REMEMBERING ITALIA 90

Pop Will Eat Itself were  far more successful than my memory told me. I had always thought of them as a sort of cult act who deserved more success than they ever achieved. But doing a little bit of research shows up that twelve of their singles made the UK Top 50, with the fabulous Get The Girl, Kill The Baddies going Top 10 in 1993.

Today’s offering was released in 1990 just before the World Cup that was held that year in Italy. I love how the cover has the flags of all 16 finalists around a football, and the fact the record is described as a 30cm single and not a 12″ single as a nod to Europeanism.

mp3 : Pop Will Eat Itself – Touched By The Hand of Cicciolina (Extra Time Mix)

The official song for the England World Cup squad that year was World In Motion by New Order, while the other big hit was the operatic tune that BBC-TV used for its coverage, Nessun Dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti.

All in all, a good World Cup for music. Such a pity the tournament itself is widely regarded as the worst in history since it began in 1930.

Here’s the b-sides of the 30cm single:-

mp3 : Pop Will Eat Itself – Touched By The Hand of Cicciolina
mp3 : Pop Will Eat Itself – Touched By The Hand of Cicciolina (Incredi-Bull Mix)

The latter was a nod to this footballer, much loved by many a pop singer from the Black Country.

Cicciolina, for those who don’t know was an Italian porn star.  At the previous World Cup, England had been knocked out after a controversial goal by Diego Maradona who later claimed it was ‘The Hand of God’ who had scored it and not him. I still laugh at the commentary from various football matches sounding as if there are multiple orgasms a-plenty.

Scotland made the finals in 1990 (and have only done so once since in 1998).  While England made the semi-final, we came home just about first after losing to Costa Rica, beating Sweden and then losing a late goal to Brazil when a draw would have seen us get out of the group.  Our song was honking….

mp3 : The Scottish World Cup Squad & Friends – Say It With Pride

Enjoy.