You may never have thought of Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home) as a Christmas tune, but now it can be!
Ahead of the festive season, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds have recorded a new version of their iconic football anthem, before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar on November 20.
The famous song was first released by Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie in 1996 as England battled it out in the Euros, and the men’s team still haven’t quite managed to ‘bring it home.’
Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds were then so inspired when England Women won the Euros this summer, that they re-recorded the track with new lyrics.
The new rendition of the hit song actually includes an audio clip of the Lionesses triumphant press conference following their historic victory.
Also in the lyrics are references to Skinner’s alcoholism and a subtle nod to ‘snowflakes’ – and not just the wintery kind.
Speaking of the new release, Baddiel joked: ‘At last it’s between me and Mariah Carey for who really is the voice of Christmas.’
On why they decided to give the football anthem a new lease of life, Skinner added ‘“We just had to do it. Christmas World Cup songs are not like buses. If we’d let this opportunity pull away, it would have been a very long wait for the next one.’
If you’re wondering what the new lyrics are, well, they’re certainly a stark contrast to the original, but are bound to instil some festive cheer.
‘Three Lions on a sleigh, with She-Lion’s Inspiration, Santa says let’s play, the Christmas tree formation’, is just one new verse destined to get the country up on their feet and singing for 90 minutes.
‘Snowflakes watching it here, this is our time of year, we’ll be having a beer’, another line reads, before Skinner chimes in: ‘Actually, I won’t because I’ve got alcohol issues…’
In the new feel-good music video, Sir Geoff Hurst swaps his England kit for a Santa Suit, while Lioness heroes Jess Carter and Beth England recreate their celebratory dance.
Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds are also seen decorating the tree as kids join in the festivities.
Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home) is the only song to have ever become UK number one on four separate occasions with the same artists.
It topped the charts twice in 1996 when it was originally released, then did the same again for three straight weeks in 1998.
Finally, in 2018, it made chart history by moving up from number 24 to number one in just one week.
During the 2020 Euros, the song spent four weeks in the top 10 and, on the final day of that tournament, had over three million Spotify streams.
Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas) is available from Sony Music in vinyl, cassette, and CD format, all of which fit snuggly under the Christmas tree.
You can also stream and download the new tune now.
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