OM Chant: The story of the song "Raise the flags high"

When "Hisse haut les drapeaux!" rings out at the Vélodrome, a blue and white tide floods the stands. "Hissez haut les drapeaux," the Marseilles adaptation of Hugues Aufray's famous "Santiano," has become one of Olympique de Marseille's most spectacular chants.

Sung during moments of great collective unity, this Marseille anthem, OM, transforms the stadium into a sea of ​​flags waving in unison. But how did a Breton sea shanty become the visual anthem of the Vélodrome? Discover the fascinating story of this adaptation that unites 67,000 Marseillais.

"Santiano" by Hugues Aufray: a sea shanty that became a hit

The story begins in 1961 with Hugues Aufray and his French adaptation of "Santy Anno," a 19th-century English sea shanty. "Santiano" tells the story of a three-masted ship leaving Saint-Malo for San Francisco in search of gold, leaving behind his fiancée Margot.

The catchy refrain "Hissez haut Santiano!" became instantly popular in France. This joyful, maritime melody, with its rhythmic cadence perfect for chanting in a group, would be covered many times: by Laurent Voulzy, Les Marins d'Iroise, and even a German group named Santiano in homage to the song.

But no one could have imagined that this Breton sea shanty would become, three decades later, one of the anthems of a Mediterranean football club located 800 kilometers from Saint-Malo.

The Marseille adaptation by Commando Ultra '84

In the 1990s, Commando Ultra '84 sought to create a repertoire of original chants for the Vélodrome. Their strategy: to adapt popular French songs, rooted in folklore, by incorporating lyrics specific to OM.

"Santiano" was a natural choice. The maritime refrain "Hoist the sails high" became "Hoist the flags high," transforming the sea call into a visual command. The song was no longer on a ship sailing towards Californian gold, but in a stadium where fans were waving their colors.

The original lyrics are replaced by a text focused on the unity of the supporters: "All united under the same colors, the stands will resume their chant in unison." The adaptation is brilliant because it retains the catchy melodic structure while creating a visually spectacular chant.

A song born on a bus to Nantes in 1993

Marseille legend has it that it was during a trip to Nantes in 1993 that "Hissez haut les drapeaux" (Raise the flags high) took its final form. On the bus transporting the supporters, the atmosphere was electric: OM was in the midst of a European adventure.

The members of Commando Ultra '84 are fine-tuning the lyrics, testing different variations. Arriving at the Beaujoire stadium, the song resonates for the first time with its second verse: "All united under the same colours, the stands will resume in chorus."

This birth while away from home is not insignificant. Songs created far from Marseille, in the excitement of traveling as supporters, often have a special flavor. They crystallize the group spirit, the camaraderie of expeditions, the collective adventure.

Munich 1993: a sea of ​​blue and white flags

On May 26, 1993, in Munich, "Raise the flags high" took on its full visual dimension. During the Champions League final against AC Milan, Marseille supporters waved hundreds of blue and white flags while chanting the song.

Images of this Olympian tide at the Olympiastadion are going around the world. The chant is no longer just auditory, it becomes visual: each "Hoist the sails" is accompanied by a synchronized movement of flags creating waves in the stands.

This historic victory – the first for a French club in European competition – definitively links "Hissez haut les drapeaux" (Raise the Flags High) to Marseille's great triumphs. From now on, the song will be sung at every important match, every moment of collective unity.

"All united under the same colors"

This central phrase of the song perfectly sums up its philosophy. The blue and white flag becomes the symbol of unity : no matter your social background, your neighborhood, your age, when you wave the colors of OM, you are part of the family.

At the Vélodrome, this visual unity is striking. Entire families wave small flags, ultras unfurl giant banners, and different sections of the stadium respond to each other in a spontaneous choreography. "All united" is not just a slogan, it's a lived reality.

This inclusive dimension is what makes the chant so powerful. Unlike some more technical or provocative chants, "Raise the Flags High" can be sung by the ENTIRE stadium, from children to grandparents. It's the chant of maximum unity.

Full lyrics to "Hissez haut les drapeaux"

Here are the lyrics of the Marseilles song as it is sung at the Vélodrome:

Listen to "Raise the Flags High"

Find below "Hissez haut les drapeaux" as it is integrated into the SoundKop music magnets , to relive the atmosphere of the Vélodrome.

