National Anthem - anyone know the words???

[cherry]

This may be hard to believe for some of you, but I have no clue to the words of the National Anthem. I have been asked by dd's nursery teacher to help her learn the first verse by Friday, so if anyone can help me out here that'd be great!

[SimonHoward]

God Save the Queen


God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and Glorious,

Long to reign over us;

God save the Queen!



O Lord our God arise,

Scatter her enemies

And make them fall;

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On Thee our hopes we fix,

Oh, save us all!



Thy choicest gifts in store

On her be pleased to pour;

Long may she reign;

May she defend our laws,

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice,

God save the Queen!


First Performance: 1745
Adopted: Early 1800's

[SimonHoward]

I found it here www.copcity.com/anthems/anthems.html

[Tinker]

Is anyone else having a problem with their child being interested in the Jubilee? I know they are only kids and they'll work out for themselves what they think when they are older but...

My daughter thinks it's good to have a queen because they're pretty. At least she'll work that out fairly soon.

[cherry]

SimonHoward... Thankyou!
Tinker... I don't have a problem as such, but I don't see why they are making it such an issue at dd's school, especially nursery which she attends. They are learning songs, EVERYTHING they do is red/white/blue, they're having another expensive party on Friday which they have to wear red/white/blue for so dd needs a new outfit for ONE day.....I could go on but I'm sure you get my meaning!
I think the problem is the celebration of it being forced upon everyone, plus the school not realising that not all kids may have red/white/blue clothes thus causing more expense to the parents.
I pity those with 4 and 5 children at the school!

[sml]

In 1977, our primary school teacher was shocked that nobody knew the words to the national anthem (this was 9 and 10 year olds!) so she proceeded to teach us the anthem plus a selection of other patriotic songs, aka Victorian imperialistic propaganda.
Anyone else know the words of Rule Britannia, Heart of Oak, The British Grenadiers and Land of Hope and Glory? thought not!

I don't mind the concept of having a national anthem, but I wish we had a more stirring tune, and it's hard to think of any words which don't sound naff or aggressive.

[sml]

Tinker, my children haven't noticed the Jubilee, but as they've got a foot in another country, I hope they won't grow up thinking that a monarchy is normal.

[Tinker]

cherry - I think that's my point, really. It is forced interest. And, yes, she needs to wear red, white and blue for a party so I'll have to buy something for that!

sml - agree, don't want her to grow up thinking a monarchy is the norm. Told her what the French did to their monarchy - which may be a bit harsh

[Lindy]

What do you all think about celebrating the Jubilee in general?

My DH & I are organising our village street party & I must admit I am looking forward to it - I wouldn't say I am a staunch royalist, but I like the feeling that a lot of people in the country are celebrating the same event. I feel that a sense of community is vital in today's busy, over stressed lives & our village has really got into the party with lots of people doing different things - it is especially important to me that our DS (an only child - & our families are miles away) grows up knowing his neighbours and generally just 'being involved' - I know we are very lucky already in that we live in a small village, in a rural community.

I guess a lot of others must feel the same way as I went to buy my bunting & flags today ( !! ) only to find they'd all sold out!

[Rhubarb]

Sorry, I'm a republican! Loved the Sex Pistols but now they've sold out, damn them!

[cherry]

Thing is, are all these Union Jacks etc in people's windows REALLY for the Jubilee?
Or are they actually for the World Cup which starts the same weekend???
No offence to those of you celebrating, but it seems like everything else; another excuse to make more money.

[jodee]

Cherry, the Union Jacks are for the Jubilee, I think. I don't know where you live (I'm in SE England) but it seems that every car has an England flag on it and people are walking around in shirts with the flag of st george on, which is definitely for the World Cup.

[cherry]

I'm North East Jodee. The people I know with either flag on display are doing it for the world cup, not the Jubilee, but maybe thats just my strange friends!
Whatever they're for, its all still a con in my eyes. I mean, have you seen all the memorabilia on sale? I think its ridiculous, but as I have said, no offense to any of you celebrating.

[jenny2998]

I'm intrigued (sp?) that everyone is so anti-monarchy. Don't get me wrong, I think the sooner we get rid, the better...I just thought I was in the minority

[cherry]

I wouldn't really say I'm anti-monarchy. I just think its a p* take. I have no interest any other time, the Jubilee makes no difference to me!!!

[Xanthe]

I can't understand what you're all complaining about. Aside from whether or not you support the Royal Family, surely the idea of people coming together for street parties and engendering a bit of community spirit is a positive thing and should be encouraged.

Also does it really cost so much to kit your children out for a Jubilee party. My son wore a red tee shirt, blue jogging bottoms and white socks to his Beaver party yesterday at no expense to me whatsoever. Much cheaper than his outfit for last year's halloween party for example.

It seems that just because it's the Jubilee, people are determined to be negative. I for one think the Queen does a fantastic job and I'd far rather have her than the American or French presidents. I will admit that the words and tune of the National Anthem are awful and need updating, but I see nothing wrong with a bit of flag waving. We should be proud of our Union Jack and proud to be British. Other countries can be patriotic so why shouldn't we? Rant over and I hope you all have an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend.

