Three Lions (song)
"Three Lions" is a song by the comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds.[2] The song was released on 20 May 1996 through Epic Records. The song was made because the England football team was in the 1996 UEFA European Championship. England was hosting this championship.The name of the song comes from the England football team emblem.
| "Three Lions" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Baddiel and Skinner and Lightning Seeds | ||||
| from The Beautiful Game – The Official Album of Euro '96" | ||||
| Released | 20 May 1996[1] | |||
| Genre | Britpop | |||
| Length | 3:44 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Composer(s) | Ian Broudie | |||
| Lyricist(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| The Lightning Seeds singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "Three Lions" at YouTube | ||||
The music was written by the Lightning Seeds singer, Ian Broudie. Baddiel and Skinner made the lyrics. Broudie, Baddiel, and Skinner all sung the song. Its music video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi.
They made the song "Three Lions '98" two years later. This was an updated version. Both "Three Lions" and "Three Lions '98" was at number 1 on the UK singles chart. It goes back onto the UK singles chart when there are important football tournaments with the England team.
The song is described as the "anthem" of English football since 1996.[3][4] Its chorus is a popular chant for fans at England games.[5]
Track listing
- CD single
- "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17
- "Three Lions" (original version) – 3:36
- Digital download
- "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17
- "Three Lions" (2010 edit) – 3:37
- Asda CD single
- "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17
- "Three Lions" (2010 Asda choir version) – 4:16
Charts
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[6] | 20 |
Weekly charts
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] | 5 |
| Germany (Media Control AG)[8] | 14 |
| Illegal chart entered Ireland2 | 14 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[9] | 5 |
| Scotland (The Official Charts Company)[10] | 14 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 1 |
| width="50%" align="" valign="" |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[12] | 14 |
|}
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[13] | Platinum | 600,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone | ||
"3 Lions '98"
| "3 Lions '98" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds | ||||
| from " | ||||
| Released | 8 June 1998[14] | |||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Composer(s) | Ian Broudie | |||
| Lyricist(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| The Lightning Seeds singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "3 Lions '98" at YouTube | ||||
"Three Lions 2010" by the Squad
| "Three Lions 2010" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Squad | |
| from England The Album 2010" | |
| Released | 17 May 2010 |
| Recorded | 2010 |
| Genre | Britpop with opera and choir music |
| Label | EMI |
| Composer(s) | Ian Broudie |
| Lyricist(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Trevor Horn |
"Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas)"
| "Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas)" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds | |
| from " | |
| Released | 18 November 2022 |
| Recorded | 2022 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:09 |
| Label | Sony Music UK |
| Composer(s) | Ian Broudie |
| Lyricist(s) | |
| "Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas)" at YouTube | |
Related pages
References
- ↑ Ainsley, Helen (20 May 2021). "Record-breaking football anthem Three Lions to get limited edition vinyl release to mark 25th anniversary". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ↑ "'It's coming home' - perfect for England fans or is it time for a change?".
- ↑ It's coming home: How Three Lions became the definitive England song. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-44711564. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ↑ "What does "Football's coming home" mean to English fans?" (in en). Newsweek. 9 July 2018. http://www.newsweek.com/its-coming-home-english-soccer-anthem-explained-1013485. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ↑ "World Cup 2018: Why English soccer fans chant 'It's coming home'". Sporting News. 11 July 2018. http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/news/world-cup-2018-what-does-its-coming-home-mean-lyrics-song-england-soccer-three-lions/11npkw6z2ile21e6isr1t618f4. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ↑ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media 15 (28): 11. 11 July 1998. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-07-11.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Baddiel & Skinner & Lightning Seeds – Three Lions '98". VG-lista. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Archive Chart". Scottish Singles Top 40. The Official Charts Company.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedukcharts. - ↑ "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week: 7. 16 January 1999.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds – 3 Lions 98". British Phonographic Industry. Enter 3 Lions 98 in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Go
- ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week: 25. 6 June 1998. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-06-06.pdf. Retrieved 4 July 2021.