The original version of the song still receives regular airplay in England around the time of a major football tournament. It has been adopted as a terrace chant and is occasionally sung by fans at England international matches today. When it was sung by England fans at the 2006 World Cup after England took the lead against Paraguay, commentator John Motson remarked, "As football songs go, Three Lions is certainly the best".
The lyrics, unlike most football songs, spoke not of unbounded optimism for victory, but instead told of how, ever since 1966 and the one unequivocal success of the English football team, every tournament has ended in dashed hopes. However, the repeated failures have not dampened the feeling that England could again reach those heights ("Three Lions on a shirt, Jules Rimet still gleaming. Thirty years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming")
The song makes reference to English heroes of the past, specifically Bobby Moore, Gary Lineker, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles. According to Frank Skinner's autobiography, the original lyrics submitted to the FA included the line "Butcher ready for war", in reference to Terry Butcher's notorious heroic performance in a qualifying game against Sweden. The FA requested this was changed, so as to avoid hooliganism imagery, and the "Bobby belting the ball" was written as a replacement. The "ready for war" motif was later used in the 1998 version of the song, attributed to Paul Ince.
The commentary of the end of the song contrasts that of the song's opening with positive lines which suggest that England could win a major football championship. The crowd noise in the intro of the track is in fact Brøndby fans recorded by Ian Broudie at Anfield during a UEFA Cup tie in October 1995.
The Britpop phenomenon was at its peak in 1996, and the Lightning Seeds were one of its leading lights, so their involvement gave the song very wide appeal. It reached number one in the singles chart, and as England progressed to the semi-finals, stadia around the country echoed to the sound of fans singing the song after English victories over Scotland, the Netherlands and Spain. It was so popular, in fact, that even other teams liked it. England faced Germany in the semi-finals, and Jürgen Klinsmann said later that the Germans were singing the song themselves on the way to the stadium, and the German team and the crowd sang the song as they paraded the trophy on the Römer balcony in Frankfurt. The single as a result even made #16 in the German singles chart. The song is still heard frequently on German radio stations.
Three Lions re-entered the charts at number 10 (as of 13 June) during the World Cup in 2010.
The 1998 version.
England lost in a penalty shootout against Germany in 1996, and so the song's lyrics rang true once again. It was subsequently re-recorded with different lyrics (under the title Three Lions '98) as an unofficial anthem for England's World Cup campaign in 1998 and landed the number one spot in the singles chart for a second time, beating the official England song "(How Does It Feel to Be) On Top of the World?" by England United to the top spot by eight places.
Where the 1996 "Three Lions" song mentioned various memorable moments from the previous 30 years, the 1998 version made more specific reference to events from the preceding two years (including Euro '96), and sang about a number of the then-current players, specifically Paul Ince, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer, and Stuart Pearce. However, Shearer was ruled out of the crucial qualification match against Italy due to injury, Ince missed during the penalty shoot-out against Argentina, and neither Gascoigne or Pearce were selected for England's World Cup squad, which wasn't announced until some time after the song had been recorded.
As well as a karaoke version of the new song, the single featured a song called "Tout est Possible" (French for "Anything is Possible") as a B-side. The song was largely composed of a recurring chorus, samples from commentators and pundits, and the occasional short verse. It also started with a French speech sample referring to "Le Coupe de Monde" (The World Cup).
The video to the 1998 version of the song portrays a match between a group of English fans (including Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds' singer Ian Broudie) and their German equivalents, most of whom have the name "KUNTZ" printed on the back of their football shirts (except for one, who instead has "KLINSMANN"). This was a reference to German player Stefan Kuntz, who had played an instrumental part in Germany's semi-final victory over England at Wembley in 1996. Baddiel and Skinner mocked him on their Fantasy Football television programme, making use of the name as a sexual innuendo; the segment was often cut by broadcasters. The video also featured cameo appearances from Geoff Hurst, John Regis, Robbie Williams and Chris Evans.
The scene from the video when Frank Skinner dips a ball into custard and pretends it's a World Cup trophy was shown on German TV station Das Erste a few days before the final was to be played.
Although Frank Skinner had dismissed the possibility in early 2010, Skinner, Baddiel and Broudie were joined by Robbie Williams and comedian Russell Brand under the name "The Squad" for a new version of the song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, produced by Trevor Horn. The song features added vocals from the ACM Gospel Choir, a soprano (Olivia Safe) and commentator John Motson. It entered the UK singles chart at #21.
The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart again in 2018 following England reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[11] with the line "it's coming home" featuring heavily on social media.[12][13] In doing so, it became the first song in history to have four non-consecutive stints at number one in the UK.[11] By the following week, following England's semi-final defeat by Croatia, and elimination from the tournament, the single had fallen to number 97, setting a record for the fastest ever descent from the top of the charts.[14]
Three Lions '98
Baddiel Skinner & The Lightning Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We still believe, we still believe
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home again
No plans for final day
Stay in bed, drift away
It could have been all
Songs in the street
It was nearly complete
It was nearly so sweet
And now I'm singing
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
Talk about football coming home
And then one night in Rome
We were strong, we had grown
And now I see Ince ready for war
Gazza good as before
Shearer certain to score
And Psycho screaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
We can dance Nobby's dance
We could dance it in France
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
The lyrics of Baddiel Skinner & The Lightning Seeds's song Three Lions '98 are a celebration of England's national football team and their fans. The song is a tribute to the 1996 European Championships held in England, and it became the team's unofficial anthem during the tournament.
