Page 7 | Why doesn't England have a National Anthem?

itwontletmechoose · 2024-07-14T18:59:08+00:00

It's frustrating to hear them sing the 'God Save the King' *British* national anthem. Why doesn't England have its own national anthem instead of singing one which covers all of the union (in theory)?

parkrun500club · 15/07/2024 11:56

Cinocino · 14/07/2024 20:38

@Livelovebehappy I think we should. It’s not fair for example to sing something tonight which encompasses England, Scotland, Wales, NI, when in fact it’s just the English team that got us there. It somehow feels the others have jumped on our coat-tails….

Lol.
Tell that to every Irish or Scottish athlete or actor who gets called British or English as soon as they are successful.

This is such a load of nonsense. I've seen Laura Muir described as Scottish on a regular basis, and she has been successful for years. In fact there is a large group of really good Scottish (track and field) athletes at the moment and they are routinely described as Scottish and British.

It might have been the case 20 years ago but it isn't now. Time to get with the times, it's like people constantly harping on about the Winter of Discontent which was back in the 1970s!

Chersfrozenface · 15/07/2024 11:49

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 11:34

Wasn’t that a serpent?

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It was.

Although there are linguistic links. 'Dragon' comes via French and Latin from the Greek 'drakon', meaning (a large serpent). One Old English term 'drake', as in 'firedrake' and nothing to do with male ducks, comes from the same root. Another Old English word 'wyrm' meant 'serpent' as well as 'dragon'.

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 11:46

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 11:34

Wasn’t that a serpent?

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Same thing

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 11:34

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 11:22

Except the garden of Eden apparently

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Wasn’t that a serpent?

bigvig · 15/07/2024 11:34

We absolutely need a new English anthem. Ideally get rid of God Save the King completely but at least let’s have something else for England. I cannot stand for an anthem which has the lyric ‘long to reign over us’. I’d basically be calling myself a ‘subject’ - which I refuse to be. I’d however love to sing ‘Jerusalem’.

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 11:22

carltonscroop · 15/07/2024 10:40

Everything is much improved by a dragon!

Except the garden of Eden apparently

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 11:21

SerendipityJane · 15/07/2024 10:26

Jerusalem is aspirational - it's about wanting to create a paradise on earth. With no bunny about how great the country is, but how great it could be.

And since ol' Chuck is a massive Parry fan (even made a BBC4 documentary on him) it's a natural choice.

Swop country for person - but actually Charles had a really deep connection with Kathleen Raine one of the leading authorities on Blake, his Eulogy to her was very touching.

This is a really good piece on Charles and Blake.

”Jerusalem” might not be suitable as a national anthem for a material world, but the words are perfect to summing up what people and therefore the world might become.

https://www.markvernon.com/awakening-in-a-caroline-age-king-charles-william-blake-kathleen-raine

YouveGotAFastCar · 15/07/2024 11:04

Pebbles16 · 14/07/2024 20:27

Yes it does and my Spanish friends are baffled

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The Marcha Real has no words. It has unofficial lyrics, usually piss-takey ones, but no official ones, and never has.

Your Spanish friends cannot be baffled by this.

Luddite26 · 15/07/2024 10:54

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 15/07/2024 07:07

I thought in Supertrouper ABBA were singing "when I called you last night from Tesco." I suppose it does make more sense if it was Glasgow.
I still think in a free vote ABBA would beat dreary tunes like Jersusalem and seeing as poor Mr Blake actually went to prision for sedition I don't think he would want his words used for an official national anthem. Whereas we could ask the ABBA folk. Or David Bowies family for permission.

Abba WTF they are Swedish - it would be like when Sven was England manager having an affair with Ulrika all over again.

ClevererThanMost · 15/07/2024 10:47

Rizzola95 · 15/07/2024 09:00

I'm sick of seeing ignorant statements like this left to stand, especially as it's being by used more and more to justify certain people's hateful xenophobia. It's all over the place.

"The English" did fuck all of the sort. It's utter ignorance, I mean it's natural to view history from your own country perspective and to not consider other peoples but don't fucking use your ignorance as a stick to beat others with, educate yourself.
"The English" will have been oppressed and abused by the same kings and laws. My ancestors will have had a terribly hard life. That doesn't make me a victim mind you, and it wouldn't excuse me picking out an arbitrary group of people to publicly denigrate.

See also criticism of "Westminster" to indicate anti English sentiment, conveniently overlooking that "the English" have no control, nor do we benefit from the privilege of those elites.

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You might want to look up the Welsh Not. An approach taken by English landowners in the 19th and 20th centuries to try and wipe out the Welsh language.

Or the more recent Barnett formula, a “temporary” invention of the 1970s to calculate the funding block for Wales which takes none of our unique circumstances into account.

carltonscroop · 15/07/2024 10:40

Everything is much improved by a dragon!

ErrolTheDragon · 15/07/2024 10:40

I think the Union Flag would be much improved by a dragon!

