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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!

Gabrielle56 Sat 30-Jul-22 15:35:28

Maybe have 'oh I do like to be beside the seaside!' or 'bring me sunshine!' or the wonderful ' We are the champions!' courtesy of Queen!

Harv1 Sat 30-Jul-22 15:46:48

For goodness sake will people just leave OUR HISTORY ALONE!. Why is it we have to be left with nothing . No other Country changes there History to suit , we won’t have anything left at this rate .. ?…

Shawlands2000 Sat 30-Jul-22 15:49:08

I think this should be Scotland's national anthem. Brings a tear to my eye.
youtu.be/DRYzoHnbi70

Blondiescot Sat 30-Jul-22 15:52:39

volver

^all 4 regions of it^

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not "regions", they are countries.

I never sing the National Anthem any more. Haven't done for ages.

You beat me to it there, volver - regions, indeed!

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 15:57:14

Shawlands2000

I think this should be Scotland's national anthem. Brings a tear to my eye.
youtu.be/DRYzoHnbi70

Somehow I knew what this would be before I opened it!

Please, not this. It doesn't mean anything. I'd rather have "A Wee Deoch an Doris" !!! At least that was written by a Scotsman.

Arto1s Sat 30-Jul-22 16:00:02

I haven’t lived in the UK for over 30 years and I love to hear the National Anthem when watching any sporting events etc. We still stand up when it plays! I have dual citizenship living in the USA, so stand for both anthems. Love it. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it……..

CathSoc62 Sat 30-Jul-22 16:06:10

Yes, my dad always used to say of Land of Hope and Glory that England has NEVER been free - we enslaved the colonies, the Scots and the Irish. SO , I propose we have a new national anthem but it’s ‘ Jerusalem ‘ based on William Blake’s poem - ‘ And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England’s mountains green ? etc etc then ‘ I will not cease from mental fight nor shall my sword sleep in my hand , til we have built Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land ‘.

Coco51 Sat 30-Jul-22 16:06:10

Harv1

For goodness sake will people just leave OUR HISTORY ALONE!. Why is it we have to be left with nothing . No other Country changes there History to suit , we won’t have anything left at this rate .. ?…

Harv1 Well said!

yggdrasil Sat 30-Jul-22 16:06:24

Land of Hope & Glory? Make us mightier yet? No way.

Jerusalem now.....

Mollygo Sat 30-Jul-22 16:08:31

Are we meant to be proud of having a country that invaded lots of other people's countries?
Not if we were involved in that, but if we weren’t, why not? Would you condemn your whole family to never being proud of themselves if somewhere in your past you had a thief or some other criminal or wrongdoer?

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 16:20:54

CathSoc62

Yes, my dad always used to say of Land of Hope and Glory that England has NEVER been free - we enslaved the colonies, the Scots and the Irish. SO , I propose we have a new national anthem but it’s ‘ Jerusalem ‘ based on William Blake’s poem - ‘ And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England’s mountains green ? etc etc then ‘ I will not cease from mental fight nor shall my sword sleep in my hand , til we have built Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land ‘.

Nobody enslaved us. Ever. Certainly not the English.

Best go back to the history books and get your facts right.

( signed ) A Scot.

Coco51 Sat 30-Jul-22 16:25:33

volver

Coco51

To anybody who watched the parade of competitors in the Commonwealth Games and all those people who are proud of having the Queen as head of the Commonwealth, the idea of removing her from our national anthem is abhorrent

Are we meant to be proud of having a country that invaded lots of other people's countries?

We weren’t the only nation or first to do so by any means Romans, Vikings, Belgians, French, Dutch etc etc and effects were not always and exclusively negative. Many legal and political systems have are based on our model. My father served in India and Burma (as was) during the war and the army engineered clean water access to many remote places where there was none previously. I wonder how many descendants of slaves having modern lives in former colonial countries would rather be in the war-torn and drought ridden countries in Africa where suffering in healthcare, education and welfare issues are ignored by corrupt governments? Another thought:if we were such terrible colonialists why do thousands of people risk their lives to get here? I’m not saying that it was right, but it happened and no critiscm will alter that.

Saetana Sat 30-Jul-22 16:26:57

No need to change the UK National Anthem, but England really do need our own anthem for when we are competing as an individual country - I fancy Jerusalem myself but I'm sure that wouldn't be to everyone's taste.

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 16:27:59

Are you seriously trying to say we did all these countries a favour by invading them and making them part of the Empire and it was for their own good?

Or that its OK that we did it because someone else did too?

Nothing might alter it but there will be criticism, oh yes.

montymops Sat 30-Jul-22 16:51:07

Practically every European country invaded others in times gone by. Poor old England, who seems to be given a bad press by the Scots (and I do have Scottish Ancestry) and Welsh on this site, has been invaded countless times - Romans, Danes, Vikings - French of course - the Spanish had a go which didn’t work out. In history it was commonplace - some were more successful than others. It was history - it shouldn’t be erased but neither should it be judged by what we do or think today.

NoddingGanGan Sat 30-Jul-22 16:53:51

@Anniebach, and God save the Queen IS acceptable to atheists? hmm

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 17:07:29

Poor old England, who seems to be given a bad press by the Scots

Oh, please stop feeling so sorry for yourself and thinking you're getting picked on. The Scots joined in enthusiastically with the Empire building, both militarily and commercially. British Empire, remember? Not English.

Nobody is talking about erasing history. Just being aware what actually happened, not the myths.

Nanniejude Sat 30-Jul-22 17:10:50

I love the traditional national anthem, one day it will be changed to “God save our Gracious King”.
I’m not religious but the royal family are, if you don’t like it don’t sing!

SJV07 Sat 30-Jul-22 17:25:37

How about a penny for every time the Queen has had to listen to it??? For charity of course!

Anniel Sat 30-Jul-22 17:27:23

And do those who want to change the National Anthem represents a majority of the British people? Without the agreement of the majority of the British people, it would hardly be democratic, would it?

When Scotland becomes independent they can ditch whatever they like. I think Independence for Scotland is a good idea. So it would solve the problem for the Scots. I am not at all upset that each country in the United Kingdom wants its own National Anthem but I doubt whether England would want to change it at present whilst Her Majesty is alive. People of my generation were generally proud to bellow out God Save The Queen, but times change and being so old I hope I have shuffled off this mortal coil when they change it.

nadateturbe Sat 30-Jul-22 17:31:32

Hmm, well I suppose they go to church Nanniejude.

Moya Sat 30-Jul-22 17:33:52

Keep the National Anthem for UK events but give us English our own it's about time we had one.

montymops Sat 30-Jul-22 18:02:33

I don’t feel in the least bit sorry for myself Volver - just trying to even up the odds ?? but probably not possible with views on this site.

volver Sat 30-Jul-22 18:20:19

Ah, the poor downtrodden English. How we all do feel for you. ?

Lucca Sat 30-Jul-22 18:26:51

Rainbow15

No way! It’s legendary and fills Great Britain ?? with pride!

Not sure it does you know. Read the thread ?