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Why don’t they change the British National anthem?

(223 Posts)
nanna8 Wed 27-Jul-22 14:41:32

To Land of Hope and Glory? Stop singing about one hereditary person and sing about the nation!

Helenlouise3 Sat 30-Jul-22 12:34:58

Rather than change the British National Anthem, why not change the English one. God save the Queen represents all the home nations, not just England. Official or not, Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have their own. Why doesn't England?

LauraNorderr Sat 30-Jul-22 12:29:44

vampirequeen

We need a totally new anthem. None of the jingoistic songs from Last Night of the Proms. None religious. A song about the beauty of our country, about the people, about tolerance, about multiculturalism, about learning to live in harmony within our country and the rest of the world. A song about how we aspire to be better but not at the cost of anyone else. Nothing that suggests we're perfect but something that talks about how we try. Def no mention of royalty or any part of the establishment. And a melody that raises the spirits and people enjoy listening to and singing along with.

Sounds good to me vampirequeen

Dempie55 Sat 30-Jul-22 12:29:41

Probably because we'd have to have something by Stormzy.

Quizzer Sat 30-Jul-22 12:28:39

This was recorded a long time ago and I have seen it many times. If you need a lift today watch Billy Connolly discussing the national anthem.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ

It’s worth waiting through the ad.

Brownowl564 Sat 30-Jul-22 12:26:39

Absolutely not, sick of idiots wanting to change things for no other reason than they want to, you are supposed to learn from history not erase it and then repeat the same mistakes.

PunkWomble Sat 30-Jul-22 12:15:21

If you don't like the jingoistic words to Land of Hope and Glory (and I understand that the composer Edward Elgar didn't like them either), how about this, or a variation of it? This is from the 2012 Last Night of the Proms.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QysIbmSZB8

Lucca Sat 30-Jul-22 12:11:42

we could use the rugby union anthem for England which is "Swing low, sweet charity" ?

Hmmm. Minus the rude gestures !

bevisp1 Sat 30-Jul-22 12:09:40

There’s nothing wrong with the way it is…

Theoddbird Sat 30-Jul-22 12:05:59

It would cause too many arguments...do we really need that?

Lucca Sat 30-Jul-22 11:57:54

Janeea

The Scottish one is so depressing I feel like slitting my wrists when I hear it. I am an atheist but Land of Hope and Glory doesn’t bother me I actually quite like it

Depressing ? It’s a great tune although the Welsh one beats it . Love to hear it sung by a rugby crowd.

vampirequeen Sat 30-Jul-22 11:55:42

We need a totally new anthem. None of the jingoistic songs from Last Night of the Proms. None religious. A song about the beauty of our country, about the people, about tolerance, about multiculturalism, about learning to live in harmony within our country and the rest of the world. A song about how we aspire to be better but not at the cost of anyone else. Nothing that suggests we're perfect but something that talks about how we try. Def no mention of royalty or any part of the establishment. And a melody that raises the spirits and people enjoy listening to and singing along with.

DeeDe Sat 30-Jul-22 11:52:05

Anything be better than that awful dross,
Something bit uplifting be nice, not sure what?
But Land of hope and glory be better than what we have, Charles will have to change it unless he wants to be a queen ..
Mind I’d like to see it skip him altogether.

Parsley3 Sat 30-Jul-22 11:49:56

I am feeling cynical today so my vote would go to Gerry Rafferty's lyrics.
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am
Stuck in the middle with you

MissAdventure Sat 30-Jul-22 11:48:08

grin

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 11:47:50

God Save our Tony Blair, Long live our Tony Blair, Long live Tony Blair

Sorry ?

usuallyright Sat 30-Jul-22 11:46:03

WHY???? What is wrong with TRADITION once in a while?
Why not consider the stability we have in the world, with a monarch as titular head of state, with no presidential elections every 4 years, and, after all, we could, if not careful, finish up with Tony Blair as president?

Amalegra Sat 30-Jul-22 11:44:45

We really do need a new National Anthem, if we are going to keep this rather quaint tradition. I have always found the present one outmoded and cringeworthy! I have no idea what could replace it but there would probably be such controversy and ‘woke’ posturing over that thorny question that I’m not sure it would be worth the effort. Let’s just agree to be proud of our diverse heritages and PLEASE let the anti English rhetoric we see so much of these days stop-I’m proud of my Englishness, despite the mistakes my country has made, (haven’t they ALL?!).

Nannashirlz Sat 30-Jul-22 11:44:10

Why we seem to be changing everything at the min just leave them alone if you don’t like it don’t sing

MissAdventure Sat 30-Jul-22 11:39:29

We will rock you would get my vote.

Parsley3 Sat 30-Jul-22 11:38:08

What a good idea janipans. A new anthem to unite the kingdom would be timely and welcomed by me.

paddyann54 Sat 30-Jul-22 11:38:07

Flower of Scotland is a dirge ,its not our National Anthem its a song the Rugby fans adopted that spread to other events .Its the wrong song for an anthem its backward looking when we need a forward looking positive song for a progressive Scotland .One that doesn't include a Queen hopefully

wicklowwinnie Sat 30-Jul-22 11:37:11

Land of hope and glory, or Britannia rules the waves.
Both are very uplifting and rousing.

Keffie12 Sat 30-Jul-22 11:34:25

Get someone like Andrew Lloyd Webber to write a new anthem would work.

Yes I would like a new anthem. Not that I ever plan on singing the one we have ever again.

Alternatively we could use the rugby union anthem for England which is "Swing low, sweet charity" ?

I'm not American has someone suggested that we who want to change theme N.A are.

I am a republican and would like the monarchy scrapped when the Queen passes

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 11:34:17

Janeea

The Scottish one is so depressing I feel like slitting my wrists when I hear it. I am an atheist but Land of Hope and Glory doesn’t bother me I actually quite like it

We can still rise now and be a nation again.

How dispiriting.

montymops Sat 30-Jul-22 11:34:02

The words of Land of Hope and Glory are somewhat imperialist- .......wider still and wider, shall our bounds be set ...reminds me of Putin and the Ukraine- I much prefer the National Anthem. To have a monarch, however powerless in reality, denies the absolute power to anyone else - so valuable when absolute power creates the Putins, Hitlers, Stalins, Mao Tsetungs, Mugabes, Xi’s of this world.