National Anthem

[flapslack]

Just had an odd conversation with my 12 year old DS who asked me what our National Anthem is. Didn’t even know the tune.

Obviously I could have taught him but really I am just wondering if this is something not taught at school any more?

Sadly not sit your boy down and belt it out.
And if anyone refers to GSTQ as a dirge I'll visit plagues upon your house.

I wasn’t taught the National Anthem at school. Thankfully.

I learned it at Brownies. Im pretty sure I knew the tune before though. I only sang it at school prizegiving, so twice in 14 yrs of school.

Has he never watched a single international sporting event? Or last night of the proms?

I'm in my 30s and I didn't learn it at school, why would I? My parents taught me it in the context of supporting the national teams.

I'm with @RasberryRoyale.

If you give any shits about your kid knowing the national anthem, you should teach them it yourself. Otherwise let schools get on with teaching all the millions of other things they need to get through.

DD1 learnt it at school choir, but they sang at events like Remembrance Sunday.
DD2 is familiar with it for a similar reason- parades etc

They also heard it at the cinema... It had an old fashioned quirk of playing it before a film, with audience expected to stand during it. Flummoxed me the first time I witnessed it!

Happily GSTQ isn't my national anthem.

Can't remember if I actually learned my own at school, I suspect I probably did.

Has he never an international sporting event with England playing?

Well I thought it was Land of Hope and Glory but Google says it's God Save The Queen

I'm super embarrassed. Which is it?

*never seen

But Buster72 it is a dirge, and the words are warmongering, religious balderdash. My teens have left school but neither of them know it at all and never been called upon to sing it. If they did, they'd probably sing Flower of Scotland, another miserable dirge with depressing lyrics.

It's all pretty pointless in my opinion.

Yes, he has seen sporting events on TV, good point.
Maybe he’s not twigged!

Only time we ever sing it at my infant school is when the Y2 classes doing a Victorian classroom experience, as it was part of the school day back then. Very very few know the words, mainly the odd ones who have been to big sporting fixtures. Most know of it though, again through sporting m=fixtures on TV or from the Olympics.

DD's primary used to sing it as the annual speech day so 17y DD does know the first verse and chorus. I think that's as such as I know - can't remember singing it at school but remember it from Brownies.

GiveHerHellFromUs - it is God Save The Queen. Land of Hope and Glory is a patriotic song

A of Mnetters probably would prefer that it was Ode To Joy the EU anthem.

I’m late 40’s - we sang it at all school assemblies, not sure how often they were, I’d gave said daily but that doesn’t seem practical but definitely several times a week. Same school now doesn’t. I think it’s a shame - it’s part of our heritage & culture and adults not knowing it - at sports events etc just looks pathetic

I also learnt the Lords prayer & a few hymns I’m not at all religious, but they’ve been useful in social situations over the years & did me no harm.

They should all be sung/said, as they used to be. It’s not taking away from teaching time & it helps with collective culture

I’m early 40’s and was taught the National Anthem at Brownies.

Thanks @Aragog. A PP was insistent it wasn't that so thought I'd check.

In that case yes I know all the words (even the second verse!) and think everyone should.

If you care, teach it to him yourself.

I remember learning it at brownies as a child. I imagine many people pick it up from sporting events.

It used of be played at cinemas. It was never sung at our school. I learned it properly with the junior Red Cross.

I can't I imagine it's taught in schools tbh. I don't remember learning it at school in the 80s and like PP I learned it at Brownies.

DS knows it from F1.

I sing it loud and proud at every rugby game.
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau.
Learnt at school/ home. Sang it a lot at school.

@Buster72 can you please confirm what you thought the national anthem was?

I didn't want to state this without checking first so just googled and wikipedia confirmed.
England don't actually have a national anthem, although the anthem for the uk is used for England during sporting events.

Apparently in 2016 some MPs said they wanted England to have their own anthem but as yet, nothing has been done I don't think!

I can remember when it used to be played at cinemas and at the end of the evening's viewing on TV although I think it was just on the BBC channels. I'm afraid I'm another one who thinks God Save the Queen is a dirge and would much prefer Land of Hope and Glory. I love the French and Welsh national anthems, they are beautiful and moving.

I wasn't taught it at school.

I picked it up after watching sporting events and even then I don't know all the words.