The World Cup’s official song is “We Are One (Ole Ola),” from Pitbull with vocals from Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte.
The trio wrote the song along with others including Sia Fuler, Daniel Murcia, and Thomas Troelsen.
FIFA and Sony announced in January that the song would be the official song for the 2014 World Cup
“I’m honored to join Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte at the FIFA World Cup to bring the world together. I truly believe that this great game and the power of music will help unify us, because we are best when we are one,” said Pitbull at the time. (Download the song here).
But critics have decried the song as the official choice of the tournament, saying that it doesn’t showcase enough of Brazil.
Along with criticizing the choice, fans say that Shakira’s 2010 World Cup song--the singer also contributed a track for FIFA’s 2014 World Cup album--is better.
“The fact that they chose Pitbull to make the World Cup song rather than Shakira is something I'll never be able to forgive,” said one Twitter user.
“Shakira’s world cup song is so much better than Pitbull’s. In terms of video and music,” said another.
Nevertheless, the song has been chosen and will be performed at the opening ceremony.
See an Associated Press update about that below, after lyrics for the World Cup song.
Lyrics
Put your flags up in the sky (put them in the sky)
And wave them side to side (side to side)
Show the world where you’re from
(show them where you’re from)
Show the world we are one (one love, life)
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
When the going gets tough
the tough get going
One love, one life, one world
One fight, whole world, one night, one place
Brazil, everybody put your flags
in the sky and do what you feel
It’s your world, my world, our world today A
nd we invite the whole world, whole world to play
It’s your world, my world, our world today
And we invite the whole world, whole world to play
Es mi mundo, tu mundo, el mundo de nosotros
Invitamos a todo el mundo a jugar con nosotros
Put your flags up in the sky
(Put them in the sky)
And wave them side to side (side to side)
Show the world where you’re from
(show them where you’re from)
Show the world we are one (one love, life)
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
One night watch the world unite
Two sides, one fight and a million eyes
Full heart’s gonna work so hard
Shoot, fall, the stars
Fists raised up towards the sky
Tonight watch the world unite, world unite, world unite
For the fight, fight, fight, one night
Watch the world unite
Two sides, one fight and a million eyes
Hey, hey, hey, força força come and sing with me
Hey, hey, hey, allez allez come shout it out with me
Hey, hey, hey, come on now Hey, hey, hey, come on now
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Put your flags up in the sky
(Put them in the sky)
And wave them side to side (side to side)
Show the world where you’re from
(show them where you’re from)
Show the world we are one (one love, life)
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Claudia Leitte, obrigado
É meu, é seu
Hoje é tudo nosso
Quando chamo o mundo inteiro pra jogar é pra
mostrar que eu posso
Torcer, chorar, sorrir, gritar
Não importa o resultado, vamos extravasar
Put your flags up in the sky
(Put them in the sky)
And wave them side to side (side to side)
Show the world where you’re from
(show them where you’re from)
Show the world we are one (one love, life)
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Ole ole ole ola
Story
From Bronx to Brazil: J.Lo to sing at World Cup
NEW YORK—Not so fast: J.Lo is performing at the World Cup after all.
Jennifer Lopez said in an interview with The Associated Press that she is flying to Brazil on Tuesday night to perform during the tournament’s opening ceremony on Thursday.
“I’m coming. I leave tonight. We always were going,” she said. “I think people get anxious, especially with me and my schedule when I’m like, ‘Ah, OK, I can leave this day, that day, I don’t know if we can make it.’”
“People get nervous and I think it was a little bit premature to announce anything,” she said. “But we are definitely going.”
FIFA officials announced earlier this week that the singer wouldn’t perform the official tune “We Are One (Ole Ola)” alongside Pitbull and Claudia Leitte. But Lopez said they will perform before Brazil takes on Croatia at Thursday’s opening game in Sao Paulo.
(Dan Hallman/Invision/AP)
Lopez said the World Cup song was orchestrated by Pitbull, who invited her to join on the track.
“I can’t take credit for this. This was one of Pitbull’s call-ins,” said Lopez, who has collaborated with the rapper on the hits “On the Floor” and “Dance Again.”
“He had this record and he’s like, ‘I think this record could be great for the World Cup,” she recalled. “He’s like, ’Will you do it with me?‘ And I go, ’Yeah, of course.'”
Lopez added: “I’m so lucky that he gave me the opportunity.”
The 44-year-old singer, who’s from the Bronx, is also busy promoting her new album, “A.K.A.,” to be released next week.
