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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To teach DS the words to 'the red flag'?

43 replies

wahwahwah · 13/12/2011 16:07

I can't stand 'o Christmas tree' and don't know the French words to the same tune but have always found the words to the red flag quite rousing.

DH says I am terrible for doing this.

OP posts:
lottiegb · 13/12/2011 16:07

It's cultural heritage and quite interesting!

Original poster
wahwahwah · 13/12/2011 16:10

Quite rousing. A bit like la marseillaise. Noodd one God save the queen. What a surge!

OP posts:
Mandy2003 · 13/12/2011 16:34

YANBU. I used to live in a flat where the landlady lived on the ground floor. She had a musical door bell on the main door of the house with about 20 different tunes to choose from. I always used to sneak down and set it to The Red Flag Xmas Grin

Original poster
wahwahwah · 13/12/2011 16:39

Dirge dirge - predictive bloody text never predict what I am actually trying to say...

OP posts:
randommoment · 13/12/2011 17:01

Teach her 'Jerusalem' as well to cover all bases.

Original poster
wahwahwah · 13/12/2011 17:03

Ooh noh, Scotland the Brave.

OP posts:
LineRunnerCrouchingReindeer · 13/12/2011 17:04

The Labour Party were still singing this at the end of Party Conference in Kinnock's time. Ah, the blood of the martyred dead, sing-a-long-a-Lord Prescott and the Kinnockian Euro Gravey Train. Smile

LineRunnerCrouchingReindeer · 13/12/2011 17:05

I do know how to spell gravy. Promise.

Original poster
wahwahwah · 13/12/2011 17:06

Before things only got better. Bleurgh.

OP posts:
DeWe · 13/12/2011 18:36

My df used to sing:
"The working class may kiss my ass
I've got the foreman's job at last". Grin

It's "Oh Tannembaum" (sp?) in German. I'm sure you could find the words on line.

whatdoiknowanyway · 14/12/2011 08:42

Was in a googling mood....

Deutsch
Tannenbaum
TEXT: Ernst Anschütz, 1824
MELODIE: Volksweise (traditional)

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur
zur Sommerzeit,
Nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich
was lehren:
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
Gibt Trost und Kraft
zu jeder Zeit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Das soll dein Kleid
mich lehren.

RillaBlythe · 14/12/2011 08:46

I was taught it as a child. It makes me a bit teary! Won't teach it to my 3 yr old for a while though. 'mummy , what's shrouded mean?'

flamingoFeet · 14/12/2011 08:49

yanbu. It is one of these songs where you cannot help but sing the Red Flag.

PieCherry · 14/12/2011 09:13

Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

How can anyone not LOVE it for those lines alone!!

Go for it:)

shelscrape · 14/12/2011 09:25

YANBU. The Red Flag is a great song, the words may seem a bit odd for a child, but it reflects an important part of our more recent political history, and it is very rousing to sing! My dad taught me and my brother the words to the first verse and chorus when we were still at primary school and had us jumping about the garden singing loudly ... I later found out when I was older that the chairman of the local conservative party lived behind us....

HellonHeels · 14/12/2011 12:50

Please could someone post the lyrics (CBA googling) and I'll learn them.

flamingoFeet · 14/12/2011 13:14

The Red Flag lyrics

SenseofEntitlement · 14/12/2011 13:18

Go for it Grin
I want to teach it to my two actually, good to know someone else feels the same :)

SenseofEntitlement · 14/12/2011 13:25

On this subject, what are other good political/historical songs for children?

We know which is excellent, but not exactly a traditional song, and is on the same lines, but I want something a bit more...proper.

Songs particularly suitable for a four year old called Marianne and a two year old called Emmeline would be particulary good... Grin

alana39 · 14/12/2011 13:32

YANBU at all. It was supposed to be sung to this tune though

Original poster
wahwahwah · 14/12/2011 13:59

Shall we all have a singalong. Say 3.30?

OP posts:
HellonHeels · 14/12/2011 14:43

Those words actually make me feel a bit teary eyed.

Thanks flamingoFeet

AberdeenAngusina · 14/12/2011 14:55

SenseofEntitlement - I can't do links, but look for March of the Women by Ethel Smyth on Youtube.

I taught my kids A Man's A Man (Burns) quite young. I played it on the car CD till they knew it!
it's coming yet for a' that; that man to man the world o'er; shal brithers be for a' that

PeppermintPasty · 14/12/2011 14:57

I taught my DS The Internationale, well the first verse. THE best call to arms song, as it were. I think he will have forgotten it now. Mind you I do trolley around the house singing "Now Comrades come rally, and the last fight let us faaaaace, the INTERNATIONALE unites the human raaaaaace" at full pelt quite a lot. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Internationale

I have turned into my Father, who used to belt out "Onward Christian Soh-oh-oh-oldiers marching as to war...etc" when we went out anywhere as he knew it embarrassed us. Not remotely Christian...and he'd then collapse in fits of giggles at our discomfort.

He was great.

hoipolloi84 · 14/12/2011 15:07

I'd go with 'Land of Hope and Glory' instead.

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