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Three Lions’ ‘Unacceptable’ Original Lyrics Nearly Got Song Banned

Three Lions’ ‘Unacceptable’ Original Lyrics Nearly Got Song Banned

Baddiel and Skinner's anthem had to be changed as the lyrics were inappropriate

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

With the Euro 2020 final edging ever closer, Baddiel and Skinner's anthem Three Lions is back in the charts.

It's hard to imagine life without it at the moment, but at one point it was actually almost banned by the FA because of some problematic lyrics.

Steve Double, who used to be head of media relations at the FA, thought it was inappropriate thanks to some lyrics that might incite hooliganism.

Writing for the Mirror, he said: "I was that faceless FA bureaucrat.

PA

"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."

Behind the scenes though, there was concern about it.

"The overwhelming fear of the Football Association was that hooliganism - so much more prevalent then than now - would mar the tournament and ruin the reputation of English football."

But two months before the first match, he was given the lyrics for the official song and was asked to check them.

He says: "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.

"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.

PA

"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?"

He responded saying they were unacceptable.

Steve continued: "A few days later, the fearsome Jon Thoday [of Avalon management] arrived at my office at the FA's then-headquarters in Lancaster Gate. He was clearly unhappy. In fact, make that incandescent.

"I received both barrels: I had no right to change his clients' lyrics. I was impugning their artistic integrity. How dare I even consider it - the lyrics stay or the deal is off.

"I was reeling. It was a showbiz equivalent of being on the receiving end of an Alex Ferguson "hairdryer" blast. I recovered from the shock to mount a Tony Adams-style defence.

"This attacker wasn't going to get past. With anti-hooliganism campaigns under way, it would be hypocritical for the official England record to reference war or fighting. The FA would get slaughtered for such an own goal."

They didn't agree.

"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?

"There were plenty of others in the queue. It didn't occur to me that this particular song was history in the making. Doh.

PA

"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."

They then changed 'Butcher going to war' to 'That tackle by Moore'.

He said: "The war reference vanished, and we had peace in our time.

"No thanks to me, the record by Baddiel & Skinner & the Lightning Seeds was a huge commercial success. It was even a hit in Germany."

Featured Image Credit: PA