Ajax is a club with an incredible history of winning trophies at the highest level of the game. The Dutch giants have offered some of the world’s best players a platform to showcase their incredible football ability.
Many of these players thrived because of the support of the loyal fans of the club. The fans are as passionate as any in the beautiful game. One of the main ways that they show their passion is by chanting and singing songs. In today’s article, we look at some popular songs that have been sung and enjoyed by fans of the Dutch giants.
Ajax-Mars (Ajax March)
Ajax-Mars (Ajax March in English) is the club’s official anthem, and its origins date back to 1918. The song was originally first played after Ajax secured their first-ever title with a 4-1 home hammering of reigning champions Sparta Rotterdam.
It was a significant achievement for the club from Amsterdam, as Sparta had claimed three straight Dutch titles before their triumph.
The words of the song were written by Dirk Knegt and composed by Emile Painparé, and it was played by an orchestra in the stadium during the title celebrations.
Its oldest known recording was in 1919 by the Odeon Orchestra, and the most recent recording of the anthem was in 1963 when Fred Wiegman recorded it alongside the City Theater Orchestra.
Three Little Birds
The massive 1970s Bob Marley hit has become a big anthem for Ajax fans. The connection goes back to August 2008, when the Dutch giants were playing a friendly against Cardiff City in the Welsh capital.
The Ajax fans were told to stay in the stadium to prevent any disorder outside the ground, which could have caused them to become restless. However, the stadium announcer played the song over the PA system in an attempt to placate the fans.
The club’s fans started to sing along to the song, and it gained popularity amongst the supporters. In fact, it gained such popularity that the fans now sing the song at every home game at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The song was so popular that the club released memorabilia connected with Bob Marley’s hit, including a unique Three Little Birds third kit, among other Three Little Birds memorabilia.
There was also a special Ajax version of ‘Three Little Birds’ on vinyl made available by the club, which, like the other Three Little Birds memorabilia, celebrated the song and Bob Marley’s life.
Other Ajax-related songs
The club also has a number of terrace chants that are popular among the fans. Arguably, the biggest one is “Wij zijn Ajax”, which in English means ‘We Are Ajax’.
Other songs regularly sung by the club’s fans include “Geen Dag Gaat Mij Voorbij” (“Not a Day Passes by Me” in English) and “Wij Willen Ajax Zien,” which translates into “We Want to See Ajax.”
Then there is “Dit Is De Club Waar Ik Zo Trots Op Ben” or “This Is The Club I’m So Proud Of” when loosely translated into English.
Whatever songs the Ajax fans sing, the Dutch club’s loyal supporters have the ability to lift their team and cause goosebumps with their passionate vocal support of their beloved team.