Why do England fans sing the song Sweet Caroline? What are the lyrics?

England fans will travel over to Germany in large numbers this summer as the Three Lions look to get their hands on the trophy. Those that can’t go will be roaring on their country from back home.

Gareth Southgate’s side are in Group C along with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia. One song that will be heard loud and clear at the tournament is the song Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond.

What is Sweet Caroline?

Sweet Caroline is a song written by American singer Neil Diamond. He is from New York City and was born on 24th January 1941.

The track was released in May 1969 as a single and was arranged by New Jersey-born Charles Calello and recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennesse.

Diamond is said to have penned the song for his then-wife, Marcia Murphy, but her name didn’t fit the tune, so he opted for Caroline instead, some believe to be after the daughter of John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy.

It re-entered the charts in 2021 after England fans sung it during their Euro 2020 campaign. They reached the final that year but were beaten on penalties by Italy at Wembley. Baseball team the Boston Red Sox first played it in the 1990’s and have done consistently since 2003.

Why do England fans sing Sweet Caroline?

England supporters started chanting it during the last Euros and it carried momentum in person and on social media as they progressed through the various rounds to the final. After the Three Lions beat Germany in the quarter-final, Wembley DJ Tony Parry decided to play Sweet Caroline instead of Vindaloo, much to the crowd’s delight.

Since then, it has been sung by supporters in pubs, bars, fanzones and stadiums and will no doubt be heard in the air in Germany over the course of the next four or so weeks.

Paul Carr, who is a professor in popular music analysis at the University of South Wales, has a theory why it makes such a catchy anthem for football supporters. He said: "The big thing is simplicity of the melody, and there's something in the lyrics.

“The song's lyrics include the phrases "Good times never felt so good" and "Reaching out, touching me, touching you", before the build-up to the chorus and the words "Sweet Caroline, ba, ba, baa!.”

England’s Women’s team also sang the anthem as they went on to win the Euros back in 2022. It was first linked to football in England as recently as 2017 when Arsenal played it after their 2017 FA Cup semi-final win over Aston Villa. However, Northern Ireland fans have been singing the song at matches as early as 2004, as the Green and White Army had it in their song book for Euro 2016 in France.

What are the lyrics to Sweet Caroline in full?

“Where it began, I can’t begin to know when

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”