The Lightning Seeds

The Lightning Seeds are essentially Ian Broudie — a Liverpool songwriter and producer who had worked with Echo and the Bunnymen and The Fall before launching his own project in 1989. 'Pure' (1989) was the debut single — a song of extraordinary melodic purity that announced a genuine pop talent. The debut album 'Cloudcuckooland' (1990) was a strong collection of melodic, atmospheric pop.

'Sense' (1992) and 'Jollification' (1994) were both strong albums. 'Lucky You', 'Change', and 'Marvellous' were all excellent singles. But it was 'Three Lions' (1996) — written with comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner for Euro 96 — that made Broudie a household name. The song's mixture of hope and resignation captured something essential about the English football experience.

The Lightning Seeds have continued to record and tour. 'Dizzy Heights' (1996) was a strong album. 'Three Lions' has been re-released for every major England tournament since 1996 and remains one of the most beloved British songs of its era.