National Anthem

[Paul F]

As the time draws closer to pay respects to those that served for their country in conflict I started thinking last night about where I live and what I would change if I could.

I am proud to be British and love living here but there is 1 singular thing, petty to some, that I would like to change.....the national anthem.

Its BORING !!!

No I wouldnt like a fatboy slim baseline underneath it but I would like something that stirs the emotions somewhat.

I look at the American anthem and I think, yeah, thats a stirring, blood rushing anthem that people over there are proud to sing. Same, for me, goes for the Australian anthem among others that I understand.

does anyone else think the British national anthem is rather tired and dull?
To clear up any predictable comment I am talking about "God save the queen". I know individual countries have their own anthems but im talking about what is commony recognised as the british anthem. If Im wrong and it IS just the english anthem then the same question applies.


I have heard the comment that the British anthem is special as it refers to a monarchy which other countries dont have. Fair enough. But cant it proclaim the values and treasures that many, not all, of us feel this land has?

A guy I was speaking to suggested using the song "Jerusalem" as our anthem :confused: Nice song but Im not sure how well that would go down :nice:
Maybe a newly written song or maybe a rework of an existing one. One song that springs to mind is "I vow to thee my country" which is lovely.

Who wants to write an anthem then?

[TiggsTours]

As the time draws closer to pay respects to those that served for their country in conflict I started thinking last night about where I live and what I would change if I could.

I am proud to be British and love living here but there is 1 singular thing, petty to some, that I would like to change.....the national anthem.

Its BORING !!!

No I wouldnt like a fatboy slim baseline underneath it but I would like something that stirs the emotions somewhat.

I look at the American anthem and I think, yeah, thats a stirring, blood rushing anthem that people over there are proud to sing. Same, for me, goes for the Australian anthem among others that I understand.

does anyone else think the British national anthem is rather tired and dull?
To clear up any predictable comment I am talking about "God save the queen". I know individual countries have their own anthems but im talking about what is commony recognised as the british anthem. If Im wrong and it IS just the english anthem then the same question applies.


I have heard the comment that the British anthem is special as it refers to a monarchy which other countries dont have. Fair enough. But cant it proclaim the values and treasures that many, not all, of us feel this land has?

A guy I was speaking to suggested using the song "Jerusalem" as our anthem :confused: Nice song but Im not sure how well that would go down :nice:
Maybe a newly written song or maybe a rework of an existing one. One song that springs to mind is "I vow to thee my country" which is lovely.

Who wants to write an anthem then?
I've thought for a long time that our National Anthem should really be Land of Hope and Glory, why write a new one?

[CJ]

I don't feel "God, Save the Queen" is boring.

My main beef with it is that it has been hijacked as the English National anthem. (Don't get me started about Union Jacks at England international matched either!!!!!!!!!!!!:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: )

Our official anthem is Scotland the Brave which works in a tartan shortbread tin kinda way. Our spiritual anthem is "Flower of Scotland" which just works.

So, sort out your English national anthem before you start to tinker with the British one!!:rolleyes:

[Dizzy]

As the time draws closer to pay respects to those that served for their country in conflict I started thinking last night about where I live and what I would change if I could.

I am proud to be British and love living here but there is 1 singular thing, petty to some, that I would like to change.....the national anthem.

Its BORING !!!

No I wouldnt like a fatboy slim baseline underneath it but I would like something that stirs the emotions somewhat.

I look at the American anthem and I think, yeah, thats a stirring, blood rushing anthem that people over there are proud to sing. Same, for me, goes for the Australian anthem among others that I understand.

does anyone else think the British national anthem is rather tired and dull?
To clear up any predictable comment I am talking about "God save the queen". I know individual countries have their own anthems but im talking about what is commony recognised as the british anthem. If Im wrong and it IS just the english anthem then the same question applies.


I have heard the comment that the British anthem is special as it refers to a monarchy which other countries dont have. Fair enough. But cant it proclaim the values and treasures that many, not all, of us feel this land has?

A guy I was speaking to suggested using the song "Jerusalem" as our anthem :confused: Nice song but Im not sure how well that would go down :nice:
Maybe a newly written song or maybe a rework of an existing one. One song that springs to mind is "I vow to thee my country" which is lovely.

Who wants to write an anthem then?

