Academy help re-record 'All Together Now'

'All Together Now,' a smash hit from The Farm, has been re-recorded and features a number of artists including original lead singer Peter Hooton and John Power from Cast - both huge Kopites.

In addition to stars from the UK music industry, uniting as 'The Peace Collective' to re-record the song, the track features a 60-strong backing choir made up of U12 schoolboy footballers from the Barclays Premier League and German Bundesliga.

The two boys chosen to represent Liverpool in the choir were Academy players Jarell Quansah and Max Woltman.

The entire crew involved, including the young players, descended on Liverpool for a weekend to record the song together at the city centre's Parr Street Studios.

Players sing on the track in both English and German and will appear in the video in their football club shirts. The boys were also given the opportunity to train at both Liverpool and Everton's academies.

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'The Peace Collective' are the team behind 'The Justice Collective', whose re-recording of 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' in aid of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, topped the charts during Christmas 2012.

All proceeds from 'All Together Now', which will be released on Monday December 15, will go to the British Red Cross and Shorncliffe Trust.

Reflecting on the new version of his song, The Farm's Hooton said: "I wrote 'All Together Now' about the extraordinary events on Christmas Day 1914 when British and German troops took part in an unofficial truce, singing Christmas carols, exchanging gifts and even playing football.

"It was a spontaneous act of humanity that transcended the horrors and barbarity of World War One and is a story which still resonates 100 years on. It is a story of hope and peace which should be told over and over again.

"At this new recording, it was poignant that we should bring together young footballers from Britain and Germany. As the songwriter, it's an emotional song for me anyway, but I was overcome to hear these fantastic voices sing it in English and German."

Choirmaster, Ian Davidson, added: "I've worked with many choirs and done many studio sessions and I have to say these kids picked up things quicker than most.

"How did we get them acting as a choir despite the fact they'd all met for the first time the day before? We got them in a football mindset: they did vocal stretching before singing and we split into teams to perform different bits of the song.

"So there was a little bit of competitive spirit, but more importantly an excitement and youthful passion to the project. They were an absolute credit to all their clubs."

The Christmas Truce was a series of widespread, unofficial ceasefires which took place along the Western Front over Christmas 1914. British and German troops ventured into 'no man's land', exchanging food and souvenirs, singing carols, and, most famously, playing football.

The Premier League has held the Christmas Truce International Tournament in Ypres since 2011 and invites U12 teams from the German, Belgian and French leagues to be part of the competition in December.

To decide who competes in the Christmas Truce International Tournament, the Premier League runs a qualifying competition for its clubs. Usually this takes place in England, but for 2014, U12 teams from all 20 Premier League clubs will head to Ypres for a weekend of competitive football and education.

The tournament, which takes place from November 14-16, doubles as the official opening of the Premier League's new 3G pitch being donated to the city of Ypres and the local football club.