"You'll Never Walk Alone", also known by its initials YNWA, is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. In the second act of the musical, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the male lead, stabs himself with a knife whilst trying to run away after attempting a robbery with his mate Jigger and dies in her arms. The song is reprised as an epilogue in the final scene to encourage a graduation class of which Louise Bigelow (Billy and Julie's daughter) is a member as the Starkeeper is about to give them a graduation sermon. The now invisible Billy, who has been granted the chance to return to Earth for one day in order to redeem himself, watches the ceremony and at the end of the Starkeeper's homily is able to silently motivate Louise and Julie to join in with the song as the whole congregation unite in singing along with them urged on by the Starkeeper as he ascends to paradise.
The song is also sung at association football clubs around the world, where it is performed by a massed chorus of supporters on match day; this tradition developed at Liverpool F.C. after the UK chart-topping success of the 1963 single of the song by the local Liverpool group Gerry and the Pacemakers. In 2016, over 50 years after "You'll Never Walk Alone" was first sung on the Kop at Anfield, the governing body of the sport FIFA called it "one of the game's most beloved anthems". In some areas of the UK and Europe, "You'll Never Walk Alone" became the anthem of support for medical staff, first responders, and those in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The composition is sometimes treated by performers as a religious song, such as with the 1967 version by Elvis Presley, which was featured on his album You'll Never Walk Alone and several of his gospel albums. In June 2026, CBS News included the song in its list of the 250 essential American songs of the past 250 years.
Background Christine Johnson, who created the role of Nettie Fowler, introduced the song in the original Broadway production. Later in the show Jan Clayton, as Julie Jordan, reprised it, with the entire cast joining in.
In the 1956 film adaptation, the song was introduced by Claramae Turner as Nettie, also the weeping Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones) tries to sing it but can't; the song is reprised by Julie with the entire cast as the end.
Gerry and the Pacemakers version
In the UK, the song's most successful cover was released in 1963 by the Liverpudlian Merseybeat group Gerry and the Pacemakers, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks. The band's version also reached the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand and on the Irish Singles Chart. Click or tap "Search Charts", and then search for "You'll Never Walk Alone".
Liverpool F.C.
After becoming a chart hit, the song gained popularity among Liverpool F.C. fans, and quickly became the football anthem of the club, which adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms. The song is sung by its supporters before the start of each home game at Anfield with the Gerry and the Pacemakers version being played over the public address system.Nik Brumsack. The story of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' , independent.co.uk, April 14, 2014., FA Cup Final, BBC, 1965. "The song was covered by Liverpool group Gerry & The Pacemakers in 1963. At this time, supporters standing on the Spion Kop terrace at Anfield began singing popular chart songs of the day. The mood was captured on camera by a BBC Panorama camera crew in 1964. One year later, when Liverpool faced Leeds in the cup final, the travelling Kop sang the same song, and match commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme commended the 'Liverpool signature tune'." Paul Coslett, "You'll Never Walk Alone" . BBC Online. June 9, 2008. In October 2013, the 50th anniversary of the song being sung on the Kop, Simon Hart of The Independent wrote,
Gerry Marsden, lead vocalist of Gerry and the Pacemakers and lifelong Liverpool supporter, recalls the first time it was sung at Anfield: "I was at the match and I heard them all singing it and thought, 'Bloody hell, they're singing my song – fantastic.'"
According to former Liverpool defender Tommy Smith, Gerry Marsden presented manager Bill Shankly with a recording of his forthcoming single during a pre-season coach trip in the summer of 1963. "Shanks was in awe of what he heard. ... Football writers from the local newspapers were travelling with our party and, thirsty for a story of any kind between games, filed copy back to their editors to the effect that we had adopted Gerry Marsden's forthcoming single as the club song."Smith, Tommy. Anfield Iron, Bantam Press, p. 68-69 In 1964, the Liverpool squad, who were in New York on a club tour having won the 1963–64 league title, were invited to perform 'YNWA' with the band on The Ed Sullivan Show, with Marsden stating, "Bill came up to me. He said, 'Gerry my son, I have given you a football team and you have given us a song'."
Shankly picked the song as his eighth and final selection for the BBC's Desert Island Discs on the eve of the 1965 FA Cup final."Bill Shankly, Desert island Discs" . BBC. Monday April 26, 1965. As Liverpool fans sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" at Wembley during the 1965 FA Cup Final win over Leeds, commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme referred to it as "Liverpool's signature tune". Marsden told BBC Radio how, in the 1960s, the disc jockey at Anfield would play the top 10 commercial records in descending order, with the number one single played last, shortly before kickoff. Liverpool fans on the Kop would sing along, but unlike with other hit singles, once "You'll Never Walk Alone" dropped out of the top 10, instead of disregarding the song, supporters—chanting 'Where's our song?'—continued to sing it.Cavanagh, John. "The History of You'll Never Walk Alone", BBC Songlines, 2006.Morgan, John. "The Other Mersey Sound", BBC Panorama, 1964. In retirement, according to his granddaughter Karen Gill, Shankly would get out the gramophone and "put the record on and play it, so we would hear it in the house."
