"Vindaloo" | ||||
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Single by Fat Les | ||||
Released | 8 June 1998 | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Recorded | 1998 | |||
Genre | Comedy, football chant, britpop | |||
Length | 3:39 | |||
Label | Telstar | |||
Songwriter(s) | Alex James, Guy Pratt, Keith Allen. | |||
Fat Les singles chronology | ||||
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"Vindaloo" is a song by British band Fat Les. The music was co-written by Blur bassist Alex James and part-time Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt. The lyrics were written by comedian Keith Allen. It was released as a single in 1998 and recorded for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The song was originally written as a parody of football chants, but was adopted as one in its own right and became a cult classic. Much of the song consists of the phrase "nah nah nah" and the word "vindaloo" repeated over and over by a mixed group, occasionally interspersed with lines such as "And we all like vindaloo" and "We're England; we're gonna score one more than you".
The song has brief verses, spoken/sung by Keith Allen (in a voice sounding remarkably similar to that of the late Ian Dury) over a marching snare drum beat. The song's name comes from the vindaloo, a type of very spicy Goan curry. It is often eaten by football supporters in the United Kingdom (and other nations) accompanied by large quantities of lager, after matches or as part of a "lads' night out". "Vindaloo" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in June 1998; it was beaten by "3 Lions '98" by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and Lightning Seeds, a re-release of football anthem "Three Lions" from 1996 with slightly altered lyrics. When the song was performed on Top of the Pops, Professor Colin Pillinger played a drum in the group.