To wish we had a different national anthem

[katmeouws]

Just listening to The Marseillaise, which I much prefer to "God Save the King". Cant we have something more appropriate to a 21st century democracy.

I quite like our anthem 🤷🏻‍♀️

As a republican, I too wish we had a different anthem! Obviously there are a lot of problems with classics like Jerusalem, I Vow to Thee my Country etc.
Yet despite its obvious faults I can’t help but to love La Marseillaise and I also find the Russian national anthem very stirring (without supporting any of the horrors in Ukraine being committed under that flag and anthem at the moment)
I think this indicates that what I hate most is the dreary and boring tune of our anthem and want something more rousing!

Nowt like Flower of Scotland being belted out by 80,000 fans at Murrayfield before a match. It's cracking.

Also love the Welsh anthem too, and the Welsh rugby fans sound amazing! It's like their team travels with the world's largest choir as backup

GSTK is a very "tame" anthem isn't it. Not very rousing, spirited or inspiring. It drags. And yes it's awful the way it's used interchangeably for England and GB/U.K as if there's no problem with this. They are not the same and add to the frustrations of the other nations about how we are viewed.

I think the great thing about the religiousness of Jerusalem is that it's pretty easy to just see it as a metaphor.

Did Jesus visit England? In other words (to me anyway), is there something special about our country or not? It almost feels like clinging to an idea. And the desire to build 'Jerusalem', to me that's just very "we will make our country great". I like it because it's much more humble and inspiring than other "wow our country is already so great" options. Jerusalem has a sense of yearning, uncertainty, and determination which I think makes it special and a great option for an official English national anthem.

I think it's fine for an anthem to point to Christianity a little given the history of our country tbh.

That's just my interpretation anyway 😁

Christ no. Because we all know it wouldn’t be a straight swap to something a bit more rousing. The Culture Secretary would get involved, it would be seen as the perfect opportunity to try and distract us from the general shower of shit going on and it would end up being like choosing our Eurovision entry song, with X Factor contestants doing their best Mariah Carey impressions over a disco beat with choreographed dance moves and a video with shots of the White Cliffs of Dover

GSTK may well be a bit dreary. But we’re already a laughing stock. Can we please try and maintain a tiny bit of decorum?

It’s the stirring music that makes Jerusalem
particularly evocative. The poem by anti-monarchist, anti-establishment, radical Blake isn’t really suitable for a national anthem. I’d think Blake would be appalled at how his poem has been corralled into support of nationalism and monarchy.

Anti-Scottish?

No, it isn't! At the time a few sung the "rebellious Scots" line which was during the Jacobite war, the UK didn't even have a national anthem.

That verse has never been part of the UK National Anthem.

The words of the National Anthem are as follows:

"God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.

Thy choicest gifts in store
On him be pleased to pour,
Long may he reign.
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the King."

That's it - no other verses! 🤔

Absolute rubbish - the UK National Anthem has never had lyrics like that. We first had an anthem decades after 1745!

You can see the current lyrics of GSTK only has TWO verses and neither mention the Scottish, let alone killing any! 🤦‍♂️

I’m pretty sure there’s actually more than 2 verses though usually two are sung (thank fuck, can you imagine that droning on for 5 verses?)

This is the Scottish thing, which never was official you are right but I have heard it sung by some utter twats:

Lord, grant that Marshal Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
and like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush,
God save the King.

Regardless, it’s still a shite tune.

Liechtenstein also use the tune for GSTK/Q for their "High On The Young Rhine" anthem. Switzerland also used it until the 1960s.

No, the UK National Anthem only has TWO verses as posted above. We heard it for the first time for King Charles III - this just has two verses.

You're thinking of God Save The Queen which had FIVE verses. None of which refer to "rebellious Scots". Only enemies in general. See attachment.

The Scottish verse is not and never was part of the national anthem itself. That verse actually makes a distinction between rebellious Scots and loyal Scots - context was the Jacobite war. Scots fought on both sides, so the Scots on the Jacobite side were literally the rebellious Scots. The ones on the other British side weren't.

But as I said it was never part of the UK National Anthem at ANY time.