In 2016, the governing body of the sport FIFA stated, "With scarves raised, banners aloft and flags flying, the Kop at Anfield has long held a standard for producing some of football's great sights and sounds. This is particularly so when Liverpool supporters stand and sing one of the game's most beloved anthems, 'You’ll Never Walk Alone'."
In his commentary on the memorial service following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, Peter Jones recited the lyrics of 'YNWA', which were then sung by a cathedral choir. Aretha Franklin's recording of the song from her 1971 live album Amazing Grace was played by BBC Radio 1 DJ and Liverpool fan John Peel in his first show following the disaster. In 2019, during a Take That concert at Anfield, Gerry Marsden made a guest appearance to sing the song with Gary Barlow.
With its message of hope, encouragement and solidarity, the club states the song is "ingrained into the DNA of Liverpool FC; belted out in triumph and sung in sorrow during the highs and lows of the last six decades", and reflecting on 60 years of 'YNWA' as the club's anthem in 2023, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp stated, "Simple but powerful lyrics, a real message. Some things have changed since then [the 1960s] but obviously what it means to the people has never changed."
In 1995, the Gerry and the Pacemakers version peaked at number 34 on the Dutch Single Top 100 on the week ending March 18 and number 24 on the Dutch Top 40 on the week ending April 1. It re-entered the Irish Singles Chart in 2012, peaking at number four on the week ending September 20.
Other teams
The song was adopted by Scottish team Celtic after a 1966 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Anfield, and is now sung by Celtic fans prior to every home European tie,Aldred, Jessica. Liverpool or Celtic: who Walked Alone first? The Guardian. March 12, 2003. and later by Germany's Borussia Dortmund, which Liverpool went on to play in the cup final. When Celtic and Liverpool played in the quarterfinals of the 2002-03 UEFA Cup, Gerry Marsden performed the song at Celtic Park before both teams took the field and both sets of fans sang along.You'll Never Walk Alone - Liverpool v Celtic . YouTube
The song has also been adopted by Dutch team FC Twente after it was officially given to them by the Anfield stadium speaker George Sephton during the last game in Diekman Stadion in 1998, before moving to the new Arke Stadion.Whyatt, Chris. McClaren's new charges BBC. August 13, 2008. Today, Twente fans sing the song before every home game. Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Feyenoord and SC Cambuur have adopted the song as well, with Feyenoord using the Lee Towers version from his 1976 album It's Raining in My Heart.
Additional football teams which now use the song include 1. FSV Mainz 05, TSV 1860 Munich, Austria's FC Admira Wacker, Belgium's Club Brugge KV, KV Mechelen and K.V. Kortrijk, Italy's Genoa CFC, Japan's FC Tokyo,Nagatomo tells Japan "You'll never walk alone", The mainichi Daily News. March 2011. Spain's CD Lugo, and Greece's ARIS. In ice hockey, the song has been adopted by German Deutsche Eishockey Liga side Krefeld Pinguine and Croatian Medveščak Zagreb.
Some years later, after witnessing a rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" at Anfield in 2007, the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, said he felt inspired to seek lyrics to his country's wordless national anthem, the Marcha Real, ahead of Madrid's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.Liverpool fans inspire Spain to write words to anthem, Reuters. June 5, 2005Spain to add lyrics to wordless national anthem, NBC News. June 26, 2007.
During the 2014 Hong Kong protests, legislator Tam Yiu Chung quoted the song during a Legislative Council of Hong Kong meeting, to salute the Hong Kong Police, who had received widespread criticism for using excessive force against pro-democracy protesters. More than 2,000 Liverpool F.C. fans in Hong Kong condemned his inappropriate use of the song, comparing his support of the police action to the police actions in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, where South Yorkshire Police were found to have distorted facts relating to the unlawful killing by negligence of 97 Liverpool supporters.
On 13 March 2016, after Borussia Dortmund's 2–0 win against 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the German Bundesliga, supporters of both teams performed the song to commemorate a Dortmund fan who died from a cardiac arrest in the stands during the game.
The song was also used by the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the final two regular season rounds of the 2026 National Rugby League season to commemorate Jai Arrow, who retired in May 2026 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The Rabbitohs were given special dispensation by the NRL to allow Arrow to reach 100 games for the club, where he would be on the field for one second, before coming off without it counting towards their interchange limit.
Weekly charts Chart (1963–1965)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)1Canada RPM Top Singles31New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)1UK1US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – 48Chart (2012)Peakposition
Year-end charts
Chart (1963)RankAustralia16UK3
Certifications
The Crowd version A special recording of the song was made in solidarity with Bradford City following the Valley Parade fire in 1985 when 56 spectators died and many more were seriously injured. The song was performed by charity supergroup the Crowd, which featured Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney and others, and spent two weeks at number one in the UK and Ireland in June 1985.
Weekly charts Chart (1985)PeakpositionUK Singles (OCC)1UK Indie1
Year-end charts