November 7, 2024

Why Do Fans Sing ‘Sweet Caroline’ For England? Why The Tune’s A Football Anthem

Sweet Caroline #SweetCaroline

21 November 2022, 15:39

'Sweet Caroline' has become a football anthem ‘Sweet Caroline’ has become a football anthem. Picture: Getty

Neil Diamond classic ‘Sweet Caroline’ has become a football anthem, but why?

‘Sweet Caroline’ has become a football anthem and we’ve been hearing it a lot lately thanks to the England women’s win at the 2022 EUROs and also England’s men’s team’s success at the EUROs 2020 last year.

As England play in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, ‘Sweet Caroline’ is being blared out once again as the likes of Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford lead the team’s success.

With every win a medley of songs is played, including Gala’s ‘Freed From Desire’, ‘Three Lions on a Shirt’ by David Baddiel and Lightning Seeds and Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’, and tbh we’ve been enjoying every minute.

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Baddiel and Lightning Seeds changed the lyrics for ‘Three Lions on a Shirt’ ahead of the women’s EUROs, to include the lyrics: “Now is the time for Lionesses to shine.”

Neil Diamond wrote 'Sweet Caroline' Neil Diamond wrote ‘Sweet Caroline’. Picture: Getty Why do fans sing ‘Sweet Caroline’ for England wins?

The reason football fans sing ‘Sweet Caroline’ in particular stems from the song becoming a victory anthem for a Boston baseball team who played it during a match in the 1990s for a colleague who had named her baby Caroline.

It became their good luck tune which they played every week and teams across the pond began to adopt the ritual too.

‘Sweet Caroline’ was first linked to football teams over here when Arsenal played it after their 2017 FA Cup semi-final win.

The song’s also been adopted by Aston Villa, the England cricket team and even Tyson Fury.

Neil Diamond originally wrote the song in 1969 for his wife Marcia, but her name didn’t fit the tune.

He changed it to ‘Caroline’ after recalling seeing a photo of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of US President John F Kennedy, in a magazine.

Leah Williamson and Millie Bright of England lift the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Trophy Leah Williamson and Millie Bright of England lift the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Trophy. Picture: Getty England fans have been chanting 'Sweet Caroline' England fans have been chanting ‘Sweet Caroline’. Picture: Getty What are the lyrics to ‘Sweet Caroline?’

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

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