The repeated chorus of "It's coming home" is a reference to the idea of the tournament coming "home" to England. The verses discuss the history of the national team, including the disappointment of past failures ("Tears for heroes dressed in grey, no plans for final day") and the hope and excitement of current success ("And now I'm singing, Three lions on a shirt").
The song's title refers to the three lions depicted on the England football team's crest, and the lyrics make a reference to the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was awarded to the winners of the World Cup until 1970. The song's message is one of hope and belief in the team and the fans, and it captures the joy and excitement of football fandom.
Line by Line Meaning
We still believe, we still believe
Our faith in the English team remains unbroken and unwavering.
It's coming home, it's coming home
Victory is imminent and the World Cup will return to England.
It's coming, Football's coming home
Football is returning to its birthplace, England, where it truly belongs.
Tears for heroes dressed in grey
We mourn the past failures of the English team, symbolized here by the grey jerseys worn by the team in the past.
No plans for final day
There were no plans made for the final day of the World Cup, as England has failed to make it to the finals in the past.
Stay in bed, drift away
It's easy to fall into despair and give up hope after seeing England's previous performances.
It could have been all
England could have won the World Cup in the past, but something always seemed to go wrong.
Songs in the street
The people of England take to the streets to celebrate football and their national team.
It was nearly complete
England almost won the World Cup in the past, but fell just short.
It was nearly so sweet
Winning the World Cup would have been an incredibly special moment for England and its fans.
And now I'm singing
Despite past disappointments, I'm still hopeful and singing this song of England's triumph.
Three lions on a shirt
The English team's jersey displays the national symbol of three lions.
Jules Rimet still gleaming
The World Cup trophy, named after Jules Rimet, is still shiny and waiting to be won by England.
No more years of hurt
England has suffered many years of disappointment and near-misses, but that will all end soon.
No more need for dreaming
Victory is no longer just a dream, it is a real possibility for England now.
Talk about football coming home
Let's discuss how football, which originated in England, is finally coming back to its homeland.
And then one night in Rome
A reference to the 1990 World Cup semi-final between England and West Germany, which took place in Rome, Italy.
We were strong, we had grown
England's team had improved and matured since the disappointments of the past.
And now I see Ince ready for war
Midfielder Paul Ince is prepared to fight fiercely for England's victory.
Gazza good as before
Midfielder Paul Gascoigne is back in top form and ready to perform well for England.
Shearer certain to score
Alan Shearer, a talented striker, is expected to score goals for England in this World Cup.
And Psycho screaming
Defender Stuart Pearce, known as Psycho, is ready to scream with emotion and passion as he defends England's goal.
We can dance Nobby's dance
We can celebrate with the dance made famous by the 1966 World Cup-winning player Nobby Stiles.
We could dance it in France
England's fans could celebrate Nobby's dance in France, the location of the 1998 World Cup.
Three lions on a shirt
The English team's jersey features the national symbol of three lions.
It's coming home, it's coming home
The World Cup victory is on its way back to England, where it belongs.
It's coming, Football's coming home
Football originated in England and is finally returning home with the World Cup.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ian Broudie, Frank Skinner, David Baddiel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Lyrics
We still believe, we still believe
We still believe, we still believe
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home again
Tears for heroes dressed in grey
No plans for final day
Stay in bed, drift away
It could have been all
Songs in the street
It was nearly complete
It was nearly so sweet
And now I'm singing
Three lions on a shirt
Jules remains still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
Talk about football coming home
And then one night in Rome
We were strong, we had grown
And now I see Ince ready for war
Gazza good as before
Shearer certain to score
And Psycho screaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules remains still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
We can dance Nobby's dance
We could dance it in France
It's coming home, it's coming home
It's coming, Football's coming home
fenix182
I'm Scottish and loved this song as a kid. Rivals not enemies.
Cartoon Head
true
Tristan Allaway
enemies not rivals
Iron Bear Milk
Mate, always the best banter with the Scottish fans.
katakisLives
Wasn't the Scottish song something like Don't come home too soon? at least it was being realistic!
Busher50
Just don't come home too soon
Tom Andrews
Despite all the heartbreak over the years, I will always keep coming back to this track every major tournament. You have to keep believing, never let the spark die. COME ON ENGLAND ♥
Marc Brill
Inspiring words Tom, It's Coming Home!!!! When it arrives, the broken hearts will be fixed and it will feel that extra Bittersweet.. Just in time for the next Christmas #1 Rendition - 'It's Coming Home for Christmas' (I better Start Writing these lyrics).. COME ON ENGLAND ♥
Hard Rock soloing 89
I hope it comes in my lifetime
TheJaps2011
I love this song, I'm from Colombia but i just love the emotion and the whole idea of the song, really wish my country had a song like this to keep hope alive. Hoping for football to finally go home, best luck on the Final.