The English National Anthem

[Harpy106]

“God Save The Queen†is the national anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Neither England nor Scotland actually have an “official†national anthem, although the Scots, since 1974 have sung “Flower of Scotland†by popular demand.

So the question is, why are the English stuck with having to pray for the Queen, while other nations can sing about how great they are? Ok, during the match there’s “Jerusalemâ€, and the first 2 lines of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, a negro spiritual, neither really doing the job.

Is this because of the arrogant, racist English sports fan? Are we no longer permitted to, even only on sporting occasions, believe that we are still a strong people, and sing something uplifting? Land of Hope & Glory may not be perfect, but it sure beats hoping that an old woman in a castle surrounded by men with guns sleeps safely through the night!

 

[cyRil]

Your anthem should be Jerusalem. Awesome song.

 

[Prestwick]

I don't think singing God Save the Queen is either racist or arrogant. Remember that the anthem was only adopted gradually and more or less by accident. Its nothing about permitting people to do anything, it is the choice of the sporting body to decide what they sing and do not sing. There are absolutely no guidelines or even any precident to deicde what is and is not sung. Scotland could tomorrow decide to sing "Bananaphone" as their national anthem if they so wished and then Kylie Monogues "locomotion" the next day!

Remember that the ECB choose to play Jerusalem at cricket matches before the players come out and provide the words as well. At the Commonwealth games, Land of Hope and Glory is sung when England wins gold.

I have absolutely nothing against a Monarch who has conducted herself in the highest possible conduct without dropping even one gaff or incident to sully her name, yet she is treated by some people as if she's just burgled their house and taken a dump on their carpet or something.

As a Unionist, and a monarcist (with a small m) I sing God Save the Queen as happily as I do our English national anthems. So, nyah.

 

[Bullitt]

During the commonwealth games, "Land of Hope and Glory" was used and I personally feel it fits the bill perfectly.

Sadly however it is true these days that being English has been, by way of our old friend political correctness, is deemed both insensitive and insulting. That said however, an outsider looking in would probably laugh at us and our national pride when they consider the way the government treats us when we're not from London. I honestly believe these days that if I flew a St. Georges Cross the police would knock on my door and tell me to lower it.

"Englishness" s something people only get behind these days when sport is involved, but then it can be a facade. Using Tennis as an example, you never hear of an "English" player; Tim Henman was a "Brit" whereas Andy Murray is a "Scot". Or in Formula 1, Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton are "British" while David Coulthard is "Scottish" and Eddie Irvine was referred to as an "Ulsterman".

Then there's the problem of countries like America which don't know the difference between "British" and "English" (Can somebody please explain to me what a "British accent" is?)

Anyway, here's a song:

The English

The rottenest bits of these islands of ours
We've left in the hands of three unfriendly powers
Examine the Irishman, Welshman or Scot
You'll find he's a stinker as likely as not

The English the English the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest

The Scotsman is mean as we're all well aware
He's boney and blotchy and covered with hair
He eats salty porridge, he works all the day
And hasn't got bishops to show him the way

The English the English the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest

The Irishman now our contempt is beneath
He sleeps in his boots and he lies through his teeth
He blows up policemen or so I have heard
And blames it on Cromwell and William the Third

The English are moral the English are good
And clever and modest and misunderstood

The Welshman's dishonest, he cheats when he can
He's little and dark more like monkey than man
He works underground with a lamp on his hat
And sings far too loud, far too often and flat

The English the English the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest

And crossing the channel one cannot say much
For the French or the Spanish, the Danish or Dutch
The Germans are German, the Russians are red
And the Greeks and Italians eat garlic in bed

The English are noble, the English are nice
And worth any other at double the price

And all the world over each nation's the same
They've simply no notion of playing the game
They argue with umpires, they cheer when they've won
And they practice before hand which spoils all the fun

The English the English the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest

It's not that they're wicked or naturally bad
It's just that they're foreign that makes them so mad
The English are all that a nation should be
And the pride of the English are Chipper and me

The English the English the English are best
So up with the English and down with the rest[/b]

Oh, and as a Parliamentarian my I counter our beloved Prestwicks comment with "A POX ON THE KING/QUEEN"

I thank you.

 

[jonathanumpherville]

I don't see why the English fans don't get together and write their own national rugby anthem in a similar way the Irish did with "Ireland's Call".

 

[gilton15]

Ireland's call is drivel..Anthems are universal for each sporting occasion of that country

 

[jonathanumpherville]

Ireland's call is drivel..Anthems are universal for each sporting occasion of that country
[/b]

Then what should the Irish use? They can't very well use Amhrán na bhFiann as I am sure it would upset many people in The North and have been told by friends in Erin that this is the reason why Ireland's Call was written in the first place.

 

[gilton15]

No it's the right thing to do but it was a song written in a rush by Phil Coulter and it shows

 

[jonathanumpherville]

No it's the right thing to do but it was a song written in a rush by Phil Coulter and it shows
[/b]

Well I have got to agree with you there, it is a very simple and short tune. They should get Derek Warfield to write the official IRFU Anthem.

 

[gilton15]

haha yeah get some Wolfe Tone spirit into them

 

[SaintsFan_Schweinsteiger_Webby]

Land of Hope and Glory should be used. End of. It's stirring, it's thoroughly English and it's ours all ours. Patriotism has been made out to sit arm in arm with the policies of the BNP and like-minded thugs by the PC brigade, who really just need to be told where to get off.

