to be embarrassed about our national anthem?

[TrinityMotherOfRhinos]

its a hideous depressing sounding dirge

not meaning to offend anyone but genuinely interested in how others feel

I have never heard the British national anthem (despite being 23 and living here 22 years) anyway I googled and yes it is quite dull.
I think we need something a bit more upbeat to keep up with the times.

phew, I really thought after the first post that I was about to get flamed to my bones

I dont think finding the song depressing sounding and not doing what I feel it should do is being unpatriotic

I just would love it to be somehting rousing and cheerful, hopeful or something

and no I dont mean flower of scotland, sorry I should have been clearer in my op
I'm english and I meant the british national anthem

rugby players are a whole different breed of sportmen though aren't they
I mean you dont find a rugby player complaining about only getting 20 grand a week and fucking off to another club because of it

can you tell I dont like football and the gratuious amount of money they are paid for falling over and pretending to be hurt

cant wait for the rugby

It is a depressing tune. Some of the words are out of date

And at the parochial level: we have swapped gales for rain.

Posted this on the MN Rugby thread last night, but just in case you didn't see it, <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=3.bp.blogspot.com/_sjyGSmH2ASs/SXhY5TTjLFI/AAAAAAAABcA/KuddsPKA_gE/s400/DGi-1.jpg&imgrefurl=fabfrocks.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-stud-muffin.html&usg=__lL3rz2KHiJPFCoWcKSJUtWByuDM=&h=267&w=400&sz=29&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=VADOoJVta7lldM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=170&ei=8HFMTe_9CcmAhQfWwfS4Dg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ditaly%2Brugby%2Bteam%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4SNYK_enGB337GB337%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D576%26tbs%3Disch:1%26prmd%3Divnsu&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=537&vpy=250&dur=1840&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=186&ty=78&oei=8HFMTe_9CcmAhQfWwfS4Dg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">just for you, Trinity

Oh Trinity I agree. I'm thinking that sportspeople should only be paid relative to how well they sing their anthem. Would really sort out those problems

ooh kangaroo, yum yum

I have a penchant for johnny wilkinson

lol bronze

Yes, it's shit and embarrassing. National pride all about our love for the monarchy? Hardly relevant these days.

It shouldn't be jerusalem though. Would be weird to have an anthem by that name

How could we possibly have Jerusalem as our national anthem? It would be like Germany having a song called "London".

Jerusalem does not work as a National Anthem because it's got religious connections.

Land of Hope and Glory would be great, but I like God save the Queen.

Well w'd rename it 'National Anthem' I guess.

It's not great, but have to at the un pc nature of the Marseillaise. Jerusalem isn't about the place though, but the religious idea, and am a big fan of Blake.

God save the queen also has religious connetations.

oh yeah, so it does!

Blake didn't support the Church or the monarchy, he believed in the power of the divine and the power of nature...I like it.

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon England?s mountains green:

And was the holy Lamb of God

On England?s pleasant pastures seen!

And did the countenance divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold:

Bring me my Arrows of desire:

Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In England?s green & pleasant Land.

Jerusalem is also a bit of a dirge - have to say - I'm in the WI and it grates after a while.

Builded.

I know, poetic license, non-Standardised English etc, but I can't sing something which contains the word 'builded'.

Blake used a lot of archaic language evoking a idyllic pastoral before industrialisation but am not sure about 'builded'!

builded is indeed an old past participle - comes from the same rule as dreamt/dreamed and spelt/spelled

"rugby players are a whole different breed of sportmen though aren't they
I mean you dont find a rugby player complaining about only getting 20 grand a week and fucking off to another club because of it

can you tell I dont like football and the gratuious amount of money they are paid for falling over and pretending to be hurt"

So the mass exodus of rugby players to France is based on what then?oh yeah ££££

ok so I know fuck all about both sports really

haha fair enough