The British Are Coming
| "The British Are Coming" | |||||
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| Album track by Weezer | |||||
| Album | Everything Will Be Alright in the End | ||||
| Released | September 23, 2014 | ||||
| Recorded | 2014, The Village, Los Angeles, CA | ||||
| Length | 4:08 | ||||
| Label | Republic Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Rivers Cuomo | ||||
| Producer(s) | Ric Ocasek | ||||
| Status | Officially released | ||||
| Live debut | October 16, 2014 | ||||
| Stream |  Spotify |
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 Apple Music |
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| Everything Will Be Alright in the End track listing | |||||
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| Ecce Homo track listing | |||||
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This song is part of the "The British Are Coming" lineage of songs
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"The British Are Coming" is the sixth track on Everything Will Be Alright in the End.
Appearances
Overview
"The British Are Coming" was the fourth song to be officially released prior to the album's release. Shortly after the album's release, an instrumental-only version of the album was leaked online. In December 2017, an earlier version of the song was leaked online, containing unique lyrics and lacking the album version's intro. It was rumored that the original version of the song also contained more explicitly personal lyrics for years, before that version surfaced under the name "Don't Mess With My Girl". It was also rumored that this version contained a lyric about Boba Fett, but this turned out to be untrue, although another version that mentions Boba Fett has also surfaced.
While "The British Are Coming" would be released on Everything Will Be Alright in the End, it was initially written for the scrapped concept album Ecce Homo. It was planned to be the fifth song, and would represent the main character Sebastian coming into his own and finding independence. In the Ecce Homo document, the following notes were included about the song:
(Age 22): • not looking for advice anymore. Is connected to his own inner compass.
The liner notes for Everything Will Be Alright in the End groups songs by one of three themes. "The British Are Coming" is grouped under the category "Patriarchia" (songs about Cuomo's relationships with father figures). Many of the song's lyrics are references to the American Revolutionary War, specifically the ride of Paul Revere leading up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. King George, the King of Britain at the time, is named. “One, if by land, and two, if by sea” is a phrase coined by Henry W. Longfellow in 1860 for his poem Paul Revere's Ride, referring to Revere's use of lanterns to signal to the Patriots the route used by British soldiers to advance to Concord. "Sons of Liberty" were a secret society who opposed the taxation of the American colonies by the British government.
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo – guitar, lead vocals
- Patrick Wilson – drums
- Brian Bell – guitar, backing vocals
- Scott Shriner – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Ric Ocasek - producer
Audio
Lyrics
The lyrical variants for "The British Are Coming" are too numerous to list here. For an exhaustive list, see Lyrics: The British Are Coming.
Album version
Welcome to the first level Literati
Our mission is to keep the tradition alive
It's up to us
It's our responsibility
Who else is going to do it?
This is the night
Light up a fire in the forge
We're not the coins
In the coffer of old King George
One if by land
Two if they come by sea
We'll show 'em we
Are the true Sons of Liberty
Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Telling me what to do and where to go
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
Smear on the soot
Tear up an old deerskin shirt
We know this shot
Will be heard all around the world
Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Telling me what to do and where to go
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
This is the destiny of all mankind
We will shake off these chains and shackles that bind
Come on, let's give them everything we have
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
Known recordings
| Performer(s) | Title | Filename | Date of recording | Recording location | Length | Appeared on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Cuomo | I V VII IV wistful piano.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 1:10 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | Intro melody on piano | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | ideas 11-10-2011 11h1m25s.mp3 | November 10, 2014 | 6:41 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | Development of melody | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 1.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:39 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 2.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:45 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 3.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:51 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 4.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 4:09 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 5.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 4:07 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 6.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:59 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 7.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:59 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 8.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:59 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 10.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:43 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 11.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:37 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 12.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:37 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 13.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 13 2.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 14.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 15.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:30 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 16.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:30 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 16 for RC.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:53 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 17.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:33 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 18.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:32 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 23 no b.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:03 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 30.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:00 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 31.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:00 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 32.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:04 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 33.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:04 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 34.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:05 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 35.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:35 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 36.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:36 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 37.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:36 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 38.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 40 sons of liberty.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 41 son o.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 42 burn.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 43 burni.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 44 band.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 45 dumpi.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 46 stra.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 47.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 48.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 49.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years | ||
| Rivers Cuomo | The British Are Coming | The British Are Coming 50.mp3 | 2011—2014 | 3:38 | Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years |