Embrace lead packed field in World Cup song race

LONDON, June 6 (Reuters) The indie band Embrace took an early lead today in the race to become Britain's best-selling World Cup single but could still face tough competition from demented frogs, singing sheep and a disgraced MP.

In a packed field that boasts as many anthems as there are World Cup finalists, bookmakers made ''World At Your Feet'' favourite to be this Summer's top soccer song.

But retailers issued a grim warning about pop overload -- if England progress to the finals in Germany, the whole of the hit parade could well be made up of World Cup anthems.

''Embrace have taken an early lead, comfortably outselling their closest rivals,'' said Gennaro Castaldo from music retailer HMV.

He said Embrace looked set to enter the official UK singles chart at number three.

The bookmakers are taking no chances, with William Hill making Embrace's official Football Association-approved track even money favourite to win the battle.

The winner will be the soccer single that climbs highest in the charts by July 10.

Castaldo said the plethora of World Cup singles could ''reflect the nature of today's X-Factor generation.'' ''Anybody who fancies their chances and feels that it's their patriotic duty to release a single to spur the boys on are trying to get in on the act,'' he told Reuters.

But it is certainly not a shoo-in for Embrace.

The Tonedef Allstars, featuring Geoff Hurst who scored a hat-trick in England's 1966 World Cup triumph, are strongly fancied second favourites with ''Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Juergen Klinsmann'' echoing the ''Dad's Army'' TV theme.

Their single has the added benefit of being backed by The Sun, Britain's best-selling daily newspaper, which is eager like many media outlets to jump on the patriotic bandwagon.

The 30-strong field is laced with a string of weird and wacky outsiders.

The Cumbria Tourist Board has recorded a flock of sheep -- the ''Baarmy sheep'' -- from the picturesque Lake District bleating out a stirring rendition of ''Land of Hope and Glory.'' Neil Hamilton, a former Conservative parliamentarian who won notoriety in a ''cash for questions'' scandal, joins forces with his redoubtable wife Christine to sing ''England Are Jolly Dee,'' widely regarded as a truly mind-boggling musical experience.

To complete the surreal selection, the Crazy Frog, whose ringtone refrain has already tasted chart success, is bidding to repeat the feat with ''Ding A Dang Dong,'' a cover version of rock band Queen's ''We Are the Champions.'' REUTERS DH BST1943