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Monday, 22 November, 1999, 14:11 GMT
Queen's Dome anthem boost
BBC News Online users want Queen's We Are The Champions to be the rock anthem at the Millennium Dome's New Year's Eve party. The 1977 hit is one of eight songs being considered by organisers to be played at 2345 GMT on 31 December, just before the Queen officially opens the Dome. A four-man panel of English National Opera boss Paul Daniel, Dome party organisers Mark Fisher and Michael Lockett and musician Jools Holland will have the final say on which song is chosen. Former Squeeze pianist Holland will be performing himself on the night. But News Online users, who voted on the eight-strong shortlist - had some advice for them: choose Queen.
Meanwhile, Rosie Lane called it "an optimistic and truly British anthem in every sense". "The song unites people in an uplifting way and everyone knows the words! The UK produces the best rock music in the world and Queen prove to be amongst the most popular in all music polls. It is definitely the most appropriate song for the occasion." Many users also felt playing Bohemian Rhapsody would be an appropriate way of seeing out 1999 and welcoming in 2000. In second place came The Beatles' All You Need Is Love, closely followed by John Lennon's Imagine. "The music that nurtured a generation continues to do so, and the message is still the only one that can unite a world," wrote Barbara Krauss in the US of the Beatles, while Imagine "promotes peace and harmony and is a positive message for the next thousand years", according to Jon Clark in the UK.
More modern sounds were next - Robbie Williams' anthem Millennium, was next, followed by Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger and Pulp's Disco 2000. Stuart Fotheringham in the UK wrote: "Millennium by Robbie Williams accurately describes the madness of these times - 'We got stars directing our fate'." Propping up the bottom of the poll was the Rolling Stones' It's Only Rock And Roll (But I Like It) - an all-star charity version of which is being released for Christmas. The panel are not just restricting themselves to the eight songs on the shortlist. Other suggestions from users ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous - depending, of course, on your own tastes. They included Big Country's In A Big Country, the Stone Roses' I Am The Resurrection, Sir Cliff Richard's Millennium Prayer, Time by Pink Floyd and It's The End Of The World As We Know It by REM. But one option is almost certain not to be heard - those users who voted for God Save The Queen or Anarchy In The UK by the Sex Pistols are likely to be disappointed. Click here for more views on what should be the Dome's rock anthem. |
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