Liverpool fans on The Kop were one of the first groups of supporters to sing popular songs at football matches, and one of the first songs they adopted for the club was You’ll Never Walk Alone.
The song was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, who wrote it for their musical Carousel in 1945. It was performed in the musical by the aptly named character – Nettie Fowler. The lyrics were written by Hammerstein, with Rodgers composing the music.
The famous version by Liverpool beat combo Gerry and the Pacemakers, was released in 1963 and adopted by The Kop not long after. The video below shows fans singing the song at the FA Cup final between Liverpool and Leeds United in 1965. If you watch the video fully you can distinctly hear the travelling Kop’s version of the song, and commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme comments that it is Liverpool’s signature tune.
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
