Replace the national anthem?

[ainsworth74]

Actually, thinking about it, haven't we already got a ready made new national anthem?

 

[52290]

I don't think the composer Gustav Holst would have liked his tune for "I vow to thee my country" to be used for the national anthem of anywhere. He later regretted allowing the current words to be set to his music and said that he should have composed a new tune for it. The tune was originally used in "Jupiter the bringer of jollity" in the Planets suite but after it was used as a hymn conductors tended to take it more as a funeral dirge than anything jolly.
The words were written by Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, a former diplomat. I think the most controversial line of which is "the love that asks no questions", something that people on this forum don't do!

 

[Geezertronic]

I don't think the composer Gustav Holst would have liked his tune for "I vow to thee my country" to be used for the national anthem of anywhere. He later regretted allowing the current words to be set to his music and said that he should have composed a new tune for it. The tune was originally used in "Jupiter the bringer of jollity" in the Planets suite but after it was used as a hymn conductors tended to take it more as a funeral dirge than anything jolly.
The words were written by Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, a former diplomat. I think the most controversial line of which is "the love that asks no questions", something that people on this forum don't do!

To be fair, I think a lot of (uneducated) people today would see his name and ask why a German composer would be responsible for "our National Anthem"

 

[WelshBluebird]

The main issue with that is that Flower of Scotland is terrible. If you're going to go with awful modern tat you'd be better off with Loch Lomond - it's more upbeat and frankly less desperate

I can't be the only person who likes Flower of Scotland? Granted I'm not Scottish, but hearing 60k+ Scottish Rugby fans singing it at Murrayfield is pretty awe inspiring. As an example against England back in Feb 2020 (incase people can't see the below, I've embedded a link to the anthem being sung at that match, and especially the end bit when the band stop and leave the crowd singing is pretty damn awesome in my eyes).

 

[Waldgrun]

The great virtue of God Save The Queen is that it is brief.

Is this brief?

"God Save the Queen"
(standard version)

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen!

O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen!

 

[Grecian 1998]

We could always borrow the Westcountry's national anthem - 'Drink Up Thy Zider' by the Wurzels. Not jingoistic or backwards looking, but simply extolling the virtues of cider consumption. What's not to like?

It would also help English sports teams massively by allowing them to develop a healthy lead whilst their opponents are distracted by what they just heard. Admittedly this would be more use in football and rugby than a 5 day test match.

Another option is to choose 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. A stirring tune for a sing-a-long (I've been at German Bundesliga football matches where it's sung in English and it's very impressive) and it'd have the amusing effect of annoying Liverpool, Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers fans simultaneously, which is no mean feat.

On a more serious note, the easiest way to avoid an argument over the sentiment expressed in a national anthem is simply to choose one without words. Job done. Spain's 'Marcha Real' doesn't have any lyrics, although it did previously have some unofficial lyrics during the Franco era. Unsurprisingly these were abandoned in 1978.

 

[AlterEgo]

Is this brief?

"God Save the Queen"
(standard version)

When have you ever had to sing all that?

 

[Falcon1200]

Having considered this at length, my vote for an English National Anthem goes to the wonderful Kate Bush song 'Oh England my Lionheart'.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Well, you won't know if it's crap until the bloody thing is written, will you?! (Give me strength!)

Yeah but your idea probably will be. Everyone will wind up hating it, as @Meerkat said in their post.

You think all of the countries of the UK should use GSTQ when they are competing individually?

I was saying that only England should use GSTQ.

...England alone - Jerusalem / I Vow to Thee My Country...
Any two or more of the above - God Save the Queen.

Simple, no?

No. I don't think GSTQ should be used for the UK.

England does not have an official national anthem. It is up to individual sports to decide - hence cricket and football using different ones.

Strange, I wonder why we forewent one?

 

[Meerkat]

Strange, I wonder why we forewent one?

The national anthem is GSTQ.
Not sure that any of the constituent nation anthems are official.

 

[najaB]

No. I don't think GSTQ should be used for the UK.

The Monarch is the monarch of the entire United Kingdom, it makes more sense for God Save the Queen/King to be the anthem for the whole country than it does for it be reserved for one of the nations.

 

[Andrew S]

Jerusalem just makes me think of Farage, EDL and other embarrassments.

I don't think we need a national anthem at all. Maybe retire the current one and leave it a few years to see if something better emerges.

I like "Eve Of Destruction" by Barry McGuire, but it is about the world as a whole.