Everything is, isn't it?

Putting · 15/07/2024 10:37

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 10:16

Wales is not represented on the Union Flag, so why should I feel represented by it?

The cross of St David is yellow (on a black background). Shouldn’t be too difficult to incorporate if there was a will. Or just put the dragon right in the middle.

I think the Union Flag would be much improved by a dragon!

SerafinasGoose · 15/07/2024 10:27

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 10:02

I’d certainly go with this! I think Life of Brian should be part of the national curriculum. We should have “Monty Python Month” in schools I can’t think of anything more British than Monty Python. It’s equal to Shakespeare. In fact I’d add being able to recite the dead parrot sketch to the citizenship test.

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Further anthem suggestion: how about 'Brave Sir Robin ran away ...'

SerendipityJane · 15/07/2024 10:26

Jerusalem is aspirational - it's about wanting to create a paradise on earth. With no bunny about how great the country is, but how great it could be.

And since ol' Chuck is a massive Parry fan (even made a BBC4 documentary on him) it's a natural choice.

Needmorelego · 15/07/2024 10:20

@KimberleyClark dragons are hard to draw 🤣

Why doesn't England have a National Anthem?

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 10:16

Wales is not represented on the Union Flag, so why should I feel represented by it?

The cross of St David is yellow (on a black background). Shouldn’t be too difficult to incorporate if there was a will. Or just put the dragon right in the middle.

Devonbabs · 15/07/2024 10:02

TheHateIsNotGood · 14/07/2024 22:52

And I never knew....well, in that case I agree with @Putting and others that the English National Anthem should be "Always look on the bright side of Life" te-dum, tum-de-da-de-te-dum.

Rather like suggesting 'ave a cup o' tea and a snort of brandy, but then when you're pelted with accusations of mental and cultural intolerance just because you've got pale skin and are born in England, you may as well go along with at least the irony that comes with the 'culture'... apparently the English Flag is considered offensive and symbolic of 'racism'; all that 'colonialism' dontcha know, whilst conveniently forgetting the many other countries who did 'colonialism' and still do.

Crucifixation? - in that queue my ol' chum.

I’d certainly go with this! I think Life of Brian should be part of the national curriculum. We should have “Monty Python Month” in schools I can’t think of anything more British than Monty Python. It’s equal to Shakespeare. In fact I’d add being able to recite the dead parrot sketch to the citizenship test.

Regalia · 15/07/2024 09:58

molly1995 · 15/07/2024 09:52

It looks that way!!!! There is so much sectarianism on this thread headed towards people from NI.
there are also a lot of comments suggesting england IS the UK- nope it is part of it.
FWIW, To whoever said ROI don't want NI- don't worry, anyone sensible in NI doesn't want to be united with them 😂 being part of the Uk is the lesser of the evils

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That’s a more than slightly stupid comment. I don’t think there’s a correlation between ‘sense’ and a preference for a united Ireland, something no one thinks would be straightforward in any way.

molly1995 · 15/07/2024 09:52

BESTAUNTB · 14/07/2024 23:06

Would most English people prefer Scotland and Wales to be indie and NI to become part of the Rep Ireland ?

It looks that way!!!! There is so much sectarianism on this thread headed towards people from NI.
there are also a lot of comments suggesting england IS the UK- nope it is part of it.
FWIW, To whoever said ROI don't want NI- don't worry, anyone sensible in NI doesn't want to be united with them 😂 being part of the Uk is the lesser of the evils

Needmorelego · 15/07/2024 09:48

@YouveGotAFastCar yes....I let the Spanish off once I discovered there's no words 🤣

YouveGotAFastCar · 15/07/2024 09:46

Needmorelego · 14/07/2024 20:11

At least we were singing - unlike that Spanish lot 🤣
(does the Spanish anthem not have words?)

It doesn't have any words, no, so they'd struggle to sing to it...

The national anthem isn't a big deal in Spain anyway.

KimberleyClark · 15/07/2024 09:34

SerafinasGoose · 15/07/2024 09:16

The only England football team worth following are the Lionesses 😀

Italy does have an absolute belter of a national anthem, though. The UK/England need to get with the programme.

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I do love the Italian anthem. It’s almost like a potted opera. Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau is the best of all though.

SerafinasGoose · 15/07/2024 09:16

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 15/07/2024 06:54

The anthems could all do with a revival. Flower of Scotland is a bit pants too, Highland Cathedral and Caledonia are the real contenders.

And another voice saying we have no interest in riding on the coat tails of the English national football team. I mean, please,

The only England football team worth following are the Lionesses 😀

Italy does have an absolute belter of a national anthem, though. The UK/England need to get with the programme.

SerafinasGoose · 15/07/2024 09:10

Gcsunnyside23 · 14/07/2024 23:18

You stole sweet Caroline from the northern Ireland fans. They were furious yous have tried to claim it as your anthem as they have made it iconic for years

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There's a major elephant in the room here.

That song is unadulterated shit.