Is the chosen English rugby anthem appropriate do you think?

[NothingWrong]

To me, it's an emotional song, about God really (coming for to carry me home). England has reduced it to bringing home a prize. Apart from cultural appropriation, is it appropriate for England to use a sort of Gospel song sung by black slaves as their rugby anthem?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_Low,_Sweet_Chariot

Here's a link to its origins btw.

Personally I think it's arrogant of them to use this song in the way they do. I'm not looking for a fight! Rugby fans are generally respectful, so I'm just wondering A whether English fans know the origins of the song and B whether anyone else feels it's a little 'off'?

@Moonmelodies I picture the chariot as a kind of fancy embellished stretcher - the people carrying it would have to swing it low to the ground so you could get on...

Not actually a chariot then?

Not actually a chariot. Just realised when I hear chariot what I picture is a litter!

OP, YANBU.

The level of aggression and arrogance directed towards you for asking a very sensible thought-provoking question is precisely why I, as an English person, support anyone but England in rugby and football.

@NothingWrong the rough translation of the Welsh national anthem for you...

This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom

Chorus:
Land! Land! I am true to my land!
As long as the sea serves as a wall for this pure, dear land
May the language endure for ever.

Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets,
Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards;
Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be
Her streams and rivers to me.

Chorus

Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot,
The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat,
The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand
Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land.

Chorus

No crushing of rebellious folk...more about survival and respect for our heritage/culture.

I agree that it's an incongruous English rugby anthem. Have only skimmed the most recent part of the thread, but the chariot in question is from the Old Testament (Kings?), when Elisha saw the prophet Elijah being taken up to heaven on his death on a chariot that presumably 'swung' down from the sky to earth to collect him.

Lots of black American slave songs imagine death as a blessed release, or maybe use death as a code for release/escape from slavery.

This is a 17thc Russian icon showing an imagining of it:

And I agree, @AnnaFiveTowns, that there's something interesting and unpleasant about the level of aggression being directed at the OP.

It's almost as if Brexit has reignited reserves of latent anti-Irish feeling.

Are you the op who would not let her dc go to a pirate themed party?

There would be no swinging. It would swing no more than a taxi or bus would, if that was taking you home (to die).

The chariot is swinging down from heaven (as it's being sent by God to fetch you) and presumably scoops you up at the lowest point in its trajectory before carrying you back up to heaven. I guess it needs to be low to ensure it scoops you up rather than whooshing over your head as it passes.

Just seen the original post re swinging. I imagine the chariot as a swing where the seat = chariot and it's suspended from heaven.

Sooo - can one only sing songs written by folk of the same ethnicity as oneself?

Seriously, Swing Low has been a Rugby drinking song for eons.

Lol, and now Brexit! Catch yourself on.

koff

Every thing about English rugby is ‘off’ 😂 c’mon Ireland ☘️

Just as long as they don’t replace it with the abomination that is the Parry melodied Jerusalem. Now that is a travesty of (Mis)appropriation!

Something like The White Cliffs of Dover might work? Although the lyrics aren't precisely what one would look for in a rousing battle/sporting song. But there must be something out there, or they could easily get one of England's many brilliant artists to write new lyrics. I suppose it would have to be catchy too. A bit like the brief Phil Coulter had in trying to write something that people would sing.
I don't know many English folk type songs.
The Liverpool anthem is quite a good one.

I'm just surprised really how it came about. Since it's not remotely relevant to sport, even leaving aside the fact that it's not really appropriate.

Every thing about English rugby is ‘off’ 😂 c’mon Ireland ☘️

YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAWWWWW

Be an interesting game in two weeks. Hopefully we can pull it outta the bag!!!

So, on the one hand, turning a song by a former slave, about his longing for death (or release from slavery) into a drinking song and then a rugby song seems a bit inappropriate. Similarly, that it first became associated with the English team when some youths started singing it at the first black player to play for england in decades is also a bit of an eyebrow raiser.

On the other hand, England fans cerenading their team by begging for death's sweet release is pretty funny.

Miles - don't be naughty though it is quite amusing

- can one only sing songs written by folk of the same ethnicity as oneself?

Depends on the song, surely! And the lyrics...
I’d happily rap along to a Dr Dre track but always miss out the ‘N’ word!

How terribly pc of you.

Hold on .. so as an Irish person, you find our English rugby anthem offensive ?
Do you often get offended by things on the behalf of others ?

How about this as an English national anthem

The bigger issue for me, as I have zero interest in rugby so they can sing what they like as it doesn't affect me, is the fact that the UK national anthem is used for English teams and that needs to be sorted out, but never is.

I like the fact that Jerusalem is used for England at the Commonwealth Games.

Hold on .. so as an Irish person, you find our English rugby anthem offensive ?

No, I stated that I find it inappropriate at best and ridiculous at worst.