The Celtic Song

The Celtic Song is the song played over the loud speaker at Celtic Park when the Scottish football team, Celtic, run onto the pitch before kick-off. It has been claimed that is set to the tune of "With cat-like tread, upon our prey we steal", from the 1879 Gilbert and Sullivan opera, The Pirates of Penzance, but this is not entirely correct: "Hail hail the Celts are here" is sung to the tune of "Come friends who plough the sea" from the same sequence in Pirates, but "It's a grand old team" bears no resemblance to "With cat-like tread" [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/pirates/web_op/mid/pp25.mid] . On the popular television program Lost, Desmond Hume can be heard singing the original version of the song.

There are many versions of the song: however the original played at Parkhead was recorded by Glen Daly.

Versions of the song are sung by supporters of other clubs around the British Isles most notably by the fans of Everton.

Lyrics

"Original"

For it's a grand old team to play for,
For it's a grand old team be dad,
When you know the history,
It's enough to make your heart go sad,
God bless them.
We don't care if we win, lose or draw,
Darn the hair do we care,
For we only know that there's going to be a show,
And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.
Sure it's the best darn team in Scotland,
And it's players all are grand,
We support the Celtic,
As they are the finest in the land we love them,
We'll be there to give the Bhoys a cheer
When the league flag flies,
And they cheers us up when we know the Scottish Cup,
Is coming home to rest at Paradise.
Sure it's a grand old team to play for,
Sure it's a grand old team be dad,
When you know the history,
It's enough to make your heart go sad,
God bless them.
We don't care if we win lose or draw,
Darn the hair do we care,
For we only know that there's going to be a show,
And the Glasgow Celtic will be there,
And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.

"As sung by Celtic supporters"

Hail Hail, the Celts are here,
What the hell do we care,
What the hell do we care,
Hail Hail, the Celts are here,
What the hell do we care now
For it's a grand old team to play for,
For it's a grand old team to see,
And if you know your history,
Its enough to make your heart,
GO-OH-OH-OH!
We don't care what the animals* say,
What the hell do we care,
For we only know,
That there's gonna be a show,
And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.
Sure it's the best darn team in Scotland
and the players they are grand,
We support the Celtic
'cos they are the finest in the land we love them.
We'll be there to give the Bhoys a cheer
When the League flag flies,
And the cheers go up 'cos we know the Scottish Cup
is coming home to rest at Paradise.

"As sung by Everton supporters"

It's a grand old team to play for,
It's a grand old team to support,
And if you know your history,
It's enough to make your heart go,
WOAH-OH-OH-OH!
We don't care what the Red side* say,
What the heck* do we care,
'Cause we only know that there's going to be a show,
When the Everton boys are there!

Kopites are gobshites (repeat)

* offical club version, changed to shite and fuck respectively by fans. Note only on derby day is the last line sung.

References

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glasgow-Celtic-FC-Hail/dp/B000007XWP for Celtic lyrics and Glen Daly reference.