Chart-topping Everton anthem Spirit of the Blues – which stormed to number 1 in the iTunes singles chart this week – has been released as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl single, with all proceeds going to the Club’s official charity Everton in the Community.
The track has captured the imagination of Evertonians on social media as videos dubbing Spirit Of the Blues over dozens of TV and film clips - from The Simpsons and Friends to The Shawshank Redemption and The Blues Brothers. The popularity of the social media memes inspired a fan-led campaign to take the song to number one as a light-hearted celebration of Everton’s fine start to the 2020/21 season.
With fans from across the world joining in – the tune eventually beat Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Jason Derulo to the number one spot in the UK iTunes chart, attracting global media attention.
Spirit of the Blues was originally released by Liverpool Express after Everton secured the First Division title and European Cup Winners' Cup double following the 1984/85 season – and the song continues to be played on matchdays at Goodison Park.
Fans who bought the record at the time have rushed to share images of their original blue vinyl copies, and with the blessing of writers Billy Kinsley, formerly of the Merseybeats, and Kenny Parry – as well as their Liverpool Express bandmate, drummer Brian Rawling, and manager Alex Mearns - Everton is now set to re-issue a limited-edition version of the record in vinyl so that fans around the world can get their hands on a slice of the Club’s modern history.
Priced at £10 (plus £2.50 for postage and packing), the special edition Spirit of the Blues vinyl disc will, like the original, be blue in colour but the 2020 version will be supported by a special piano version of the Club’s well-known anthem Z-Cars as the B-side.
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Evertonians are also keeping up the momentum as Spirit of the Blues has been recognised as the most downloaded track of the week by The Official UK Charts Company and entered into this week’s Official Singles Chart at number 65 on just downloads alone. The track will also chart in commercial radio’s ‘Big Top 40’, which is set to be revealed on Sunday.
On the limited edition vinyl re-issue, Billy Kinsley said: “It’s been wonderful to see Everton’s fantastic start to the season. The victories for the Men’s and Women’s teams have created a real feelgood factor with Evertonians and to see it all brought together with Spirit of the Blues becoming our anthem means so much.
“We’re proud to have made the song and are proud again to now help raise money for Everton in the Community. We hope these limited-edition vinyls will prove popular with Blues and can help support such a worthy cause.”
Kenny Parry also shared his joy and surprise at the song’s success in the iTunes chart, admitting that the song's renewed success was a welcome boost.
Kenny said: “It has been lovely to see Evertonians embrace Spirit of the Blues again at what is a really exciting time for the Club and us.
“I am loving it. It’s been surreal. It has been a great lift and it now means so much more to be able to support Everton in the Community and all the charity’s great work from the proceeds from the limited-edition Spirit of the Blues vinyls.”
All proceeds from the vinyl sales of Spirit of the Blues will go to Everton’s award-winning charity Everton in the Community, which runs more than 40 innovative life changing and life-saving social action programmes for people of all ages across Merseyside. In the last year almost 10,000 vulnerable and underprivileged individuals benefited directly from its programmes whilst 145,816 individuals engaged in its wider activities.
Everton was also the first football club to mobilise a targeted campaign to support the most vulnerable, socially isolated and at-risk members of its community during the coronavirus pandemic. The ‘Blue Family’ campaign – officially launched on March 20 - is still being delivered collaboratively by the Club and its official charity. Six months after the campaign was first launched, more than 17,000 vulnerable people and families have been supported by Club and charity staff with emergency food parcels, mental health support, check-in and welfare calls and assistance with utility bills and essential household items.
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