The original lyrics to iconic football song Three Lions were so 'unacceptable' it was almost banned
It might actually be coming home on Sunday evening, so it's unsurprising that iconic football song 'Three Lions' has been playing non-stop over the last few days.
The hit, produced in 1996 by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, is one of the ultimate football anthems and as we prepare for Sunday's Euro 2024 final - with England taking on Spain in Berlin - it's been playing on radio stations across the country.
But, did you know that the original lyrics to the song were nearly banned by the FA back in the day?
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Just three years ago, England came tantalisingly close to securing a Euro win on home soil, as they took on Italy in the final.
It was a devastating blow when the Three Lions lost on penalties, but fans are desperately hoping the outcome will be different on Sunday evening.
But it's certainly been an unpredictable tournament so far.
With a rocky start in the group stages, England went on to secure a win against Slovakia, followed by a penalty shoot-out win against Switzerland on 6 July.
And in a semi-final against the Netherlands, an improved performance and a last-minute goal from sub Ollie Watkins put the team in another major tournament final.
A win on Sunday could even lead to a potential Bank Holiday, though that has been yet to be confirmed.
As England fans gear up for Sunday's match, you might have heard the Three Lions anthem playing on repeat.
But you may not be aware that when the song was first produced, some of the lyrics were very different.
In fact, Steve Double, former head of media relations at the FA, said the words weren't 'appropriate'.
He wrote in the Mirror: "I was that faceless FA bureaucrat. Euro 96, which was staged in England, was a huge success – an uplifting so-near-but-so-far performance by the England team coupled with a well-organised and trouble-free tournament."
However, Steve explained that the build-up to the match was marred by the fear of hooliganism.
"It was the original lyrics to Three Lions. After the success of New Order’s World in Motion for the 1990 World Cup, the FA’s endorsement for the official England song had become sought after," he continued.
"The Lightning Seeds’ record label had talked with the FA, and seeing as Baddiel and Skinner’s TV show Fantasy Football League was so popular, it seemed like a good fit – and a chance for the FA to modernise its image.
"Foreseeing no issues, I read the lyrics. 'Jules Rimet still gleaming... 30 years of hurt... never stopped me dreaming'. Very nice. 'Bobby belting the ball, and Nobby dancing...' This is good, I thought. '…Butcher at war…' Hang on. Terry Butcher was famed as England’s blood-spattered centre back from the 1990 World Cup campaign.
"But this is football, not war. Any references to fighting were unacceptable. I picked up the red pen and struck it out. To me, it was an easy decision. How can we preach peace to fans when the team’s official single was extolling war?"
After Steve deemed the lyrics as unacceptable, there was an uproar from the record label.
"I was reeling. It was a showbiz equivalent of being on the receiving end of an Alex Ferguson 'hairdryer' blast," he continued.
"I was left with the firm impression I was a hate figure. I felt I held all the cards, though.
"The FA had power of veto, and its endorsement – together with access to England players for the video – was a valuable asset. If the record was binned, so what?
"... After a week or so, it seemed the deal was off. There would be no Three Lions, thanks to the boring old FA. But as quickly as the row escalated, the objections suddenly slipped away as Euro 96 got ever closer."
In the end, the lyrics were changed from 'butcher going to war', to 'that tackle by Moore'.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Come on, England!
Lucy Devine