To think England has one of the worst National anthems in the world?

[1066vegan]

I was reading the thread about the neighbours who want to follow the much loved/greatly dreaded Thursday clap with a neighbourhood singalong.

The Welsh and Russian national anthems were both mentioned and it got me thinking. I really love the Welsh and French national anthems (I live in 1066 country now but was born in Wales to Welsh parents so when it come to rugby or national anthems I'll always assert my right to call myself Welsh 😊), the Russian anthem is pretty rousing and the South African anthem is also great.

But dear God, the English national anthem is terrible. The words are about sucking up to royalty rather than love for the country. The origin of the lyrics and the usually omitted verse about the Scots make them even worse. The tune is a complete dirge.

Surely not many countries can have a national anthem that's even worse than God Save the Queen.

Hmm GSTQ isn't great, agreed, but ours is about 5000x worse, so YABU

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yHbg22_DzNE

I didn't know there was an English national anthem- what is it?

@occa that is a pretty bad anthem

It depends on if GSTQ is sung with spirit and pride. I'm proud to sing it. And let's face it, we'd never get the whole country to agree on a song as our national anthem!
Although I love Jerusalem, it'd be a bit weird having that as the English national anthem

la Marseilles is fab, I reckon

@YangShanPo I know, right? It's terrible!!!

I cringe with embarrassment every time I hear it.

Sorry, @Nolie100 - I’m in a dark place today, and I am missing almost every humorous post. I will try to do better tomorrow.

@occa yours is really...er...special?

Surely it depends on whether God saving the Queen is a sentiment that inspires pride in you? Or, alternatively, hideous embarrassment that you’re chanting about your subject status in relation to an anachronistic, expensive symbol of privilege?

I don’t particularly want the Queen to be saved. I’d like the monarchy to be abolished actually. Land of Hope and Glory would be a much better anthem because it’s about the country not just one person.

God Save the Queen sounds quite good when done properly with a large choir/full stadium (who actually know the words) and all three verses. With only the first one (as is commonly sung) it stops before you really have a chance to get going as it's only a minute long. Two to three minutes is the ideal length, long enough to get people into it, short enough so that you don't fall asleep (the Argentine one goes on for ages).

Jerusalem should be used so that the English can have a separate national anthem and God Save the Queen kept as a British anthem.

Land of Hope and Glory would be a hopeless national anthem. You have loads of instrumental music, one verse, then even more instrumental music. Another example of where the Argentine one goes wrong, half of it is instrumental.

I do like I Vow to Thee, My Country but a song which was written as a sombre hymn to mourn those who died in the Great War is not an ideal rousing national anthem.

I am always bemused at people decrying British songs as racist, jingoist etc. when compared with tunes such as La Marseillaise which encourage people to take up arms and slaughter women & children.

I vote for the Hokey Cokey.
We could all do the movements too

GSTQ really isn't that bad. Usually it's only one verse and it's over very quickly. Some anthems go on far too long.

The Welsh anthem is by far the best of the home nations. I think Flower of Scotland is awful. Someone above mentioned Highland Cathedral which is much nicer.

I wish GSTQ was just a royal anthem ie sung when one of the royals was there in person. Then it wouldn't seem quite so awful.

Land of Hope and Glory or I vow to thee my country would make a good English anthems. I'm not so keen on Jerusalem but the tune is good so I do understand why others like it.

There are some nice songs about England. My favourite is England Green and England Grey by Reg Meuross. I quite like the words. Ralph McTell did one which I think is just called England.

God save the Queen is absolute muck, one of the worst anthems out there. The Welsh anthem is good though.

Personally I like the Irish anthem a lot but our rugby song is painful. If Ireland and the North ever reunite the current Irish anthem will have to go...God help us if we get stuck with that Ireland's Call bollox.

The old Soviet anthem is still one of the best I've ever heard.

anarchy in the uk might be a better option for the UK national anthem right now. However I like the second official national anthem of NZ more, both the English and Maori versions, I'd be prepared to sing either of those as appropriate.

Is that you Jeremy...

I haven't read the whole thread but I love our anthem! But I also love France's and irelands! how have we drawn a short straw? I think it's great that people are proud of their country's anthems!

I read somewhere that the UK national anthem is the only one in the works that’s about one person, not the country or the whole people or an inanimate symbol of the country (such as the American one which is about the flag). Other countries think it’s very strange that the national anthem is about one person only.

The Scottish (unofficial) nation anthem, Flower of Scotland is conversely superb

You are joking? It's utterly dire. And a dirge.And cringe inducing. "Your wee bit hill and glen" -ugh.

Italian National anthem is the best!

I really like the German national anthem.

The original Haydn string quartet it came from is beautiful too.

Land of Hope and Glory - good tune, horrible jingoistic words*
I Vow to Thee My Country - good tune, awful cheesetastic words
Rule Britannia - good tune, horrible jingoistic words
Jerusalem - good tune, poetic but insane words

I Vow to Thee My Country is my favourite. So far as the problematic words I think Germany re-wrote the words of theirs but kept the tune.

Vote for the Russian one. Totally matches the country too.

I was surprised to find Land of Hope and Glory played at an American graduation. Is that a thing?

GSTQ is ok for one verse.

Does anyone else think if they say they're proud to be British, everyone thinks you're a Tommy Robinson supporter?! So silly I know

MinnieJackson It’s just not very British to be “proud” though. Comes before a fall.
We don’t need to say it do we ( looking with pity at countries that needs a national flag in every building),

God Save the Queen was Australia's anthem as well until 1984 and I can remember being made to sing it at school assemblies as a kid in the Northern Territory. We also got made to sing songs about dying stockmen. Weird times.

Advance Australia Fair is an improvement but istill crap. Australian's all let us rejoice ..... blah blah... our home is girt by sea.

I want We Come From A Land Down Under so we can all get our lighters out when we beat England at all the various sporting events