"Red and Blue Together", front cover
It was springtime 1986, approximately five months before Redwall would be published for the first time in the UK.
The 1986 FA Cup Final - the Football Association Cup, England's oldest football competition - was revealed to be a Merseyside derby, which meant that both teams were from Liverpool.
Liverpool FC and Everton FC were set to take each other on at Wembley stadium in London, and the city of Liverpool was very proud of this fact.
In an effort to showcase this pride, schoolteacher Frank Ravey of St. Aidan's School in the Huyton district composed words and music for a song meant to unite the residents. He called it "Red And Blue Together."
The color red was representative of Liverpool FC, while blue represented Everton.
Ravey decided to engage well-known Liverpudlian figures, and asked them to sing the song with children from his school. Many agreed - and Brian Jacques was among them!
The song was released on the A-side of a limited edition 7-inch vinyl, with proceeds donated to the Walton Hospital Leukemia Fund, the Royal School for the Blind (Mr. Jacques' charity), and St. Aidan's.
The Redwall Wiki is happy to announce that we have located a copy of this rare vinyl, and it is now part of the official library, along with the rest of Brian Jacques' early works.
"Red and Blue Together", back cover
Performing under the name "The Scousers," a musical crew was assembled.
Ken Dodd sang lead vocals, while Brian Jacques, comedian Stan Boardman, Billy Butler, comedian Pauline Daniels, Debi Jones and radio DJ Johnny Kennedy assisted with backing, in addition to the young children.
The track was mixed by G. Sean Hunt, recorded at The Soundhouse in Litherland, and distributed by Jay Cee Music Ltd/Rainhill Tape Specialists.
The B-side of the record features the song "Liverpool City We Love You," also composed by Frank Ravey, and featuring the vocals of the Aidan's students.
As Mr. Ravey himself made the song publicly available, we can let you listen to it! You can hear Brian's vocals around the 1:13 mark. It truly is a song that encapsulates Liverpool, and perhaps almost lost to time.
Follow along with the lyrics.
- And the whistle goes...
- and that's it.
- Final confirmation, of the all-Merseyside FA Cup Final!
- We're red and blue off together, Wembley-bound
- Me and you, proud to take on Mersey-sound.
- Side by side to London town!
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
- We're red and blue off together, Scousers-all
- And it's true we're the champions of football!
- Proud to come from Liverpool town!
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
- Red and blue me and you, side-by-side all the way
- Red and blue, me and you we'd like to say
- That we're proud to come from Liverpool town
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
- Red and blue together, side-by-side
- Proud to stand up tall, and sing with pride!
- We love you Merseyside!
- We're red and blue off together, Wembley-bound
- And there's no way we'll let our city down
- Side-by-side from Liverpool town
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
- Red and blue, me and you, side-by-side all the way
- Red and blue, me and you we'd like to say
- That we're proud to come from Liverpool town
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
- (repeat 2x)
- Red and blue, yes it's true, side-by-side all the way
- Red and blue, together, Wembley-bound!
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