As England edged dangerously close to triumph in the 2018 World Cup, Three Lions by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and Lightning Seeds found a new life.
English fans will be hoping that it’s coming home again as Euro 2020 approaches its latter stages – but do they know what else the song refers to?
Younger supporters may not even remember the optimism of the summer of ’96, captured by the original Three Lions, and reflected on in Three Lions ’98, never mind the glories of 1966.
If you’ve ever wondered what the hell Baddiel and Skinner are talking about, read on.
Three Lions, original 1996 version
“I think it’s bad news for the English game”
These words are spoken by pundit and former Liverpool and Scotland star Alan Hansen
“We’re not creative enough, we’re not positive enough”
That’s West Ham and England’s Trevor Brooking.
“We’ll go on getting bad results”
And that’s Jimmy Hill. All of this commentary comes in the context of England’s failure to qualify for the World Cup in 1994 – but in a climate of optimism about their chances for Euro 96 with a new crop of players including the Neville brothers, Robbie Fowler, Sol Campbell, Jamie Redknapp and, indeed, Gareth Southgate bolstering mainstays such as Tony Adams and Paul Gascoigne.
It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming! Football’s coming home (x4)
There’s a double meaning at play in the phrase “football’s coming home”. Firstly, it’s a reference to Euro ’96 being held in England – a return of a major competition to the country that invented the game and gave it to the world. Matches were held in Wembley, Old Trafford, Anfield, Villa Park, Elland Road, Hillsborough, City Ground and St James’ Park.
The other meaning is even more metaphorical: a victory in the competition would bring the trophy and the glory back to England – giving a sense of mastery and ownership over the beautiful game that was lost the first time a team outside the Home Nations started to excel. This meaning is less obvious in the 1996 original – but it’s important to the 1998 version, which is about a competition that wasn’t held in England.
Everyone seems to know the score, they’ve seen it all before
They just know, they’re so sure
That England’s gonna throw it away, gonna blow it away
This is a reference to the England fan’s defensive scepticism, still visible to this day.
But I know they can play, ’cause I remember
Three lions on a shirt
The songwriters think back to the three lions badge worn by the 1966 World Cup winners. The three lions, as a heraldic device, constitute the “arms of England”, dating back as far as Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199), whose arms are properly described as “Gules, three lions passant guardant Or”.
The three lions are still in the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, twice, divided by a Scottish lion and an Irish harp.
Jules Rimet still gleaming
That’s the trophy they won, handed out to the winner of the World Cup from 1930 onwards. Originally called “Victory”, it was renamed after the Fifa President who inaugurated the competition.
England were the last team to win it before it went home with Brazil forever in 1970 as a reward for their third victory. Before the competition in England in 1966, the trophy had been lost for a week before being found in a bush by a dog named Pickles. It was finally stolen in 1983 in Brazil and has never been recovered.
What’s the new World Cup trophy called? Boringly: the Fifa World Cup Trophy.
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming
Thirty years was, at the time, the amount of time that had elapsed since England won the World Cup in 1966. It’s now 52 years – unless England win, in which case the clock could potentially reset to zero.
So many jokes, so many sneers
But all those oh-so-nears wear you down through the years
People are making light of England’s chances – but the songwriters are emotionally engaged with the team’s prospects. England’s near misses, including their loss to Germany on penalties in the semi final of Italia 90 and their encounter with Diego Maradona in the quarter final in 1986, weigh heavy on their minds.
But I still see that tackle by Moore…t
Bobby Moore, England’s only ever World Cup winning captain, famously tackled Jairzinho of the legendary 1970 Brazil team on the edge of the box after carefully watching and picking his moment. Tackles may not be celebrated in the Brazilian joga bonita – but England fans like them.
…and when Lineker scored…
Gary Lineker‘s equalising goal against West Germany in the 1990 semi-final. Lineker’s goal kept England’s chances of a first World Cup final since 1966 alive – for a while.
…Bobby belting the ball…
Charlton, not Moore, had a long-range strike against Mexico in 1966.
…and Nobby dancing
That’s England and Manchester United hardman Nobby Stiles jigging across the pitch with the Jules Rimet trophy.
(Chorus)
England have done it, in the last minute of extra time!
We reach some more positive commentators to counter the negativity from Hansen et al at the beginning. That’s commentator John Motson as David Platt scored against Belgium at Italia 1990
What a save, Gordon Banks!
Legendary commentator David Coleman on “the save” by England keeper Banks – denying Pele against Brazil in 1970.
Good old England, England that couldn’t play football! England have got it in the bag!
That’s commentator Harry Carpenter.
I know that was then, but it could be again
Nostalgia is one thing – but why can’t England repeat the feat? Euro 96, it’s coming home! (England were knocked out, in the semi-finals, by Germany.)
Football’s coming home…
Read more about World Cup 2018
England injury report: Four key players struggling ahead of Sweden match
Anatomy of a shootout: How England overcame Colombia
A major pub chain has been charging fans up to 50p more per pint during England games
Three Lions ’98
It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming, football’s coming home…
The new version opens with audio of England fans in the stands chanting the refrain from the 1996 song, showing how it captured the zeitgeist.
“The crosses of St George are flying all around me. Gareth Southgate, the whole of England is with you.”
Commentator Jonathan Pearce sets the scene for Southgate – then a defender, now England manager – stepping up to take the crucial penalty against Germany.
“Oh it’s saved!”
Eintracht Frankfurt keeper Andreas Köpke guessed right as the penalties went to sudden death, putting England out of the competition.
We still believe, we still believe
We still believe, we still believe
Considering the songs back to back, it’s not difficult to understand what the first lines refer to: England lost again despite the buoyant mood and excellent song – but the songwriters haven’t lost hope, which is why they’re back with an updated version.
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
Football’s still coming home – not in terms of the competition being held in England, as the event in question in 1998 was the World Cup in France, but in a more figurative sense.
Tears for heroes dressed in grey
The England team that lined up against Germany in the fateful semi final were forced to wear a grey away strip so as not to clash with their arch rivals.
No plans for final day
Stay in bed drift away
We imagine ourselves back at Euro 96, with the songwriters eschewing the pub or friends’ front rooms during the Germany-Czech Republic fan and instead simply letting the day pass by.
It could have been all
Songs in the street
It was nearly complete
It was nearly so sweet
The songwriters are now imagining the victory that never happened, with singing in the street.
And now I’m singing,
(Chorus)
Talk about football coming home
And then one night in Rome
We were strong
We had grown
A strangely specific reference to a World Cup qualifier with Italy in 1997 which finished 0-0. Facing a team featuring the likes of Maldini and Zola, England’s fans felt they showed maturity by maintaining concentration and holding out.
And now I see Ince ready for war
Paul Ince of Liverpool battled hard in the Italy qualifier.
Gazza good as before
The mercurial Paul Gascoigne, often spoken of as one of the best natural talents ever to play for England, was back to his 1990 form in 1996.
Shearer certain to score
Alan Shearer scored five at Euro 96 and his domestic form remained impressive up to 1998.
And Psycho screaming,
That’s the famously angry Stuart Pearce shouting after scoring his penalty against Spain in the Euro 96 quarter finals.
(Chorus)
We can dance Nobby’s dance
The Nobby Stiles dance from 1966 again.
We could dance it in France
The World Cup was played in France in 1998. England played group games in Marseille, Toulouse and Lens before being knocked out – on penalties – in St Etienne.
It’s coming home…
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2UcwDQG
Post a Comment