selasee's home country) qualified to participate in the 2006 soccer World Cup competition for the first time this year. In bad news for Ghana, fellow Group E member Czech Republic won a simulation of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, played out using the EA Sports "2006 FIFA World Cup" video game. Czech forward Pavel Nedved scored the winning goal for the Czech national team in its 2-1 virtual final against Brazil."

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Neba Solo - Can 2002

"'Can 2002' was written especially for the African Cup of Nations 2002 competition (CoCAN 2002 or Confederation of African Nations Cup), which was held in Mali, West Africa. Mali advanced to the later stages of this tournament, but failed to qualify for World Cup. Neba and the rest of Mali are hoping to join the party in South Africa in 2010."

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Thomas Mapfumo - Jo Jo

"Thomas Mapfumo, from Zimbabwe owns a soccer team, the Sporting Lions, which consists of boys from Mbare, and is known for being scrappy on the field (much like Thomas' lyrics). This song Jo Jo is a great song to get ready for a fun and scrappy match."

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Jorge Ben - Caramba! Galileu da Galileia

"Jorge Ben (Brasil) dreamt of being a footballer with for Flamengo until injury got in the way. Whether or not your team does well this summer, you'll be joining Jorge in singing Aye Aye Caramba! I'm sure Jorge will be singing with joy as Brasil is again expected to reach the final stages of the "Copas do Mundo." p.s. - if you've never partied with Brasilians during the World Cup, you've never partied."

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Saban Bajramovic - Opa Cupa

"As a deserter from the army, Saban (from the former Yugoslavia) was sentenced to three years prison on the island Goli Otok, but as he told the military court they couldn’t hold him for so long as he could survive, they raised his punishment to five and a half years. He survived as he was a good goalkeeper in the prison football team. Because of his nimbleness and speed, they called him the "Black Panther"."

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Soum Bill - Gneze

"Soum (from Ivory Coast) got his start singing for soccer games in the Ivory Coast (another one of this World Cup's first timers). Soum Bill is of mixed ethnic origin, as is much of Ivory Coast's team, a fact which has helped maintain peace since Cote d'Ivoire qualified for the cup. As goes the team, so goes the country. When you listen to this track, Gneze, you won't be able to help moving your hips like captain Didier Drogba after he scores. Oh yeah!"

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Djosinha - Momento Magico

"Djosinha (from Cape Verde) is a legendary singer, ex-soccer player, and a "man of the sea" from Cape Verde. This song, 'Momento Magico' is what fans will be hoping throughout the tournament. And whether or not they get them, this song will calm folks down and get them ready for the next moment . . ."

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Vinicius Cantuaria - Odara

"Vinicius Cantuaria (from Brasil) has a song called ‘Normal’ which provide a taste of Cantuária’s approach to songwriting: ‘The boys from Bahia play capoeira / And every morning a hot soccer match on the sand / And the concrete poetry boys from Sao Paulo/. The track here called Odara shows some of his funky grooves, those same grooves I'm sure are running through Ronaldinho's head as he is running through defences."

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Madala Kunene - Celebrate

"Madala Kunene (from South Africa - host of the next World Cup in 2010) used to be a passionate soccer player (playing in Durban, SA for the African Wanderers FC) who traded in the round leather for a guitar. His track "Celebrate" is something only 1 country will be doing on July 9th, but fans worldwide will be doing for the month before that . . . For more of Madala's music, check out his collaborations: http://melt2000.calabashmusic.com/ and http://bernardmndaweni.calabashmusic.com/"

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Ndala Kasheba - Kadi ya Njano (Yellow Card)

"Ndala Kasheba (from Tanzania) shows us football is about more than football. In his song "Kadi ya Njano (Yellow Card)" he uses a football analogy to drive home health advice to his countrymen. "God has issued the world a yellow card (a warning in a soccer match). AIDS is a warning to the world. We must take our lives seriously now.""

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Djankine Kouyate - Code De La Route

"Djankine Kouyate (from Mali) was the lead male singer for the opening & closing ceremonies for the African Cup of Nations 2002 in Mali. His song "Cote de la Route" is a nice song to help those of us in the USA know that we are along the road to success in soccer! Someday we'll bring the big prize home."

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Cheb Hasni - Li Dlamni Ma Nsamhah

"Cheb Hasni (from Algeria) is another former footballer. His song "Li Dlamni Ma Nsamhah" will get you up for the month long party!"

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Boubacar Traore - Kar Kar

"We end with Boubacar Traore (from Mali), whose nickname came from soccer. Kar Kar says about his nickname: "[Kar Kar is a] nickname I got from playing soccer when I was young. People would yell ‘Kari, Kari' - dribble, dribble - the name stuck with me." Check out KarKar's movement on the strings. I'm sure if he had continued to play soccer as his finds his way around the guitar, Mali's opponents would have had the blues."

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soccer, fifa, world cup 2006, germany, football, futbol

Comments

[tony]

greatest world cup song! I kid you not, I love it!

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[jimmy]

please sent me a team song world cup 2006, cause i like it.

best regards

jimmy

[Robert]

Hey! Can anybody tenn me the title of the song that is played after all matches in WC 2006 ?

This song was also played live @ World Cup 98 Ending Ceremony. Help please.

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mi kier pa portugal gana ya nan a bai cas caba !!!!!!!!!! cristiano ronaldo dos santos aveiro

[Giorge]

Yeah I was wondering the same thing - I think I've found every world cup song but that!

[PLpl288]

can anyone tell me what the name of the techno song is that was played after the world cup final and right before the awards ceremony when all the french fans were going nuts? i think it might actually be a french artist which would explain why it was being played at the time, very popular song right now i believe. thanks.

[Areos]

what's that song played after every match? someone has to know >.<

[hamo420]

THE SONG YOUR LOOKING FOR IS CALLED LOVE GENERATION BY BOB SINCLAIR.

[James Griffin]

Can anyone tell me where I can find the track that was played in the stadium in the world cup final 2006 after the presentation. It was an acoustic guitar number with a male singing.

I cannot find it anywhere, anyone please help!!!!!!

[will]

Does anyone know the name of the techno song they played after every goal(it seemed like) and all the time in the stadiums? It's a very popular song in Europe apparently.

[Stephen]

Hi

Does anyone know the name of the background music that was played in the build up to each game at the world cup? It is a soft mix with no lyrics and was used when the commentators showed the changing rooms and line-ups on the pitch?

[Ashwin]

Does anyone know the name of the background music that was played when the teams gets on the pitch prior to their respective national anthemes? It was played in France 98 and recently in germany 2006 when teams get out for their national antheme???

[Anand]

I think we should ask the Kaizer about it. I could not find that song anywhere.

[Mojtaba]

the song that can be heard in stadium after or befor every match is "fifa antheme" by 'franz lambert' and another music is "go west" by 'pet shop boys'

[soccer]

The 1998 world cup song was one of the best world cup song ever, one of the most memorable one too.

[Louis Vuiton Online]

This grasps the kernel of dialectics, but it requires explanations and development.

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Excellent post, it was a great world cup event, the music was also spectacular, the whole event was amazing.

[gerovital]

it was a good music
is good for me to remember about this cup

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