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Aston Villa and Liverpool might share one song but these terrace chants belong at Villa Park

Althea Gaye and Ray Fullard, The Octave Tinkling Twosome (OTT), who recorded The Randy Rap following Randy Lerner's takeover in 2006
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


We've put together a list of the best songs Villa Park masses will remember and in some cases, still sing.

And we've provided a handy guide to remind you of the origins of these classic claret and blue cover versions.

Allez, Allez, Allez

Allez, allez, allez has become the most commonly sung chant by Aston Villa fans in recent seasons.

From where does it originate? Well, we're not going to get embroiled in the argument about which fanbase started it, but we can reveal that the 'original' is ‘L’Estate Sta Finendo’ (Summer Is Ending) a 1985 hit for Italian disco duo Righeira.

The Villa version:

New York, New York

The song Frank Sinatra turned into a hit was used to pay homage to Holte End hero Dwight Yorke during the 1990s.

The Villa version: "Start spreading the news, he's playing today, I want to see him score again - Dwight Yorke, Dwight Yorke. If he can score from there, he'll score from anywhere, it's up to you, Dwight Yorke, Dwight Yorke."

READ MORE: Kamara starts, Onana returns: Aston Villa starting XI vs Liverpool predicted

My Old Man Said Follow The Van

Taste and decency prevents us from going into too much detail about the precise lyrics of this one.

Needless to say it is a version of an old music hall favourite adapted to take a pop at rivals Birmingham City and to salute Nigel Spink, Paul Birch and Alan McInally.

The Villa version: "My old man said be a City fan and I said......" You know the rest...

Hooray! Hooray!

Modern day chants don't sample enough Boney M, they really don't.

Unlike this tune which swapped the words 'Hooray, hooray, it's a holi-holiday day firstly for a verse in honour of a goalscoring great and then a song praising a follically challenged full-back.

The Villa version 1: Gary Shaw, Gary Shaw, Gary Gary Shaw, he gets the ball, he's bound to score, Gary Gary Shaw."

The Villa version 2: "Chris Price, Chris Price, Chrissy Chrissy Price. He's got no hair, but we don't care, Chrissy, Chrissy Price."

Kum Bay Ya

It's only fitting that a religious hymn should have been given a re-working to pay tribute to 'God'.

Paul McGrath's chant is still belted out regularly by Villa fans now, more than 20 years ago his claret and blue heyday.

The Villa version: Paul McGrath my lord, Paul McGrath, Paul McGrath my lord, Paul McGrath, Paul McGrath my lord, Paul McGrath, oh lord, Paul McGrath.

Ghost Riders in the Sky

It's not just the new owners that have been splashing the cash at Villa Park. There's been plenty of Johnny Cash too.

The Villa version: "Yippie yi ohhh, yippie yi yaaay, Holte Enders in the sky."

Gino

This was one of those rare occasions when the stadium DJ's choice of tune can generate a response from the stands. During Dean Saunders' time as a fans' favourite, a distinctive blast of 'Gino' by Dexys Midnight Runners came blaring out of the Villa Park stereo, generating some enthusiastic crowd participation.

The Villa version: "Wo wo Deano!"

Deck the Halls

Villa fans were clearly feeling a little more festive during the seventies. This Christmas carol was given the claret and blue treatment to form a eulogy about Villa's new boardroom advisor back when he was a star player.

The Villa version: "Brian Little walks on water, tra la la la la, la la la la."

The First Noel

Another 1970s Christmas-themed chant, this time in honour of Bruce Rioch.

The Villa version: "Rioch, Rioch, Rioch, Rioch, born is the king of Villa Park."

Boom boom boom

This tune from the Outhere Brothers did not seem the most likely track for football hero-worship. But substitute 'wayo' for 'Savo' and away you go, an anthem hailing 1990s striker Savo Milosevic.

The Villa version: "Boom boom boom, let me hear you say Savo, Savo."

Seven Nation Army

And finally, let's try to make this a bit more current... well a few years ago 'current', anyway.

This track by The White Stripes lent itself to a tribute to Christian Benteke, and let's face it, the big Belgian's goalscoring heroics certainly warranted a tribute.

The Villa version: "Oh, Christian Benteke, oh Christian Benteke."