The only US sports column more ubiquitous and annoying than the "Americans will never embrace soccer" diatribe is the "which EPL team should nascent American fans like" article. Both nativists and anglophiles overlook two key facts: soccer and passionate supporters have existed in the US for decades. Granted, MLS has not yet fully expanded from sea to shining sea. Thus, a more relevant question for US soccer fans in remote locations is: "Which MLS team should I follow?" Rather than choose on championships, rosters, or goals, how about picking by supporters. Which fan groups boast the best songs and chants?

No, "Seven Nation Army" did not make this list. Yes, American band the White Stripes penned the tune. Yes, the song has replaced the vuvuzela as background noise for Euro soccer. However, MLS Supporter Groups have their own refreshing tunes, chants, and rituals. I've witnessed many firsthand: growing up in Kansas City and also living in Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas.

DC United: Vamos DC United

DC United fans have braved the dilapidated RFK stadium for several years. The evanescent promise of a new stadium would have worn out an average fan, but the Barra Brava continues to jump and cause a mini-earthquake in the 130 sections. They also sing a few songs. DC is a cosmopolitan town with a large Salvadoran population. In nearby Maryland, lots of South Americans immigrants inhabit Silver Spring. Thus, the Barra Brava sings some songs in Spanish, including the simple yet powerful "Vamos DC United" [Let's Go United]. The slow jam lyrics roughly translate to "Let's Go....Let's Go United. Tonight...we've got to win!"

.

Seattle Sounders: Seattle Sounders

Of course, some fans don't need songs to make a ruckus. During the last decade, many MLS teams have moved to smaller, soccer-specific stadiums to escape half-empty football stadiums and create atmosphere. Not so in Seattle. The fans, including Emerald City Supporters, have turned the NFL's QWest field into one of MLS's most daunting places to play. This call-and-repeat session is borderline deafening, even from the safety of your own sofa.

.

Chicago Fire: Just Can't Get Enough

The Fire have several supporter's groups, and Section 8 is an association of those groups. The name comes from Section 8 of Soldier Field, the cavernous American Football Stadium where the Fire used to play. Before Toyota Park, the rowdy, loud, and standing fans gathered in Section 8. They've adopted a soccer song classic: Depeche Mode's "I Just Can't Get Enough."

In England, Liverpool fans have adopted a version with different lyrics to serenade upon Luis Suarez. In Scotland, Celtic fans belt the tune at home games. The Section 8 version gets drowned out by the snare at times and relies a bit much on some "duh duh duh" filler, but you can feel the urgency in the air when they claim to be "going out of my head."

.

Portland Timbers: Can't Help Falling In Love

Portland fans, including the Timbers Army fan association, boast and belt a catalogue of great songs. However, my particular favorite is that Elvis Presley classic "Can't Help Falling in Love." The song may lack the rat-a-tat chorus of 80's new wave beats, but the fans croon out "Only Fools Rush In....." with disarming sincerity. The song reverberates amidst the stadium walls well after the last note is sung. A definite plus.

.

Houston Dynamo: Yo Te Quiero Ver Campeon

Last, and my very favorite, Houston has a variety of supporters groups, some Anglo, some Hispanic, and most a fusion of both. The group known as Batallon sings this gem of a song "Yo Te Quiero Ver Campeon" [I want to see you champion]. Recognize the beat? It's taken from the reggaeton song Llamada de Emergencia by Daddy Yankee. Instead of synthetic beats, a mini brass band belts out the notes. The lyrics poach from Argentine stadium song staples, repeating phrases such as "dale dale" [go ahead ahead] and "hinchada" [fan-base].

.

So there you have it - MLS fans don't need to hum Seven Nation Army ad infinitum, they innovate and march to the beat of their own drummer(s). And if you plan on catching a game at any of those stadiums, be prepared to sing, chant, and heckle your heart out.

Please share your thoughts on these or other MLS anthems below.

Elliott Turner blogs about soccer at Futfanatico.com