I agree. :yeah:

If you look at most other countries, the people are always very patriotic when it comes to their national anthems.

Coming from an Irish family, I have grown up with knowing that when the Irish national anthem is played, you stand up, stay quiet and respect the song and you will find a lot of other nations are like that too with their national anthem but nobody in England seems to feel that way about 'God Saves the Queen', even at international events such as football games, Olympics etc.

The same goes for St George's Day too, who in England actually celebrates it?

Everyone knows when St Patrick's Day is!! :clap: :cheers:

[David Bailey]

To clear up any predictable comment I am talking about "God save the queen". I know individual countries have their own anthems but im talking about what is commony recognised as the british anthem. If Im wrong and it IS just the english anthem then the same question applies.
God Save the Queen is the UK National Anthem.

The font of all knowledge has an article on this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_The_Queen), including:

"God Save the Queen is ... traditionally used as the national anthem of the United Kingdom, one of the two national anthems of New Zealand, and the royal anthem of Canada and the other Commonwealth realms, as well as the royal anthem of the British Royal Family. ... God Save the King (or Queen) is also the royal anthem of Norway — sung there in Norwegian."


A guy I was speaking to suggested using the song "Jerusalem" as our anthem :confused: Nice song but Im not sure how well that would go down :nice:
Again from Wikipedia:
"There has been some debate about replacing God Save the Queen with Jerusalem,"
and
"Comedian Billy Connolly ... suggested that it should be replaced by the theme tune to The Archers."

:rofl:

[Paul F]

I love "Land of hope and glory" as an English anthem. Nice track with some wicked vocals :wink:

Although a small percentage of people have voted the current exit polls suggest that a replacement for "God save the queen" could be on the cards.

BTW - In case anyone was wondering, I have direct access to the powers that be to effect this change. I have been giving private lessons to Tony Blair and HM The Queen for a while now :grin:
Think they may be entering Blackpool together!

[Heather]

Our official anthem is Scotland the Brave which works in a tartan shortbread tin kinda way. Our spiritual anthem is "Flower of Scotland" which just works.



Scotland the Brave??? I was taught at school that 'Scot's Wha Hae' by Robert Burns is the Scottish national anthem!! It's been around for a few hundred years, whereas Scotland the Brave is a relatively new song!What school did you go to!!!

:hug:
Heather,
xx

[Dreadful Scathe]

Scots Wha Hae is a poem - I always though Scotland the Brave was the National Anthem but many Scots wanted it officially changed to Flower of Scotland, which tends to get used more anyway.

[doc martin]

I don't feel "God, Save the Queen" is boring.

My main beef with it is that it has been hijacked as the English National anthem. (Don't get me started about Union Jacks at England international matched either!!!!!!!!!!!!:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: )
I thought you would have a few disagreements with the words too. Here's verse six....

Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.

I may be patriotic (or I may not for that matter :whistle: ), but I certainly don't feel any loyalty to a bunch of rich b*st*rds with lots of nice houses. I would be happy to stand up and sing Land of Hope and Glory, and feel that in a British historical context it had some meaning, but God Save the Queen... give me a break.

Maybe, as CJ suggested, we could have an English anthem, and I would vote for Land of Hope and Glory there. We could also keep GSTQ to be played as a second anthem when the queen is present, just to stop her whingeing too much.

[David Bailey]

Scots Wha Hae is a poem - I always though Scotland the Brave was the National Anthem but many Scots wanted it officially changed to Flower of Scotland, which tends to get used more anyway.

"Scotland uses either Flower of Scotland or Scotland the Brave, or traditionally Scots Wha Hae" (yes, same place :) )

So yep, you've got 3, what more do you want?

[Dance Demon]

Scotland the Brave??? I was taught at school that 'Scot's Wha Hae' by Robert Burns is the Scottish national anthem!! It's been around for a few hundred years, whereas Scotland the Brave is a relatively new song!What school did you go to!!!

:hug:
Heather,
xx

Scots Wha Hae, written -unless I am mistaken- by Robert Burns, was used as Scotlands National Anthem up until around the 1960s, when it was considered too much of a dirge, and was replaced by Scotland The Brave ( written by Cliff Hanley)for the Commonwealth Games. Flower of Scotland ( another dirge IMHO) written by Roy Williamson of the Corries started getting used in the Early 90s firstly by the Scottish rugby team.


