Euro 2012 Day 3

Let me share a few quick thoughts before I meet Caroline for a bike ride.  The football is progressing, the remaining four teams play tonight in Ukraine.  Day 3, last night, included the first match at the Poznan stadium.

Now on to the human interest side.  Night before last, Ed heard a lot of sirens during the night.  There was a fight in the old square in the wee hours of the morning.  Apparently, some Polish hooligans were harassing a Croatian fan (or possibly a small number of fans).  Irish fans came to the aid of the outnumbered Croatian, and the Polish police put and end to it and carted the whole lot off to jail.  They were released in time for yesterday’s match between Ireland and Croatia.

That explains why I kept seeing Irish and Croatian strangers on the street stopping to pose for photos together and exchanging jerseys and scarves.  Very nice.

One of my friends from volunteer training is working backstage in the Fan Zone.  She tells me that Jarzebina will be performing tomorrow.  They are folk singers, a group of older ladies that surprised everyone by winning the competition to choose Poland’s official song for the Euro.

Their song, Koko Koko Euro Spoko, translates to Cluck Cluck Euro’s Cool.  Yes, that’s right.  Cluck like a chicken.  According to the Krakow Post, the group and the song appealed to conservative church-going Poland and inspired (tongue-in-cheek) hand waving from sophisticated urbanites.

The problem is that Poles are happy to sing along with Koko Koko Euro Spoko in private, but they not pleased about having what some call a cheesy, homespun number represent Poland to the rest of the world.  Poland wants to be seen as gentrified and polished.  Some might even say a little too buttoned-up and stuffy.  So relax, Poland, the appearance of Jarzebina is generating a lot of buzz among my Western European volunteer friends; they’re one act we’re all planning to see.  It’s a fun catchy, tune and that’s all it’s meant to be.

The spirit of the song reminds me of the original Pittsburgh Steeler Polka.

Koko Koko Euro Spoko lyrics in Polish and English:

Cieszą się Polacy, cieszy Ukraina,
Że tu dla nas wszystkich Euro się zaczyna,
Że tu dla nas wszystkich Euro się zaczyna.
(Chorus)
Koko koko Euro spoko,
Piłka leci hen wysoko,
Wszyscy razem zaśpiewajmy, naszym doping dajmy. (x2)
Nasi dzielni chłopcy to biało-czerwoni,
Wygrać im się uda,
Ucieszy się Smuda,
Wygrać im się uda,
Ucieszy się Smuda,
(Chorus)
Orzełki biegajcie żwawo po murawie,
Zdobywajcie gole i będzie po sprawie,
Zdobywajcie gole i będzie po sprawie.
(Chorus)
Nie myśl sobie bracie, że rady nie damy,
Nie kłopocz się siostro,
My Euro wygramy!

In English (roughly):
Poles are happy, Ukrainians are happy,
Because here for all of us, Euro begins.
(Chorus)
Cluck cluck Euro cool,
The ball flies mighty high,
Let’s all sing together, and support our (boys).
Our brave boys, are white and red,
They will make it,
Smuda will be happy.
Run eagles, joyfully over the grass,
Score goals and it will be done.
Don’t think my brother, that we can’t do it,
Don’t worry my sister,
We will win Euro!