[Croppy]

Hear hear Xanthe!. Has anyone else watched Wiliam Shawcross's programme on the Queen?. I was particularly impressed by the way Prime Ministers of all persuasions spoke of her. They really seemed to value her input, independence and guidance. Give me her as a Head of State rather than some self serving grasping politician any day.

[sml]

Croppy,
I agree with you that the Queen deserves a long service medal for doing such a ghastly job day in day out for fifty years, hardly ever making any mistakes, and she probably never even wanted it in the first place.
But let's not forget what she represents. She's the figurehead of the self serving, grasping ruling classes that really hold the power in Britain today. And the difference between them and a political head of state, is that political heads of state come and go, whereas we've been stuck with this bunch since 1066.
I can see how it's tempting to take the view that you expressed, but in reality, loads of other countries have temporary heads of state, and they manage just fine. In Algeria (sorry to dangle this particular red rag!), there is a rule that anyone who accepts the job of Prime Minister (head of state) automatically rules themselves out of being President. So the headship of state is not just a step to higher things.

[Art]

England seems to rather lack a sense of community and identity and I'm sure most people will be celebrating because its an excuse for a big party when everyone can get together, not because they want to celebrate the Queen's reign.
Having lived abroad in a country where fiestas, carnival processions, fireworks, parades and street parties occur every month - England seems very staid(sp?) and boring.

I wonder how many people complaining about the monarchy will choose not to take the long weekend and will be going in to work Monday and Tuesday because they don't agree with the celebrations? Not many I bet!

[Tinker]

Well, we would have Monday off anyway.

I don't think it's a question of not being patriotic - look at the World Cup thread - it's the infantile obsequiousness to a particularly wealthy family that is horrible to watch.

I've no doubt the Queen has worked very hard and has served her country well but that does not mean that I should agree with the principle.

[Lindy]

I don't understand the comments about why the Jubilee celebrations cost a lot of money - I spent £1.49 on some flags - big deal. Fancy dress is just whatever we've got at home - the tea party is bring & share, what we'd be eating at home, we are running our own bar with any 'profit' going to charity - compared to an expensive day out at a theme park which is what a lot of families do on Bank Hols I think a street party is great value for money.

It seems a bit like people who say Christmas is 'commercialised' & then spend loads of money on presents etc (some of you may remember my rant about this, & birthdays, earlier this year!).

No one has to buy those hideous souvenir coins etc (who does by the way - they are always being advertised?)

[helenmc]

my kids have thoroughly enjoyed their red-white-blue dress today (and what started as an easy st.George's day t-shirt plain white with red cross soon had to have blue bits added to make it into a union jack), and the school have got specila mugs for them - Yes I'm still proud to have a silver jubliee coin i got from my parent sand the mug I got from school. I think the Queen does a fantastic job - but god helps when Charlie becomes king!!! That's when I'm becoming republican.

[Zoe]

Can I point out that we do not ALL get Monday and Tuesday off - those of us who work in health, emergency services etc etc will all be working... four day Bank Holidays can be a nightmare in emergency care.

Anyway, sour grapes aside I must admit to having gained a sneaky admiration for the Queen over the last few years. I did meet her (clunk) when she visited the hospital I wotk at and I was amazed at her energy and joie de vivre. I have watched the Queen and Country series and been really really interested in that as well.

It has made me think that there is a value to monarchy even if it is an accident of birth, and I'm glad it wasn't my accident!! It's the clingers-on I can't be doing with - the Princess Michaels of Kent and the Edward and Sophies...mind you there's scandal if they try to earn money so they're damned if they do and damned if they don't really.

My Mum teaches four and five year olds and she said they had a wonderful Jubilee party yesterday and watched the video of the Coronation, sang Old Time Music Hall stuff and released Jubilee balloons. I hope that they remember that with pleasure as they are older, I know I remember the silver Jubilee with happiness.

I often wonder whether if we took more pride in being British the country might be a better place to live in (I do NOT mean that in a BNF kind of way!)

Have a fun weekend whatever you all do!

[ScummyMummy]

Yuk, yuk, yuk and yuk again- have you not heard that the finale of the Buck House garden party is to feature all the Royals and Paul McCartney in an all-singing, all-dancing, all-cringing rendition of "All You Need Is Love"?!

Surely even the most ardent royalist cannot defend this sort of behaviour?

I call on all Mumsnetters to join the revolution now!

[Croppy]

OOOh yes I think we should all have a revolution and then maybe we can have a more equitable, socially responsible and just society like say Sweden or Norway rather than a polarised society lacking a welfare state like say the USA. Ooops - the former seem to be monarchies and the latter a republic... A look around the world today demonstrates that a republic does not necessarily mean a more democratic and equal society than a monarchy.

Personally I see Mr Blair as more representative of the ruling classes in Britain than the Queen.