Scots Wha Hae is a poem - I always though Scotland the Brave was the National Anthem but many Scots wanted it officially changed to Flower of Scotland, which tends to get used more anyway.

AFAIK....Scots Wha Hae was written as a song. I've often heard it sung, but never recited as a poem

[ducasi]

As an independently-minded Scot, I'm all for England having its own anthem....

However... Be careful what you wish for as every time it is played on TV and Radio outside of a purely English context there will be complaints from all the other nations unless there anthems got played also.

Last night of the proms would never be the same again.

[Paul F]

Ahhhhhh!!!!

Im not talking about individual countries' anthems. They are all lovely.

What im wondering is if anyone else is bored with the British (UK) anthem GSTQ.


Lets face it, to a lot of our friends in the USA , and other places throughout the world, the UK is one country :sick: They have heard of London and little else. Our anthem is one thing that is associated with the UK. Surely it should be a good one!

[ducasi]

Not so much bored as disgusted. :nice:

[CJ]

Not so much bored as disgusted. :nice:

Let it go, Duke...

We all know rebellious Scots can't be crushed!!:wink:

[ShinyWeeStar]

"Comedian Billy Connolly ... suggested that it should be replaced by the theme tune to The Archers."

:rofl:

Cue mental picture of a football stadium with the crowd all singing "Dee dee dee dee dee dee dee..."!! :rofl:

[ducasi]

Let it go, Duke...

We all know rebellious Scots can't be crushed!!:wink:
Was thinking more of the first line of the first verse. The "Rebellious Scots" verse is an anachronism that is no longer used.

[Baruch]

What im wondering is if anyone else is bored with the British (UK) anthem GSTQ.
It strikes me not so much as boring, but as irrelevant. To me, the national anthem is Hen Wlad fy Nhadau. God Save The Queen isn't even on the radar, especially as it's been hijacked as the de facto English anthem.


Lets face it, to a lot of our friends in the USA , and other places throughout the world, the UK is one country :sick: They have heard of London and little else. Our anthem is one thing that is associated with the UK. Surely it should be a good one!
To a lot of our friends in the USA, the UK equals England. I'd rather educate them instead. Nothing gets my goat more than Americans thinking Wales is part of England!

Anyway, why exactly do we need a British anthem? Why not just have the individual anthems of the countries that make up the UK?

[LMC]

Most other countries' anthems are patriotic with reference to the country, not an individual. I think ours should be too.

And as for the tune - GSTQ is a dreadful dirge IMO.

Even if you brutally leave multi-culturalism out of the equation, I think Jerusalem and 'I vow to thee my country" are too overtly Christian for our secular society. The words of Land of Hope & Glory are too jingoistic for my liking - "Wider, still and wider, etc." - although the tune would be superb (one of those that raises the hairs on the back of your neck) so Land of Hope & Glory, with more 'suitable' words to replace the Empire stuff would get my vote.

[Heather]

Scots Wha Hae is a poem - I always though Scotland the Brave was the National Anthem but many Scots wanted it officially changed to Flower of Scotland, which tends to get used more anyway.

I can assure you Smurfy boy Scots Wha Hae is a song!!! I will give you a rendition next time I see you. I enter children in the National Burns Federation poetry and singing competitions every year and so I think I ken whit ah'm talkin' aboot!!
:hug:
Heather
x

[Heather]

Scots Wha Hae, written -unless I am mistaken- by Robert Burns, was used as Scotlands National Anthem up until around the 1960s, when it was considered too much of a dirge, and was replaced by Scotland The Brave ( written by Cliff Hanley)for the Commonwealth Games. Flower of Scotland ( another dirge IMHO) written by Roy Williamson of the Corries started getting used in the Early 90s firstly by the Scottish rugby team.



AFAIK....Scots Wha Hae was written as a song. I've often heard it sung, but never recited as a poem


:clap: :clap: Thank You John!! I posted my reply to the wee blue boy before I read through the thread!!!
( Where is the 'sticky out tongue, "so there, nah nah nah nah " smiley, when you need one!!!):rofl:
:hug:
Heather,
xx

[Tiggerbabe]

( Where is the 'sticky out tongue, "so there, nah nah nah nah " smiley, when you need one!!!):rofl:

Here :na: :na: :na: :wink: