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.

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

Try the Australian national anthem on for size. It's fucking awful.

At least "God Save the Queen" is over quickly and you can belt it out.

None of this can be said about "Advance Australia Fair" full of language that was anachronistic when it was written and dirge-like .

Amusingly the other three verses are all about the way Australia is good because it's er...British.:o

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.

There were seven verses in my school hymn book!

Jerusalem’s lyrics (the first bit anyway):

A series of questions to which the answer is “no”.

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

I say it occasionally to annoy Scottish separatists- especially my husband's idiotic brother.

The Italian national anthem is like a sort of potted opera. I love it.

That's a fabulous description :D

Jerusalem’s lyrics (the first bit anyway):

A series of questions to which the answer is “no"

And goodness knows what arrows of desire are or what role they play in the building industry.

I really like the French & Italian national anthems - no idea what the words are, but they "sound" cheerful.

French anthem cheerful ? Do you know the words?

Arise, children of the Fatherland
Our day of glory has arrived
Against us the bloody flag of tyranny
is raised; the bloody flag is raised.
Do you hear, in the countryside
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They’re coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!

To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions
Let’s march, let’s march
That their impure blood
Should water our fields.

What is sweet chariot? There was a similar discussion on here a while back, people saying something along the lines of they didn't like the anthem that England sings at matches. I said that I actually quite liked it (despite it having a verse about crushing us rebellious Scots! - and yes before anyone chimes in, I'm aware that line isn't really included anymore, but even if it was, so what, it's just a song..) and I was met with some rude cow telling me in a rather haughty manner that God Save the Queen was not sung at England rugby matches. Despite every match I've been at where we've played England (and every English match I've seen on TV) God Save the Queen has been sung....

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 Dutch anthem is even more strange. It honours the king of Spain and there are lots of verses if they sing it all. It is called 'The William'.

Agree, it’s awful. It’s the British national anthem I suppose but in N.ire for sports etc Danny Boy or Fields of Anthenry are the ‘unofficial’ ones as not surprising not every one wants to be sing god save the Queen.
I like the Irish rugby one too- the one that was written for the team As it’s made up of players from ‘two’ countries with two different national anthems.
Maybe e English should do that - have their own anthem like the rest of us do- god knows what they would choose though...

Most national anthems have four beats in a bar, making them good for marching or waving a flag to, if that's what you want to do. GSTQ has three beats in a bar, like a waltz. I'd vote for Barwick Green, the Archers theme. Not sure words are needed, La la la la la la la..... would be uncontroversial surely.

I raise you the Swedish one. Dull tune, lyrics about how great the place used to be and "I know that you are and will be what you were so I'll die here thanks - there are mountains and it's quiet".

For one thing it’s not the English National anthem. It’s the British. At the commonwealth games we sing land of hope and glory.
Secondly the anti English rhetoric on this site is so depressing. Can you imagine a site that originated in France or Italy where they bashed themselves so much.

@olivehater I've genuinely not seen anti English rhetoric, simply people saying that they don't like the national anthem.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm reading a parallel thread with comments from posters like @Hingeandbracket and @olivehater

Who has bashed the English? Where have you been asked to apologise for being English? There seems to be an awful lot of unnecessary defensiveness just because it's been pointed out that GSTQ is a Royalist dirge, which is pretty factually accurate.

Why did OP say "England has the worst" if it's nothing to do with England?

Why not just say it's a crap piece of music without mentioning England at all?

(Unofficial) Words to national anthems:

Germany: Germans have a sense of humour: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! (and repeat)

Belgium: Belgy-belgy-belgy-belgy-Belgium!

Italy: I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.

@Hingeandbracket As I said in the op, another thread made me think about National Anthems. My post wasn't criticising the English; I was feeling sorry for them because they've been landed with such a crap anthem.

Several posters pointed out that GSTQ is the British anthem rather than the English anthem (I acknowledged my mistake early in the thread) so now I'm feeling sorry for myself for having such a dirge for my National Anthem.

Many posters have pointed out the op was wrong in saying its England's national anthem and the op apologised earlier on in the thread.

X post there

I don’t know the words to GSTQ. Ive not felt the need to learn them. I learned the Welsh anthem in school when I was 7.

Absolutely agree OP.
The nation's song is about a person? Mad.

There was a radio 4 programme about GSTQ. The music originates from a 16th century dance called the Galliard. The music is supposed to be played fast, so try humming GSTQ at speed and imagine flutes and tambourines in the background, in a Tudor setting.

And then it gets slowed down. And you want to lie down and go to sleep. Its modern form is dreadful.

Why not just say it's a crap piece of music without mentioning England at all?

Because it only exists because of England ... the clue being a "national" anthem.

It's quite possible to say "I hate the English national anthem" without it being construed as "I hate England". Unless the construction is being done by someone determined to start a fight rather than have a discussion. (I'll leave any mention of being English there ... )