• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
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

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.

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

Advert

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.

Advert

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

Advert

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.

Advert

"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

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
2 days ago
3 days ago
  • BBC
    7 hours ago

    Shay Given forced to respond after shocking ‘holocaust’ comment live on BBC

    The former Newcastle United star has since apologised

    News
  • Warren Little/Getty Images
    2 days ago

    Luke Littler lands £20 million payday one week after scooping £1 million at World Championships

    It's not a bad deal for the 18-year-old

    News
  • (Neal Simpson/Allstar Getty)
    2 days ago

    Laura Woods calls Richard Keys a 't**t' over 'tribute' to Gabby Logan's dad Terry Yorath

    The sports presenter has received backlash over his tribute to the football star

    News
  • Getty/Leonardo Fernandez
    3 days ago

    Anthony Joshua gives heartbreaking statement on car crash victims for first time

    The crash killed his friends Sina Ghami and Latz Ayodele

    News

    breaking

  • Huge difference in price of a beer at the World Cup with some stadiums selling pints for as little as £2
  • ‘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
  • Argentina's goalkeeper has hilarious celebration after winning the Golden Glove at the World Cup