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and I think we can certainly presume that this was written by a City fan - or three City fans! In contrast though, Look At Her Lookin At I which was also released on the The Wurzels Are Scrumptious! album, has a slightly more ambiguous lyric:
This, to me at least, does not sound very complimentary to the club. It sound as if the songwriter - having being turned now by the object of his affections - says that he might as well have wasted his time doing something equally pointless; like watching the City! This doesn't sound like a lyric of a mad-keen City fan. Not necessarily a Rover fan either - more a songwriter who had found a good and relevant rhyme for his song! The song also mentions Ashton Gate which may have been a reference to the football ground, but again is may just refer to that area of Bristol. The songwriters? Adge Cutler and Henry Davies - and one would assume that the those are Adge's lyrics with Henry's music. So was Adge a Bristol City fan? Well, I think the final proof that he was not, is in the lyrics of Virtute Et Industrial. This Adge Cutler song is the only other Wurzels song to mention the club - and indeed the first to do so. It was released on the 1966 Adge Cutler & The Wurzels album, and shows a complete disregard - indeed a total lack of comprehension - for local football rivalries:
I'm pretty sure that most City fans would feel that is the City don't win on Saturday then the last thing they want is the Rover to win instead...and Rovers fans feel the same way if they lose. A City fan would have written something like: "...if the City don't win on Saturday, perhaps them Rovers won't neither so at least we won't have them gloating round the office on Monday." It doesn't scan or rhyme, of course - but does reflect the true depth of feeling and rivalry between local football fans! In fact, City fan 'Frome Valley' from the Bristol City Fan's Forum says "I remember at a very early age, Virtute Et Industrial being sung well before City's promotion in 1976 in pubs around the ground. I was too young to drink then, but I certainly heard it - but the line was always "If the City don't win Saturday, Rovers never will!" (full comments below) I was rather surprised when City fans Tommy and Pete included Virtute Et Industrial on The Wurzels' A Taste Of The West album in 2004 - but then again, it is another great song! So, Was Adge Cutler A City Fan?So, I believe that Adge Cutler probably wasn't a Bristol City fan. And before the Rovers fans start to gloat - he probably wasn't a Rovers fan either. In fact I would suspect that he was a musician and a vintage car collector, and didn't really care too hoots about football either way! I may be wrong, of course - all I'm going on is the lyrics to two of his songs. Drink Up They CiderAs an interesting postscript, I found the following article on Adge Cutler and the Wurzels on the BBC h2g2 website which has an interesting slant on the song Drink Up They Cider - beloved by City fans and so hated by Rovers fans. But, this wasn't always the case: (Drink Up Thy Cider) ...was not forgotten when it fell out of the hit parade though. On the contrary, it went on to become the national anthem of North Somerset and continued to be loved and sung by football fans across the region, including those at Hereford, Bristol Rovers and Bristol City. Today, it is the theme song for Bristol City Football Club, sung at every game by the supporters - although in recent times it has been adapted to insult the Bristol Rovers. I wonder if the Hereford fans still sing it? FeedbackI have always felt the Wurzels were almost synonymous with Bristol City because of the cider and large following of City fans from North Somerset. I remember at a very early age, Virtute Et Industrial being sung well before City's promotion in 1976 in pubs around the ground. I was too young to drink then, but I certainly heard it - but the line was always "If the City don't win Saturday, Rovers never will!" Drink Up Thy Cider has certainly been sung at Ashton Gate since the 1970s, and this season (2007-8), I Am A Cider Drinker seems to be becoming popular. 'Frome Valley' from the Bristol City Fan's Forum One For The Bristol City was released to celebrate City being in (and doing well in) the top flight rather than an event. City were promoted to the top flight in 1976 so the first full season was 1976/77. The song was released in 1977 and was designated an official club song. 'Eddie Hitler' from the Bristol City Fan's Forum More comments and feedback would be appreciated - especially anything correcting any factual errors in the article. LinksI have a few links which might be of interest to readers of this article.
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