Irvine Welsh and Bobby Gillespie hopeful to release World Cup anthem

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Irvine Welsh and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie are looking to release a song they hope will become the Tartan Army’s World Cup anthem.

The Trainspotting author has written Choose Life, which will be sung by Gillespie, for the up-coming stage musical version of his hit 1993 novel, the Daily Record reports.

Image of Irvine WelshImage of Irvine Welsh (Image: Archive)

Welsh, 67, said: “If we can get it out in time we are hoping it will get adopted by the mob for the World Cup final. It’s got the ‘here we f****** go!’ type chorus.

“It’s not the Choose Life song Ewan McGregor, did. That was nonsense. Terrible. Ours is a stormer. Ten times better.”

It comes after Irvine and Primal Scream teamed up for the 1996 Euros campaign to record The Big Man and The Scream Team Meet the Barmy Army Uptown.

Primal Scream also wrote the title track for the film version of Trainspotting.

(Image: PA)

The Trainspotting musical will arrive in Glasgow in 2027, and Scots actor Robbie Scott will play Renton.

Welsh admitted he doesn’t think of himself as “a musicals man” but did go and see Oliver! eight times when he was a kid.

While he’s enjoyed adapting his book and writing new songs for the musical he isn’t thinking of turning any of his other books like Filth or The Acid House into musicals.

He laughed: “I don’t know if I want to hear people jumping on stage and bursting into song for a while after this one.”

Scotland will head to the World Cup finals next month to play against Haiti on June 14.

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