 

[Harpy106]

I don't think singing God Save the Queen is either racist or arrogant. Remember that the anthem was only adopted gradually and more or less by accident. Its nothing about permitting people to do anything, it is the choice of the sporting body to decide what they sing and do not sing. There are absolutely no guidelines or even any precident to deicde what is and is not sung. Scotland could tomorrow decide to sing "Bananaphone" as their national anthem if they so wished and then Kylie Monogues "locomotion" the next day!

Remember that the ECB choose to play Jerusalem at cricket matches before the players come out and provide the words as well. At the Commonwealth games, Land of Hope and Glory is sung when England wins gold.
...

As a Unionist, and a monarcist (with a small m) I sing God Save the Queen as happily as I do our English national anthems. So, nyah.
[/b]

I wasn't in the least suggesting that God Save the Queen was racist; my point was that maybe others could perceive Rule Britannia or Land of Hope and Glory as racist, what with the Empire and all that (may it rest in peace).

Besides which, England doesn't have an official national anthem. God Save the Queen is the anthem of the UK, and I can't somehow see the Welsh, etc saying, "OK, we'll sing God Save the Queen, except when we play England".

I suppose my issue is that the Welsh are permitted to be Welsh, the Scots Scottish, and the Irish Irish, but the English have to be British. And one of the ways in which this is evidenced is when it comes to what the band plays/choir sings before national sporting events.

 

[Prestwick]

Well thats okay then, thanks for clearing that up

Well thats okay then, thanks for clearing that up

Oh, and as a Parliamentarian my I counter our beloved Prestwicks comment with "A POX ON THE KING/QUEEN"

I thank you. [/b]

Parliament has ceased to mean anything substantial as a democratic institution long ago. I support the crown (in a pragmatic way of course) because it represents stability, continuity, tradition, heritage and represents a cornerstone of this island's history.

An elected President is both alien to this nation and represents not one of those values I have just mentioned. An elected President just means yet another slimeball politician, yet another layer of breaucracy, yet another excuse to waste money on Presidential jets, new Presidential residences and so forth and yet another opporunity to wear down the people and increase political apathy by having them vote for a figurehead President with fewer powers than the Crown ever had. The republican idea is one thought up by the inner city elite and they use those who don't like Prince Charles or the Duke of Edinburgh as a back-door into getting what they want without actually explaining what the alternative will be like.

No sir, England never will work well as a republic.

 

[Bullitt]

Well thats okay then, thanks for clearing that up

Well thats okay then, thanks for clearing that up

Oh, and as a Parliamentarian my I counter our beloved Prestwicks comment with "A POX ON THE KING/QUEEN"

I thank you. [/b]

Parliament has ceased to mean anything substantial as a democratic institution long ago. I support the crown (in a pragmatic way of course) because it represents stability, continuity, tradition, heritage and represents a cornerstone of this island's history.

An elected President is both alien to this nation and represents not one of those values I have just mentioned. An elected President just means yet another slimeball politician, yet another layer of breaucracy, yet another excuse to waste money on Presidential jets, new Presidential residences and so forth and yet another opporunity to wear down the people and increase political apathy by having them vote for a figurehead President with fewer powers than the Crown ever had. The republican idea is one thought up by the inner city elite and they use those who don't like Prince Charles or the Duke of Edinburgh as a back-door into getting what they want without actually explaining what the alternative will be like.

No sir, England never will work well as a republic.
[/b]

Ah, but dear Prestwick, the whole point of the Parliamentarian movement and the New Model Army was to develop and give birth to true democracy. Which it did for about a fortnight until Cromwell gained too much power.

Good ol' 4 foot Charlie wasn't a Monarch as such, more like a dictator.

 

[cyRil]

there's a solution. Abolish the monarchy.
[/b]

Clear off.

 

[Prestwick]

Ah, but dear Prestwick, the whole point of the Parliamentarian movement and the New Model Army was to develop and give birth to true democracy. Which it did for about a fortnight until Cromwell gained too much power.

Good ol' 4 foot Charlie wasn't a Monarch as such, more like a dictator.
[/b]

Oooooh, so thats what you meant!

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotemain'>

Ah, but dear Prestwick, the whole point of the Parliamentarian movement and the New Model Army was to develop and give birth to true democracy. Which it did for about a fortnight until Cromwell gained too much power.

Good ol' 4 foot Charlie wasn't a Monarch as such, more like a dictator.
[/b]

Oooooh, so thats what you meant!
[/b][/quote]

What else did you think I meant?

Teh Mite
Col. to the C/O of London Brigade of the Army of Parliament
Sealed Knot

 

[DonBilly]

there's a solution. Abolish the monarchy.
[/b]

You'll need the right tools to achieve this.

 

[cyRil]

Death to the Aristos!!!

 

[gingergenius]

God Save The Queen is ****.

Number one, it involves the monarch; I hate the royal family.
Number two, it involves God, and I hate him too.
Number three, IT ISN'T ROUSING FFS. It's basically a prayer about the queen.

What are the great anthems? Hen Wlad gladys or whatever; marseillaise... Jerusalem would be among that list. It's rousing, England is mentioned by name and your spine tingles at the Clouds unfold bit.

I Vow To Thee My Country & Land Of Hope And Glory would be my next choices in that order.

But TBH I'd rather have f***ing Vindaloo than GSTQ