It's Coming Home...

July 7, 2018 4:12 AM

While England has a few more hours to dream, the BBC has a look back at the defining song of Euro 96, as well as a half hour special on 5 Live
posted by hoyland (9 comments total)

Back in 2007, I found a book in a university library about (I think) football and nationalism that had an interesting article about Three Lions, but I have no idea what it was called and can't turn it up on Google. In any case, I should say that while this song has fond childhood memories for me, there is something more that could be examined.
posted by hoyland at 4:16 AM on July 7, 2018

One of my favourite lyrics, great song about dreaming and hoping (despite thir- uh, ... 52 years of hurt).

The concept, though not the detail, is naturally applicable to any nation, which is why the song is sung elsewhere - that and the fact of it being a super-catchy pop masterpiece (IMHO).

Although, perhaps in Germany, the lyric is “football won’t move out”. ;-)
posted by the quidnunc kid at 6:40 AM on July 7, 2018

According to QI, they're leopards.
posted by Paul Slade at 6:52 AM on July 7, 2018

Last night at the cricket, It's Coming Home broke out round the Oval when the news filtered through the Brazil were out. Not a peep when England beat India in the International T20 (although that happened a bit later in the evening when our own game was approaching a last over showdown).

Possibly another thing to add to the death of cricket noticeboard....
posted by Helga-woo at 7:17 AM on July 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

We are talking about the game in fanfare by the way.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 7:34 AM on July 7, 2018

Sorry, but this is the official Russia 2018 song now.
posted by mymbleth at 2:54 PM on July 7, 2018

I lived in England from 95-96, when my dad, who worked for a British company, was relocated for two years. The entire ...... ontology of existence? changed during Euro 96. I remember watching it at home, at friend's houses, of my friend's mum being terrified to carry a jam cake into the room because she didn't want to upset "the balance." I remember everyone at school talking about it, students, teachers, parents. I heard about it on TV, on the newspaper, on the radio. It was this delirious, joyful energy that infused everything.

I had gotten into the city's team (Leicester City Foxes FOREVER!) and had begun watching soccer for the first time, so when Euro 96 began it was sheer magic. My family bought this album, partially as a joke, and partially because we loved Three Lions and the fandom so much.

I had one of the best times of my life living in England, and back home in the States I would nostalgically listen to that album over and over as I tried to navigate middle school. Three Lions still makes me tear up, thinking back to twelve-year-old me, eating prawn cocktail Walkers crips, watching footie, and loving every second.
posted by missmary6 at 3:11 PM on July 7, 2018 [7 favorites]

I missed seeing England beat Holland 4-1 at Euro 96 because I was at a back-to-back screening of the whole Three Colours trilogy. Stupid undergraduate me.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 11:26 PM on July 8, 2018

It's been a superb World Cup, full of surprises. I'm in between contracts so I've managed to watch pretty much every single game. England have only scored 3 goals I think from open play though, which is worrying.

Plus our fans have managed to ruin it as per usual. Smashing up an ambulance (?!) in London, and a taxi in my home town. And we won as well. Morons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-44763415
posted by derbs at 6:57 AM on July 9, 2018