When You’re Smiling

[dayday]

Anybody know when Leicester fans started singing this and why ?  , I do remember it from the 80s 

[Leicesterpool]

It's a terrible chant if honest, I'm sorry but I think Jersey Budd version just makes it sound worse. I do wish Kasabian would come out a release better version to play over the PA system.

[SK3Blue]

Can remember it from early 80s when I first started going. 
That and the Molly Malone song…

[The whole world smiles]

10 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

It's a terrible chant if honest, I'm sorry but I think Jersey Budd version just makes it sound worse. I do wish Kasabian would come out a release better version to play over the PA system.

Who cares it's the only song in our songbook that's unique to Leicester City and has history going back over 50 years. The best thing about the conference League run was the fans rediscovering this song.

[Spudulike]

This is the official line but it was 100% defo sung in the early 70's when I first went with all the jazz hands etc.

 

https://www.lcfc.com/pages/en/more-matchday-when-youre-smiling

 

[Ted Maul]

42 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

It's a terrible chant if honest, I'm sorry but I think Jersey Budd version just makes it sound worse. I do wish Kasabian would come out a release better version to play over the PA system.

Doesn't matter, it's ours.

 

The national anthem is absolute dirge but doesn't stop people belting it out, and most songs sound alright when there's enough involvement- I think WYS now sounds decent before kick off.

[OnlyOneCity]

42 minutes ago, SK3Blue said:

Can remember it from early 80s when I first started going. 
That and the Molly Malone song…

Molly Malone was sung in the mid 60s. WYS obviously has struck a chord with the fans by the number who join in. When Colin Murray did a football anthems show on the radio a few months ago, he thought it was brilliant and was one of the best he’d heard. Not sure Kasabian would have the same response. 

[LeePhilpottsBaldSpot]

Much better than that droney dirge

 

"We support the Lestuh, the Lestuh, the Lestuh

"And that's the way we like it, like it, like it

"Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhh

""Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhhhhh"

[Gamble92]

I love it and I think we're probably the only fanbase who would have fans trash our own song. 

 

 

[TrentFox]

This. It’s brilliant and so captures our club and mentality. 

[niyaminski]

1 hour ago, Leicesterpool said:

I do wish Kasabian would come out a release better version to play over the PA system.

Agreed. Although I feel like Kasabian isn’t what it was without Tom.

 

The current version feels like it’s trying to be an anthem, but isn’t quite there yet. It’s lacking something.

 

Even a local band/group of local bands (possibly including Kasabian and Jersey Bud) could rework it such that it sounds less “happy-go-lucky”, which isn’t what the players need before a game of football.

 

I think the chant itself is mega though. Especially watching it on YouTube after that Cardiff game.

Edited 11 October 2025 by niyaminski

[OnlyOneCity]

43 minutes ago, niyaminski said:

Agreed. Although I feel like Kasabian isn’t what it was without Tom.

 

The current version feels like it’s trying to be an anthem, but isn’t quite there yet. It’s lacking something.

 

Even a local band/group of local bands (possibly including Kasabian and Jersey Bud) could rework it such that it sounds less “happy-go-lucky”, which isn’t what the players need before a game of football.

 

I think the chant itself is mega though. Especially watching it on YouTube after that Cardiff game.

It does not sound happy - go - lucky at all. Are you listening to the Sinatra or Armstrong version

 

[Gamble92]

I reckon people are more taking aim at Jersey Budd for being a pub standard artist rather than the song itself. I think he nailed it for what he was trying to achieve. 

 

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Still dont think half the fans in the ground know the words which is tinpot! Nothing ****s me off more when people don't sing it before KO.

Edited 11 October 2025 by TheGoldenGod

[Spanner73]

2 hours ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said:

Much better than that droney dirge

 

"We support the Lestuh, the Lestuh, the Lestuh

"And that's the way we like it, like it, like it

"Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhh

""Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhhhhh"

Yes i bloody hate that, it’s crap 

Our choice has always been poor we’ve no originality at all. 
You can see videos of fans at other clubs gathering in pubs before games trying to get new songs started to take to the ground and they do well. 

[Plastik Man]

It's perhaps an odd song choice for a football ground, and the Jersey Budd version really can be painful to the ears and manages to rip any life out of the melody.

 

Having said that it's at a slower speed that people can join in with and has been a relative success preatch.

 

The lyrics I think are perfect reflecting the ups and downs of supporting your team, through the good times, and the bad!

 

And like others have said, it's ours! 

 

A song unique to us really is something to be proud of. It's a good thing!

[Mark_w]

2 hours ago, Gamble92 said:

I love it and I think we're probably the only fanbase who would have fans trash our own song. 

That’s because we’re the only fanbase whose club’s song is When You’re Smiling to be fair 

[Spudulike]

I think it's missing the last line. No need to fade before and should be sung as The. Whole. World. Smiles. With. Youuuuuuu. 

 

You know that it's established when away fans try to drown it out. It's ours and probably the best bit of the day.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

25 minutes ago, Plastik Man said:

the Jersey Budd version really can be painful to the ears

[Claridge]

We used to chant Albert Tatlock Ena Sharples for ages in the 80s so be grateful

 

[sdb]

I want to love it but I just don't. Doesn't help we've been wank since we started singing it pre match 

[BeaumontFox]

5 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

It's a terrible chant if honest, I'm sorry but I think Jersey Budd version just makes it sound worse. I do wish Kasabian would come out a release better version to play over the PA system.

Not the best but I’ll take it over shit like The Liquidator 😂

[waddadamadda]

It gives me goosebumps every time. I like it, it’s unique to us. 

[SpacedX]

4 hours ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said:

Much better than that droney dirge

 

"We support the Lestuh, the Lestuh, the Lestuh

"And that's the way we like it, like it, like it

"Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhh

""Wohhhhheeeewohhhhweewohhhhhhhh"

It says it all that our dumb fanbase are amongst the few in the league stupid enough to still be singing this. Cringeworthy. 

[BeaumontFox]

47 minutes ago, SpacedX said:

It says it all that our dumb fanbase are amongst the few in the league stupid enough to still be singing this. Cringeworthy. 

It’s surprised me how many times Jamie Vardy’s Magic has come out at matches this season.