Michael Ward, of the HMHB Lyrics Points Facebook page, writes:

“I found myself at a loose end and spent far too many hours doing a football reference analysis of everyone’s favourite band. The project came about (as with all good ideas) listening to HMHB and a friend asking: “I wonder what percentage of Biscuit songs have football references in?

“There are lots of decisions that have been made that could potentially be called into question. For example, I have split the songs into “with reference to football” and “about football”, which is obviously down to interpretation.

“I have Gubba Lookalikes as a song about football because its primary theme is people who look like a commentator but I have Dukla Prague Away Kit as a song with reference to football, as the main theme isn’t really football itself. It’s also possible that I have missed some references completely, which would be great to have pointed out!”

Michael’s spreadsheet (XLSX) can be downloaded here. There’s a nice “charts” tab with some interactive, er, charts, and other tabs have the raw data. Enjoy!

Sample Data: songs with two or more references to football:

The Referee’s Alphabet • 31
Rock And Roll Is Full Of Bad Wools • 8
1966 And All That (CD only) • 7
Awkward Sean • 7
This One’s For Now • 6
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit  • 4
Oblong Of Dreams • 4
Carry On Cremating • 3
Friday Night And The Gates Are Low • 3
Mathematically Safe • 3
Swerving the Checkatrade • 3
Tour Jacket With Detachable Sleeves • 3
Bob Wilson – Anchorman • 2
Breaking News • 2
Fear My Wraith • 2
I Went To A Wedding… • 2
Letters Sent • 2
Midnight Mass Murder • 2
Paintball’s Coming Home • 2
Paradise Lost (You’re The Reason Why) • 2
Persian Rug Sale At The URC • 2
Slipping The Escort • 2
Terminus • 2
Uffington Wassail • 2
Upon Westminster Bridge • 2
Used To Be In Evil Gazebo • 2