 

[Meerkat]

Jerusalem just makes me think of Farage, EDL and other embarrassments.

Why on Earth would you make that association?!
Its about striving to make the country better. Those people would probably prefer Rule Britannia or Land of Hope and Glory.

 

[Gloster]

Many years ago Spitting Image did a Last Night of the Proms send-up with parodies of Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory (it has unfortunately been removed from YouTube) which might more accurately reflect our second-rate status. The Scots could always use the words of Altered Images’ I Could be Happy.

 

[Ostrich]

On a more serious note, the easiest way to avoid an argument over the sentiment expressed in a national anthem is simply to choose one without words. Job done. Spain's 'Marcha Real' doesn't have any lyrics, although it did previously have some unofficial lyrics during the Franco era. Unsurprisingly these were abandoned in 1978.

If you want a national anthem without words, I'd vote for "Elizabethan Serenade" by Ronald Binge. Impeccable credentials, as he hailed from Derby. He also wrote "Sailing By" which is the intro music for the late-night Shipping Forecast on Beeb Radio 4.
Mantovani - Elizabethan Serenade (Original Title Serenade) - YouTube

Roger Whittaker did a "whistling" version as well; it might be quite fun if we all tried to emulate that en masse at a Cup Final .........
Roger Whittaker - Elizabethan Serenade - YouTube

 

[Gloster]

If we are going to whistle, then what about a tune that everybody (at least of the older generation knows): Colonel Bogey. It is up to you if you sing along instead. Just change the names if you want: “Johnson has only got...”

 

[najaB]

If we are going to whistle, then what about a tune that everybody (at least of the older generation knows): Colonel Bogey. It is up to you if you sing along instead. Just change the names if you want: “Johnson has only got...”

The only truly whistling song that truly captures the British psyche is Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

like "Eve Of Destruction" by Barry McGuire, but it is about the world as a whole.

Similarly we could use "Saltwater" by Julian Lennon... at least the small Japanese* crowds at the Olympics could sing along!

*=odd that John's oldest son has a bigger following in Japan than Sean Ono-Lennon does.

 

[John Griffiths]

Hen wlad fy nhadau can be a bit dirgey too. Men of Harlech would make a much better Welsh anthem. Good words, too.

 

[brad465]

Is this brief?

"God Save the Queen"
(standard version)

It's had other verses in history as well, my favourite controversial one is this one from the days of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion:

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.

 

[Meerkat]

It's had other verses in history as well, my favourite controversial one is this one from the days of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion:

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.

Flower of Scotland is somewhat anti English….

 

[DerekC]

If we are going to whistle, then what about a tune that everybody (at least of the older generation knows): Colonel Bogey. It is up to you if you sing along instead. Just change the names if you want: “Johnson has only got...”

and poor old Govie has ....

The only truly whistling song that truly captures the British psyche is Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Now how to decide between two excellent ideas above! Perhaps there's room for both - Colonel Bogey for state occasions - military band stuff - and Always Look .. for football matches, Olympics and so on.

 

[High Dyke]

If those two ever get anywhere near the throne, we might need to modify the God Save the Queen lyrics slightly. Maybe something like, "God save us from the King,...."

Perhaps Banana Republic by The Boomtown Rats may be suitable.

Lyrics: the boomtown rats banana republic lyrics https://g.co/kgs/9KrEkU

 

[75A]

Flower of Scotland is somewhat anti English….

Now there's a surprise.

 

[duncanp]

I came across this video on You Tube of Sir Billy Connolly saying why he thinks the National Anthem is boring.

Whatever you think about God Save The Queen, it is very funny.

Warning : as you might expect with Sir Billy, some of the language in the video is not necessarily what you would repeat in polite company

 

[61653 HTAFC]

They'll have to change the text of the national anthem

I've had a horrible vision of England's footballers in Qatar doing the anthem before a game, with half of them singing "God Save The Queen" before the game out of habit, and half of them remembering to sing "King" instead...

Perhaps now would be a good time to adopt a different anthem for the England team rather than just "borrowing" the UK anthem?

 

[USRailFan]

Rule Britannia? :P

 

[Neptune]

Rule Britannia? :P

Urgh no thanks.

 

[geoffk]

Rule Britannia? :P

"Jerusalem" was sung at the Commonwealth Games. It won with 52% of the vote (where have we seen that figure before) although there were three options.

 

[Howardh]

"Jerusalem" was sung at the Commonwealth Games. It won with 52% of the vote (where have we seen that figure before) although there were three options.

That's English and not UK though!