David Baddiel and Frank Skinner get just 0.003p every time someone downloads iconic football anthem Three Lions.
Written by The Lightning Seeds with the comedians 27 years ago, the song is almost as popular now as it was when it was first bellowed out by fans during Euro 1996. It made chart history with four number ones over the years with the treasured tune still played during every tournament England play in.
But David and Frank now get next to nothing in royalties despite the song being one of the country's best-loved sporting records ever created and the national team being in their best state since famously winning the World Cup back in 1966. Asked what the song had brought him apart from greater fame, David said: “Not money, for a start. It brought me, Frank and Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds a fair wedge.
Baddiel and Skinner changed the sound of international football in 1996 (Times Newspapers Ltd/REX/Shutterstock)"But not since Spotify took over has it brought us much money. In fact, when England played Colombia in the 2018 World Cup, it was downloaded four million times — for which Frank, Ian and I received £1,200 from Spotify.” But telling the Comfort Eating podcast, he clarified: “Three Lions came out in 1996, and it went platinum in 1996 - just to be clear, we’ve done OK!"
Back in 2020 in an interview with radio host Chris Moyles, David also spoke about the song: “In 2018 or whatever, it was downloaded millions and millions of times. “Although one thing I would say about that is occasionally whenever England do well and the song suddenly rises up and people love it, I always get a slightly cynical strand of men who start going on about royalties.
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“And I want to say to them: “Do you know how much you get from Spotify?'” Because I believe someone worked it out. I saw a newspaper article which said that it had been downloaded at England [vs] Columbia something like 16 million times, which works out between me, Frank and [Lightning Seeds frontman] Ian Broudie at something like 900 quid between us!” He added, jokingly: “So I can’t retire on that I’ll be honest with you!”
But while it may not have brought fortune to the comedy duo, it’s certainly created a lasting legacy over the decades, with the lines such as ‘Football’s coming home’ now cemented as part of popular culture. “Similar to when the Christmas songs start in December, you’d assume each artist earns a fortune that time of year,”, Will Waldron, PR executive told the Metro.
“However, an artist requires a lot of streams to make money on music nowadays. In the 2018 World Cup David Baddiel said they only made around £900 at one point, even after millions of streams. “It’s colloquial, relatable and has the huge repetitive hook of “It’s Coming Home” that is now pretty much a catchphrase during a major tournament.
"It’s full of dry English humour, easy rhyming structures, a big chorus and the vocals are delivered in a way that makes anyone think they can belt it out and sound half decent. “I love the fact that two comedians are behind one of the biggest football anthems in England, I think that’s what makes it so relatable and euphoric for fans listening.”
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