Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle have lost a part of their history with the man behind their club song “Freo, way to go,” Ken Walther, passing away earlier this week.
The Perth based jingled writer died aged 74 on Monday morning, but his legacy will live on far longer, particularly in the halls of Fremantle where his song has been the sound of victory for 32 years.
The musical director dubbed the ‘jingles king of Perth’ composed thousands of pieces, including Channel 10’s long-running Kenny Kidna goodnight jingle and was Telethon’s musical director for 26 years.
However, his most famous piece, which was heard a record number of times this season, was the Dockers club song, which he created in 1995.
“For more than 30 years, Ken’s song has been the sound of a Fremantle victory, sung with gusto by generations of players, members and fans in the middle of grounds around the country, high in grandstands and deep inside raucous changerooms,” the club wrote in a statement.
“Ken was a wonderful man who dearly loved the Club, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him.
“Every time a siren sounds and “we’re the rollers and the rockers” kick-starts Fremantle victory celebrations, Ken Walther’s contribution will be there, and we are so grateful for his special contribution to our Club.”
While the song is one of the more divisive amongst footy fans, Walther always rated it as one of his best pieces given he had to base it on Stravinsky’s The Song of the Volga Boatmen.
“Volga Boatmen is a very powerful piece of music, a Russian working-class song. But it’s very slow and it’s in a minor key, A-minor, so it was hard to work with,” he said back in 2010
“Given that brief and to come up with a song that’s catchy, it’s a bloody hard ask. In my estimation, it’s not a bad song. It’s a great song.”
Walther also had a hand in reworking the West Coast Eagles club song in the late 1990s when the club removed its anti-Victorian verses.
