England’s chants and songs – from Football’s Coming Home to Dam Busters – all the lyrics
ENGLAND’S foray into Euro 2024 will have fans dreaming that football’s coming home again.
They’ve entered the tournament as joint favourites with many bookmakers and Euro 2024 fever is sweeping the nation.
But what are the fan-favourite chants that could inspire England to success in Germany?
What are the England chants?
Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)
Three Lions was Baddiel and Skinner’s ode to England’s hope and successive failures.
The chorus of “It’s coming home” has now become a tagline used by fans and has led to opposition supporters accusing the English of arrogance – but the original lyrics have more nuance to them.
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, it’s coming,
Football’s coming home.
It’s coming home,
It’s coming home, it’s coming,
Football’s coming home.
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
But I know they can play.
‘Cause I remember three lions on a shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming,
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming.
So many jokes, so many sneers,
But all those ‘oh so nears’
Wear you down, through the years,
But I still see that tackle by Moore
And when Lineker scored,
Bobby belting the ball
And Nobby dancing.
Three lions on a shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming,
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming.
I know that was then, but it could be again..
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, it’s coming,
Football’s coming home.
It’s coming home,
It’s coming home, it’s coming,
Football’s coming home.
Three lions on a shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming,
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming.
Three lions on a shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming,
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming.
Three lions on a shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming,
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming.
National Anthem (God Save The King)
The national anthem of both teams is played before every match at a major tournament.
It always produces a spine-tingling reaction in the build-up to kick off.
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
Thy choicest gifts in store
On him be pleased to pour,
Long may he reign.
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the King.
Southgate You’re The One
England fans adopted Atomic Kitten’s ‘Whole Again’ during the team’s run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.
While Southgate’s stock might have lowered since then, it still could be making an appearance.
Looking back on when we first met
I cannot escape and I cannot forget
Southgate, you’re the one, you still turn me on
Football’s coming home again
(One, two, three, four) whoa, whoa
Looking back on when we first met
I cannot escape and I cannot forget
Southgate, you’re the one, you still turn me on
Football’s coming home again
Southgate, you’re the one, you still turn me on
Football’s coming home again.
Eng-er-land
Not the most imaginative number but something that will regularly be sung in Germany.
The lyrics are a a simple one.
En-ger-land
Repeat as much as you need to.
Vindaloo
England’s official 1998 World Cup song to follow on from Three Lions.
The song was written and performed by British band Fat Les, with Blur’s Alex James and Guy Pratt writing the music and comedian Keith Allen writing the lyrics.
“Where on earth are you from?
We’re from England
Where you come from
Do you put the kettle on?
Kick it
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah (bonjour)
Nah nah nah (monsieur)
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah Nah
We’re England
We’re gonna score one more than you
England!
Can I introduce you please
To a lump of cheddar cheese
Knit one, pearl one
Drop one, curl one
Kick it
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah
Nah nah nah Nah
We’re England
We’re gonna score one more than you
England!
Me and me Mum and me Dad and me Gran
We’re off to Waterloo
Me and me Mum and me Dad and me Gran
And a bucket of Vindaloo
Bucket!
Vindaloo
Vindaloo
Vindaloo
Vindaloo nah nah
Vindaloo
Vindaloo
Vindaloo
Vindaloo nah nah
Vindaloo
Vindaloo
And we all like Vindaloo
We’re England
We’re gonna score one more than you
England!
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
And we all like Vindaloo
We’re England
We’re gonna score one more than you
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)
And we all like Vindaloo
We’re England
We’re gonna score one more than you
England!”
England ‘Til I die
Three Lions fans show their allegiance to their side with this one, declaring that ’til death will they part with their country.
“England till I die,
I’m England till I die,
I know I am I’m sure I am,
I’m England till i die”
Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond’s 1969 hit became a cultural touchstone for England fans at Euro 2020 when it was played after England beat Germany 2-0.
Wembley Stadium DJ Tony Parry told TalkSPORT he was going to play “Vindaloo”, but “went with [his] gut,” and played the Neil Diamond classic instead.
It’s now sung after big England wins.
“Where it began, I can’t begin to knowing
But then I know it’s growing strong
Was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Who’d have believed you’d come along
Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
But now I
Look at the night and it don’t seem so lonely
We filled it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you
One, touching one
Reaching out, touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
Oh no, no
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Sweet Caroline
I believe they never could
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good”
World In Motion
Penned by legendary band New Order, World in Motion is perhaps the most tuneful of all the England songs.
The tune was made ahead of the 1990 World Cup, and features a rap from John Barnes.
Express yourself
Create the space
You know you can win
Don’t give up the chase
Beat the man
Take him on
You never give up
It’s one on one
Express yourself
It’s one on one
Express yourself
It’s one on one
Express yourself
You can’t be wrong
When something’s good
It’s never gone
Love’s got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Love’s got the world in motion
And I can’t believe it’s true
Now is the time
Let everyone see
You never give up
That’s how it should be
Don’t get caught
Make your own play
Express yourself
Don’t give it away
Express yourself
It’s one on one
Express yourself
It’s one on one
Express yourself
You can’t be wrong
When something’s good
It’s never gone
Love’s got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Love’s got the world in motion
And I can’t believe it’s true
Love’s got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Love’s got the world in motion
And I can’t believe it’s true
You’ve got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They’ll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
There’s only one way to beat them
Get ’round the back
Catch me if you can
‘Cause I’m the England man
And what you’re looking at
Is the master plan
We ain’t no hooligans
This ain’t a football song
Three lions on my chest
I know we can’t go wrong
We’re playing for England (England)
We’re playing the song
We’re singing for England (England)
Arrivederci, it’s one on one
We’re playing for England (England)
We’re playing the song
We’re singing for England (England)
Arrivederci, it’s one on one
We’re playing for England (England)
We’re playing the song
We’re singing for England (England)
Arrivederci, it’s one on one
We’re playing for England (England)
We’re playing the song
We’re singing for England (England)
Arrivederci, it’s one on one
Dam Busters March
England fans often hum the theme from the classic British war film. The Dam Busters theme is also often played by England’s resident band – but there are no lyrics to go along with it.