Also @ www.roguesmarch.com Joe Hurley Official Site


NYC singer Joe Hurley wrote & recorded "BLEEDING CLARET & BLUE" for West Ham FC, celebrating their success in reaching the 2006 FA Cup Final. The songs pays tribute to Alan Pardew & the '06 squad, as well as Hammer legends like Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking, Clyde Best, Geoff Hurst, Julian Dicks and West Ham's greatest ever managers, Johnny Lyall and Ron Greenwood.

The song begins in ballad-form before building into a rousing sing-along that references Harewood's semi-final winner, Anton Ferdinand's dancing, The Pardew Shuffle, Brooking's goal in the 1980 Final, Billy Bonds Climbing the Royal Steps, The West Ham 'Academy', East London, The Boys of '86, and of course "I'm forever Blowing Bubbles'

The extended version of the song names the entire 2006 West Ham Squad.

Joe Hurley is a life-long West Ham fan who grew up in London watching the Hammers. A NYC-based Rec Artist, with 2 bands, Rogue's March and The Gents, Hurley's critically acclaimed CDs include Rogue's March debut 'Never Fear' which was dedicated to Bobby Moore. As The idol of a young fan, Moore is namechecked in the song 'When you Feel Like Crying'.

Hurley has performed over 1000 concerts in The US and his West Ham scarf is often seen hanging from his mike stand, spreading the good word.

Hurley also wrote and performed a one-man show 'The King of Upton Park' which ran in both NYC and Boston, Mass.
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LYRICS

"BLEEDING CLARET & BLUE"
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When we first fell in love, it was a cold Wednesday night
The floodlights wrapped their arms around me.
On a rented beer crate, with silk scarf and best mate
Ah, It felt just like heaven, not Bromley
There's been some sweet years & a fair share of tears
You can break my heart like an old lover
But it still beats in time with that old District line
Upton Park you're my soul and my brother

I know fortune's always hiding
But sometimes our dreams they come true
Here's to John and Ron and Mooro
All our Captains....Bleeding Claret and blue

Oh,Oh, Oh, The Claret and Blue

We're on our way to the Cup Final
A Hammer Strike, a Harewood smile
The Academy's the place to be for style

I said, we're on our way to the Cup Final
26 years, been quite awhile
So lets all sing a song.. for Johnny Lyall
(Johnny Lyall's Claret & Blue Army
Johnny Lyall's Claret & Blue Army )

We'll all do the Pardew Shuffle
As the gaffer leads us out the tunnel
When Zamora scores, we'll be singing Bubbles

From NYC to Copenhagen
The world's a Cockney... Mr Fagin
There'll be a Knees-Up Mother Brown in every pub and station
-
When The ball hit Trevor on the head
And Wembley sang that Westham led
We did not need a second invitation

When Bonzo climbed the Royal Steps
And William Hill paid out the bets
The Irons' Roars were heard across the nation

We're on our way to the Cup Final
26 years, it's been a while
I've been dreaming of this day since I was a child

Then we'll all sing a marching tune
Yossi Yossi Benayoun
and Anton does the jig with Reo-Coker

We're on our way to the Cup Final
We'll turn it on East London style
Thank you Pardew... and here's to Johnny Lyall

You'll have to foul us 'cos you cant play us
We are the great entertainers
Yes, we are the famous..... Claret and Blue

And our fortunes always hiding
But sometimes our dreams they come true
Best, Hurst, Peters, and Dicks and the Boys of 86
All the legends in the Claret and Blue

And our fortune's always hiding
But there's one thing my heart knows is true
Here's to John and Ron and Mooro
Watching over...all us Claret and Blue....

(Ext Version- 2006 West Ham Squad are named through the repeating choruses from Shaka Hislop through Kyle Reid.)

And the Boys of 64, 65, ...and 66!
And 1975, and 1980....


Words and Music: Joe Hurley Copyright 2006 ASCAP