Just been thinking about the national anthem.....

[TweeBee]

I've heard it a lot over the last few days, of course, and it's occurred to me how we are wishing not only for the monarch to be victorious and glorious but also happy.
I'd never thought about this before, but now I have I think it's really nice!

Disclaimer- this is just a light hearted comment that I tried to discuss with DH but he was snoring. I fully appreciate that, in some ways, it's much easier to be happy when you are very wealthy and don't have to worry about the cost of living.

You're right.
I'd not really thought about it before either, but good point.

Its such a doleful tune though, needs to be more uplifting

In really old versions there used to be a verse about "foreigners/enemies". The only bit I remember was, "confuse their politics; Frustrate their navish tricks". I'd love to find a (very) old hymn book with this bit in it!

winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-111/english-speaking-peoples-our-vanishing-national-anthems/

Full thing is on that page. 😊

www.classical-music.com/features/works/god-save-the-queen-lyrics/

Looks like there were 5 verses at one time?

Here you go 😁

Rebellious Scots to crush

Thanks for that!

So glad we don't sing that version now...

It's so difficult to change an anthem but I wish we could. The tune is dirgy and the words inappropriate for the modern era.

It is a dismal ghastly dirge, but so are most national anthems. The only countries I can think of who have a decent national anthem are France and the USA (who borrowed their tune from an English drinking song).

Wales has a fantastic anthem.

The tune is an absolute dirge, so awful. And the song is supposed to be a national anthem but it is all about the monarch and not about the country.
Time for a new one.

I love the French and Italian anthems.

I’m with Billy Connolly-we need to change it to the theme from The Archers…

Personally, I do not like our National Anthem. I prefer something like 'Jerusalem', which is more about the country.
As for HMTQ, I think she probably has had a lot to make her unhappy over the last couple of years.
Death of Prince Philip, P. Andrew, etc, H&M, etc, plus her mobility issues

Rebellious Scots to crush

That doesn’t refer to all Scots, just the rebellious ones. Specifically supporters of the Jacobite rebellion. The majority of Scots were not rebellious and did not support the rebellion.

Yes, me too!

We do. Being Welsh it really annoys me that God Save the Queen is both the British and the English National Anthem. Very unfair. If you're a Welsh, Scottish or N Irish athlete you'd have your own anthem at say the Commonwealth Games but have to have GSTQ at the Olympics. Always bugged me.

Now I really like that suggestion. 😎

I think our national anthem is dreadful. Musically, it has little to recommend it and is an utter dirge. Some of it's now (thankfully) disused verses were potentially pretty bloodthirsty and offensive. It doesn't have a great history and we need a different one.

Other suggestions could be "I Vow to Thee My Country" which is part of "The Planets" suite by Gustav Holst.

Or perhaps "Jerusalem."

I like the Welsh and the Scottish anthems. Land of my Fathers and Flower of Scotland. Great tunes.

Some of it's now (thankfully) disused verses were potentially pretty bloodthirsty and offensive.

Have you seen the words to the Marseillaise?

“Cut the throats of your sons and your companions”.

The only countries I can think of who have a decent national anthem are France and the USA (who borrowed their tune from an English drinking song).

To be fair, we do do a good drinking song! I can think of our next national anthem, (when Queeny dies (sadly) and we have to find a new one) being loosely based on 'vindaloo'.

I agree it is a dire dirge.
I love the US alternative national anthem - This Land is My Land, This Land is Your Land.
It is uplifting, very catchy and lovely lyrics.

One really good thing about our national anthem is that it is nice and short

That's alright then. Nothing to see here, move along.

FFS.

I’m not sure that a) improves things or b) was always strictly adhered to in the field