ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
English vetoed FA Famous World Cup song name because of drug reference

Home> Sport

Updated 09:33 24 Nov 2022 GMTPublished 09:10 24 Nov 2022 GMT

English vetoed FA Famous World Cup song name because of drug reference

The FA weren't having any of it

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

One of the greatest World Cup songs of all time was almost vetoed due to a drug reference.

From Ricky Martin's 'La Copa De La Vida' for France '98 to K’Naan's 'Wavin Flag' for the 2010 South Africa event - there's been some unbelievable World Cup bangers over the years.

Yet when it comes to the England national team, one tune certainly sticks out above the rest.

Advert

'World in Motion...' by British group New Order was famously produced for the England national football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign.

The band itself were formed way back in 1980 by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris - Gillian Gilbert later joined on keyboards.

The originating members came from the Salford-based new wave band Joy Division, but regrouped and rebranded following the tragic suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis.

New Order were formed in 1980 following the death of Joy Division's Ian Curtis.
Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

New Order took a completely different direction to the one Joy Division was going in and the band soon moved onto electronic and dance beats - soon cementing New Order as one of the most recognised groups in the world.

And because of this, David Bloomfield, who was press officer for the Football Association (FA) at the time, thought the band would be perfect for the England team's World Cup campaign.

Unfortunately, the 'PG' World Cup tune meant that the band would have to move away from the dark lyrics that came from their Joy Division days, and that's why they oped to employ comedian Keith Allen to help them out.

However, the comedian ended up pitching the idea for the song to be called 'E for England'.

Sadly, the FA weren't having any of that and decided to veto the title because it sounded like a reference to the drug ecstasy.

In 2010, Drummer Steve Morris told the Independent: “If it all went pear-shaped, at least we could say it was a joke.”

The song was originally pitched as 'E for England', but the FA weren't fans of the title at all.
YouTube/neworder

Liverpool’s John Barnes, who famously rapped on the song, told NME at the time: “If I thought it was going to be the same as the usual crap, why bother? But this is alright.”

He added: “It wasn't a typical 'here we go', arms-around-each-other football song. It was a proper group and that is why the song was good.”

Commenting on the music video in 2022, one fan said: "Not an England fan but this song converts me into one instantly. It's a song that brings back so many great memories of school and how we all loved this World Cup. The nostalgia sits deep."

Another fan commented: "Brings back some great memories. The hot, sweltering summer of 1990, Italia 90, the skills of Gascoigne, Lineker, Platt et al, and England's narrow/unlucky defeat in The World Cup semis.

"Also some great music, including this particular number, which spent two weeks at no. 1 in the charts. If only I had access to a time machine, I'd go back to the summer of 1990 right now!"

Someone else thought: "New Order was the first live band I ever saw. Birmingham Power House seems like a lifetime ago. This song has stood the test of time, it's still a cracking tune."

Featured Image Credit: New Order/YouTube

Topics: Sport, Music, World Cup

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Recommended reads

Ryanair cancels millions of seats on flights to holiday hotspotsSean Gallup/Getty ImagesRalph Fiennes explains why he isn't playing Voldemort again in new Harry Potter seriesWarner BrosBookmaker owes punter £900,000 after huge bet on Grand National winsMichael Steele/Getty ImagesWho will be exempt from US army draft as government 'automatically register' young menRoberto Schmidt/Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
13 hours ago
5 days ago
8 days ago
  • Michael Steele/Getty Images
    6 hours ago

    Bookmaker owes punter £900,000 after huge bet on Grand National wins

    Some very lucky punter bet £100k on the winning horse

    News
  • PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
    13 hours ago

    Supercomputer predicts most likely winner of the 2026 Grand National

    There are some shocks and surprises in store if the supercomputer is right...

    News
  • Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
    5 days ago

    Danny Dyer joins in with X-rated chant about his own daughter

    The actor previously shared his thoughts on the rude chant

    News
  • SkySports
    8 days ago

    Luke Littler branded 'out of order' after interaction during darts match goes viral

    The 19-year-old has since reacted to Gian van Veen's comments about his conduct

    News
  • Huge difference in price of a beer at the World Cup with some stadiums selling pints for as little as £2
  • Strict rules to participate in the first-ever Sperm Racing World Cup where winner will take home $100,000
  • ‘Sexual assault’ investigation into FA president Luis Rubiales launched after World Cup kiss scandal
  • Fijian rugby player decides to miss seven-year-old son's funeral to play in World Cup