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{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
| Name    = The British Are Coming
| Name    = The British Are Coming
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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:
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):  
  (Age 22):  
  • not looking for advice anymore. Is connected to his own inner compass.  
  • 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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War American Revolutionary War], specifically the ride of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere Paul Revere] leading up to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Lexington_and_Concord Battles of Lexington and Concord]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom 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 ''[http://www.paul-revere-heritage.com/poem.html 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. "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Liberty Sons of Liberty]" were a secret society who opposed the taxation of the American colonies by the British government.
==Known recordings==
{{Known recordings header}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]||I V  VII  IV  wistful piano.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||1:10|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|Intro melody on piano}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]||ideas 11-10-2011 11h1m25s.mp3|[[November 10]], [[2014]]||6:41|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|Development of melody}}


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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War American Revolutionary War], specifically the ride of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere Paul Revere] leading up to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Lexington_and_Concord Battles of Lexington and Concord]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom 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 ''[http://www.paul-revere-heritage.com/poem.html 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. "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Liberty Sons of Liberty]" were a secret society who opposed the taxation of the American colonies by the British government.
 
==Audio==
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming     1.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:39|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
<youtube>jGUPsdOCZ-A</youtube>
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming 2.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:45|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
<youtube>zElgsRHdWJE</youtube>
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:51|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
<youtube>6oy44nuHRgQ</youtube>
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||4:09|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming 5.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||4:07|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:59|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:59|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:59|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:43|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:37|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:37|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 2.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:30|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:30|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming 16 for RC.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:53|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:33|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:32|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23 no b.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:03|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;30.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:00|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:00|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:04|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:04|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:05|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;35.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:35|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;36.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:36|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;37.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:36|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;38.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;40 sons of liberty.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;41 son o.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;42  burn.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;43 burni.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;44 band.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;45 dumpi.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;46  stra.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;47.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;48.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
{{Known recordings entry|aaffaa|[[Rivers Cuomo]]|The British Are Coming|The British Are Coming&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;50.mp3|[[2011]]—[[2014]]||3:38|''[[Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]''|}}
 
{{Known recordings footer}}
==Personnel==
==Personnel==
*[[Rivers Cuomo]] – guitar, lead vocals
*[[Rivers Cuomo]] – guitar, lead vocals
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*[[Scott Shriner]] – bass guitar, backing vocals
*[[Scott Shriner]] – bass guitar, backing vocals
*[[Ric Ocasek]] - producer
*[[Ric Ocasek]] - producer
==Audio==
<youtube>jGUPsdOCZ-A</youtube>
<youtube>zElgsRHdWJE</youtube>
<youtube>6oy44nuHRgQ</youtube>
==Lyrics==
==Lyrics==
<poem>
''The lyrical variants for "The British Are Coming" are too numerous to list here. For an exhaustive list, see [[Lyrics: The British Are Coming]].
''Welcome to the first level Literati''
===Album version===
<poem>''Welcome to the first level Literati''
''Our mission is to keep the tradition alive''
''Our mission is to keep the tradition alive''
''It's up to us''
''It's up to us''
Line 60: Line 107:


This is the night
This is the night
Light up the fire in the forge
Light up a fire in the forge
We're not the coins in the coffer of old King George
We're not the coins
In the coffer of old King George
One if by land
One if by land
Two if they come by sea
Two if they come by sea
We'll show 'em we are the true sons of liberty
We'll show 'em we
Are the true Sons of Liberty


Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Telling me what to do and where to go
Telling me what to do and where to go
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
Line 76: Line 124:
Smear on the soot
Smear on the soot
Tear up an old deerskin shirt
Tear up an old deerskin shirt
We know this shot will be heard all around the world
We know this shot
Will be heard all around the world


Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Punk-ass redcoats trying to run the show
Telling me what to do and where to go
Telling me what to do and where to go
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
Mount your horse 'cause it's time to tell the world
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
The British are coming
Line 94: Line 142:
The British are coming
The British are coming
</poem>
</poem>
===Early lyrics===
==See also==
<poem>
I'm burning my books
Tired of so many cooks
And y'know what?
I know how to shred this wood
I might be a fool
Bucking the shrewdest gurus
But nobody else has a clue what I'm meant to do
 
Punk-ass soldiers tryin' to run the show
Tellin' me what to do and where to go
Mount my horse 'cuz it's time to tell the world
 
The British are coming
 
It might take a sec
For me to make sense of this mess
Brush off the bugs
Uncover my naked breast
 
Punk-ass soldiers tryin' to run the show
Tellin' me what to do and where to go
Mount my horse 'cuz it's time to tell the world
 
The British are coming
 
This is the destiny of all mankind
We will shake off these chains and shackles that bind
C'mon, let's give them everything we have
 
The British are coming (coming)</poem>
===Ecce Homo lyrics===
<poem>
I'm burning my books
Tired of so many cooks
And y'know what?
I know how to whittle wood
Nielsen's are jokes
Same with the Gallup polls
Nobody else has a clue what I'm meant to do
 
Roman soldiers tryin' to run the show
Tellin' me what to do and where to go
I mount my horse 'cuz it's time to tell the world
 
The British are coming
 
It might take a sec
For me to defeat Boba Fett
I need a new gun
I'm tired of this airsoft one
 
Roman soldiers tryin' to run the show
Tellin' me what to do and where to go
I mount my horse 'cuz it's time to tell the world
 
The British are coming
 
I got a special friend in my pocket
And he tells me everything I need to know
I know that he'll help me spread the word around
 
The British are coming</poem>
 
== See also ==
*[[List of Rivers Cuomo songs]]
*[[List of Rivers Cuomo songs]]
* [[List of Weezer songs]]
*[[List of Weezer songs]]


[[Category:Weezer songs]][[Category:Rivers Cuomo songs]][[Category:Weezer songs produced by Ric Ocasek]][[Category:Everything Will Be Alright in the End]][[Category:Allmusic track picks]][[Category:Songs on Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]
[[Category:Weezer songs]][[Category:Rivers Cuomo songs]][[Category:Weezer songs produced by Ric Ocasek]][[Category:Everything Will Be Alright in the End]][[Category:Allmusic track picks]][[Category:Songs on Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years]]
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