"Team Ball Player Thing" is a 2015 charity single and the official supporters' song of the All Blacks in the

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. The song is performed by the charity supergroup #KiwisCureBatten and is in aid of research into

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via the New Zealand charity Cure Kids. The day after it was released, the song debuted at number six on the New Zealand Top 40. The song is officially credited as featuring

Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and i ...

, Kimbra, Brooke Fraser, Gin Wigmore, Broods, Daniel Bedingfield, The Naked and Famous,

Sam McCarthy Sam McCarthy is a New Zealand songwriter and pop vocalist. He is best known for his work in Kids of 88 and Goodnight Nurse. Early life McCarthy was brought up in Auckland in the suburb of Weymouth. He was educated at Weymouth Primary School ...

, Sahara Adams, Jemaine Clement, Savage, Jon Toogood,

Jason Kerrison Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He w ...

, Dave Dobbyn,

Matiu Walters Six60 are a New Zealand pop rock band formed in Dunedin, Otago in 2008. The band consists of Matiu Walters (lead vocals, guitar), Ji Fraser (lead guitar), Chris Mac (bass guitar), Marlon Gerbes (synthesiser), Hoani Matenga (bass guitar) and El ...

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, Hollie Smith, Jupiter Project,

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, Jamie Curry,

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Lizzie Marvelly Elizabeth Lillian Marvelly (born 5 July 1989) is a singer, songwriter and social commentator from Rotorua, New Zealand. She first achieved success as a classical crossover vocalist before switching to pop music. She ran the website ''Villainesse' ...

, Carly Binding, Jesse Griffin, Brooke Howard-Smith, Tom Furniss, Joseph Moore,

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, Peter Urlich and Julia Deans. The music video features these and other artists, as well as New Zealand actors, comedians and rugby players.

Background

The project was organised by Brooke Howard-Smith and comedian Jesse Griffin, who approached film-maker Taika Waititi and songwriter/producer Joel Little. Like Cure Kids' 2012 charity single "

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", the lyrics of the song were based on ideas from young children. The song's title comes from a young girl who says the All Blacks "should just pass to the other team, ball, player... thing". The song is intended to be both a parody of sports anthems and an actual sports anthem. Vocal parts were recorded at Little's studio in Los Angeles and at a studio in Auckland.

Music video

The music video was directed by Taika Waititi and Jesse Griffin. As well as featuring the performers of the song, the video also includes appearances from members of the All Blacks, New Zealand actors and comedians and the children who contributed the lyrics. The full-length video starts with a 10-minute skit based around a meeting where the song is planned.

Full music video appearances

; Singers * Alisa Xayalith ( The Naked and Famous) *

* Brooke Fraser *

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( Broods) * Daniel Bedingfield *

* Dave Dobbyn * Gavin Correia (Jupiter Project) * Georgia Nott ( Broods) * Gin Wigmore * Hollie Smith * James Reid (

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) *

* Joel Little * Jon Toogood *

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* Kimbra *

* Marty Rich (Jupiter Project) *

( Six60) * Peter Urlich * Sahara Adams *

(

Kids of 88 Kids of 88 were a New Zealand new wave duo based in Auckland, New Zealand, consisting of Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy. They are best known for their 2009 single, " My House". They have since signed through Dryden Street to Sony Music and re ...

) * Savage * Thom Powers ( The Naked and Famous) ; Rugby players *

Brodie Retallick Brodie Allan Retallick (born 31 May 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, who plays as a lock for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and is part of the squad for New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. Retallick ...

* Colin Slade * Cory Jane *

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* Jerome Kaino * Julian Savea * Ryan Crotty *

Stephen Donald Stephen Rex Donald (born 3 December 1983) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for the NEC Green Rockets in the Japanese Top League. A first five-eighth or centre, he has won 24 international caps for New Zealand. Nicknamed 'B ...

; Actors and other personalities * Brooke Howard-Smith * David de Lautour * Jamie Curry * Kieren Hutchison * Madeleine Sami * Melanie Lynskey *

Sir Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...

* Taika Waititi * Zoë Bell ; Comedians * Bret McKenzie * Jemaine Clement * Jesse Griffin * Joseph Moore * Rhys Darby * Tom Furniss

Charts

References

External links

* {{YouTube, tcwuPTlQSxI, "Team Ball Player Thing" music video 2015 singles 2015 songs Charity singles Songs about New Zealand Songs written by Joel Little