The choreography of the flags

What makes "Hissez haut les drapeaux" unique is its choreographic dimension. The song doesn't exist without the gesture . When "Hissez haut" resounds, thousands of arms rise simultaneously, waving flags in rhythm.

This synchronization creates an impressive visual spectacle. Seen from the upper stands or on television, the Vélodrome becomes a rippling sea of ​​blue and white. The flags create waves that sweep across the stadium, section by section.

The ultras groups sometimes coordinate even more elaborate choreographies: giant flags are unfurled, blue flares are lit, creating an atmosphere worthy of the biggest European stadiums. "Hoist the sails" then becomes a moment of total spectacle.

The turn that "starts up again in unison"

The lyrics "the stand will take up the chant again" reveal the antiphonal structure of Marseille's fan culture. The South Stand starts, the North Stand responds , then the whole stadium unites in the chorus.

This sound architecture creates a musical dialogue across the stadium. The Commando Ultra '84 and the South Winners in the South initiate the chant, the Fanatics and MTP in the North take it up, and the side stands join their voices for the finale.

This "joining together" is not just a poetic image, it is the exact description of what is happening: 67,000 voices answer each other and unite in a giant polyphony that makes the concrete of the Vélodrome tremble.

A song of celebration

Unlike "Aux Armes," which is a war cry, "Hissez haut les drapeaux" is a song of celebration . It is often sung during victories, goals, and moments of collective joy.

When OM scores an important goal, the reflex is immediate: bring out the flags and sing "Hissez haut". The song becomes the physical expression of joy: we don't just shout, we wave the club's colours as a sign of triumph.

This festive aspect makes it a particularly popular song with families. Children love waving their little flags to the rhythm of the song, creating their first emotional memories linked to OM.

The legacy of "Santiano" in football

The Marseilles adaptation of "Santiano" inspired other clubs. Several French teams created their own versions , changing the lyrics but keeping Hugues Aufray's catchy melody.

But none have reached the scale and visual impact of the Marseille version. "Hissez haut les drapeaux" remains THE benchmark, the one that perfectly blended the maritime melody with the Mediterranean culture of colors and spectacle.

Hugues Aufray himself, upon discovering this adaptation, declared himself honored that his song had become an integral part of Marseille's culture. From Saint-Malo to Marseille, "Santiano" sailed to find a new home port.

The transmission of the gesture

Beyond words, it is the gesture of waving the flag that is passed on . Parents teach their children not only the words, but also the movement: when to raise the flag, how to make it wave, at what point to reach the maximum amplitude.

This physical transmission creates a muscular memory of fandom. A Marseille fan who hasn't been to the Vélodrome for years will instantly rediscover the gesture at the first "Hissez haut" (Hoist the sails). It's ingrained in the body, not just in the mind.

Seeing three generations of the same family waving their flags together, from grandfather to grandson, is one of the most touching images of the Vélodrome. Singing then becomes a vehicle for family continuity and identity.

FAQ – Raise the OM flags high

Where does the melody of "Hissez haut les drapeaux" come from?

The melody comes from "Santiano" by Hugues Aufray (1961), a French adaptation of the 19th-century English sea shanty "Santy Anno." Commando Ultra '84 adapted this song in the 1990s, replacing "Hissez haut Santiano" with "Hissez haut les drapeaux," thus creating a unique Marseilles anthem.

Why is this song accompanied by flags?

The call to "Raise the flags high" naturally creates a visual dimension: the fans wave their blue and white flags in rhythm. This spontaneous choreography transforms the Vélodrome into a rippling sea of ​​color, creating a visual spectacle as impressive as it is auditory. The chant cannot exist without the gesture.

When was the song first sung?

According to legend, the chant originated in 1993 on a supporters' bus traveling to Nantes and was first heard at the Beaujoire stadium. But it was during the Champions League final in Munich on May 26, 1993, that it truly took off, with hundreds of flags waved by Marseille supporters.

What does "the turn will resume in unison" mean?

This sentence describes the antiphonal structure of the chant: the South Stand starts the chant, the North Stand takes it up, and then the whole stadium unites. It's a musical dialogue between the stands that culminates in a collective communion of 67,000 voices singing together, "all united under the same colors."