POSTED BY:
Ben Cain
ON:
3 May 2010On March 30 Rugby New Zealand 2011 confirmed the backing song for the ticketing campaign for the Rugby World Cup 2011 - The Feelers’ version of “Right Here, Right Now". Your thoughts?
The use of the song and the version by The Feelers has come in
for ferocious criticism over the last month, with Martin Snedden,
the chief executive of Rugby New Zealand 2011, forced to defend the
choice through the media. According to Snedden, the song was
specially selected as the lyrics tell a story that "captures
exactly what we're about". He told the New Zealand Herald:
"It's about a moment in time. It's right here, right now,
seize the moment, let's make it something incredibly special…I
think it is something that come Rugby World Cup time we are going
to hear people singing from the terraces, the embankments and,
maybe, even the stands."
Despite Snedden's carpe diem declarations, blogs and
tweets are divided as to whether or not a Kiwi song as performed by
a Kiwi artist should have been chosen to front the ticketing
campaign for what is building to be New Zealand's biggest event
ever. As to whether or not the song will be sung from the
terraces, embankments and stands regardless of the merits of The
Feelers' version you can't help but think Sneddon's statement is
wishful thinking. If he was after boisterous singing, perhaps he
should have visited the Sevens in Wellington to hear the crowd
favourites.
But in an ironic twist New Zealand Football has chosen "Stand
Up" originally by The Feelers but performed by Stan Walker (who
incidentally we claim as our own even though he was born in
Australia…how convenient!) as the All Whites' campaign anthem in
the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa in June. The Feelers: 0;
The Feelers: 1.
So what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Should we have used a
New Zealand song and artist to promote our biggest ever sporting
event to the rest of the world? If so, which artist and song
do you think would be more appropriate (we'll accept any answer but
Th'Dudes' "Drink yourself more bliss")?