A new samba single is celebrating Paisley’s historic connection to the birth of Brazilian football.
Scottish band Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 will release The Fathers of Brazilian Football on Friday, 29th May through Button Up Records.
The song tells the story of four Scots credited with helping bring football to Brazil in the late 1800s. That includes Paisley-born Archie McLean, who is recognised as one of the early figures behind the Brazilian game.
The track also references Thomas Donohoe, who took the first football from Busby to Rio de Janeiro in 1894.
Singer Kirstin McNair, who was born in Paisley and raised in Johnstone, said the single highlights the strong Scottish influence on football in Brazil.
She said: “The song also tells the story of Thomas Donohoe, who took the first football from Busby to Rio in 1894.
“In the chorus, we use the word ‘tabelinha’ — the Brazilian term for the short-passing style of play that Archie McLean, a Paisley man and one of Brazil’s earliest football stars, helped introduce in São Paulo.
“That passing style remains central to Brazilian football to this day.”
The band first performed the song live alongside SambaYaBamba during Julie McNeill’s World Cup book launch on Wednesday, 7th May.
Kirstin said the event “was absolutely bouncing”.
There is also a family connection to the project. Malcolm McLean, who performed with SambaYaBamba, is Archie McLean’s grandson.
The band said the track aims to capture an authentic samba sound. Musician Roddy Dickson spent years in Brazil playing with samba groups and internationally with Bloco X.
A CD version of the single is also being released ahead of Scotland’s match against Brazil later this year.
Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 are also due to appear at several festivals including Eden Festival, Belladrum, Fringe by the Sea, Party at the Palace and Lindisfarne Festival.