National Anthems and local traditions

Ive always found the french 'Marseille'very rousing especially when its sunday at a French/english rugby match

Or sung even

I’d like an anthem/national song just for England. The national anthem without words can sound quite good and also has the virtue of being short.
Since there’ll never be agreement about what it should be (see endless GN, FB, Twitter, X posts on the matter -inclusive, exclusive, whose religion is mentioned, should be non-religious, doesn’t mention all parts of the UK etc, etc) then how can we change it?

FriedGreenTomatoes2

The English need their own for sporting events as GStK is for everyone. Something rousing would be good!

I rarely agree with you, FriedGreenTomatoes2, particularly about politics, but in this case I think you are spot on. I don't like GSTK, but as you say, it is for everyone and it is annoying when the English take it over!

Go for it, England, and find something rousing!

If it was for sport it wouldn’t be a National anthem. It would be a sporting anthem. Not the same at all. Though I do agree tha Gsave the K is a bit of a dirge.

Wheniwasyourage

^ Go for it, England, and find something rousing!^

I agree, but so many groups would take offence at whatever is chosen . . .

I like the Welsh one, but if England’s song started with Land of my Fathers, someone would shriek about inclusivity and no mention of the homeland of newcomers.

Flower of Scotland is about them beating Edward’s army. Should we have one that sings of England’s victory over other parts of the UK?

N Ireland doesn’t have one.

Jerusalem - fine by me but association with the name would be a cause of dissension in some quarters.

I like Land of Hope and Glory -great lyrics, but it mentions God. Unacceptable to some atheists etc.

Then I think of our dreary entries to Eurovision.

Maybe we’d have more success if we just went for music and forgot the lyrics, but then somebody would invent the lyrics to go with the music so it can be sung at sporting events, and we’re back at the start!

JamesandJon33

If it was for sport it wouldn’t be a National anthem. It would be a sporting anthem. Not the same at all. Though I do agree tha Gsave the K is a bit of a dirge.

No, it wouldn't be just a sporting anthem.

If that were the case then Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau would be just a sporting anthem.

The problem with Jerusalem is that I want to say - no - no - no - get them yourself

Flower of Scotland ISN,t a national anthem it’s just a dreary folk song that was picked up by rugby fans originally and now is sung by fans of lots of sports.I,d like to see a cheerful ,forward looking anthem for Scotland not something that harks back to the past.My favourite song about Scotland is Caledonia by Dougie McLean ,patriotic and not looking backwards

paddyann54

Flower of Scotland ISN,t a national anthem it’s just a dreary folk song that was picked up by rugby fans originally and now is sung by fans of lots of sports.I,d like to see a cheerful ,forward looking anthem for Scotland not something that harks back to the past.My favourite song about Scotland is Caledonia by Dougie McLean ,patriotic and not looking backwards

I agree.
They can sing it at rugby matches if they like but Scotland needs an official anthem too.

(Don't know Caledonia, will look it up)

In Wales the national anthem is sung everywhere. After concerts, plays. In schools and care homes. It certainly is not just for sport. Have you ever lived in Wales Allira ?
The Welsh are fiercely National. Their anthem is sung everywhere

mollygoEngland didn’t.t conquer Scotland we were sold down the river by our”aristocracy” there were riots on our streets when it was announced ..never heard of the parcel of rogues?

Hubert Parry set words from Shakespeare' Richard III to music. If I can fond it sung I'll post it. We learnt it at school for a festival. I thought then that it would make a good anthem for England. Here are the words.

England (by Hubert Parry)

This royal throne of Kings, this sceptred island,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This fortress, built by Nature for her purpose,
Against infection and the hand of wars:

This demi-Paradise, this other Eden,
This precious stone set in a silver sea,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,
We highly dedicate, O Lord, to Thee.

Grant, Lord, that England and her sister nations,
Together bound by the triumphant sea,
May be renown’d through all recorded ages,
For Christian service and true chivalry

JamesandJon33

In Wales the national anthem is sung everywhere. After concerts, plays. In schools and care homes. It certainly is not just for sport. Have you ever lived in Wales Allira ?
The Welsh are fiercely National. Their anthem is sung everywhere

That's what I meant, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is sung everywhere, not just at sporting events.
That's why England and Scotland need their own anthems, partly for when home nations compete but other occasions too.

Sorry but that wasn’t very clear Allira

Na, nid anthem chwaraeon yn unig fyddai hi.

Remember a Welsh girl in school assembly singing My hen laid a haddock on top of a tree!

Whingey

Remember a Welsh girl in school assembly singing My hen laid a haddock on top of a tree!

🤣🤣🤣

I do like the German national anthem and I also like our British one, maybe because I have grown up with it, so it is embedded in my psyche. I remember when it was always played at theatres and cinemas before a showing and everyone stood up until it had finished.

Except the ones who shot out before it started, JudyBloom!

I worked in a cinema as a teenager ,we were lucky to survive the rush for the door before the national anthem started mind you it was the same at home when they played it before the tv shut down for the night.One of my sisters used to hook her foot under the cable and yank it out on the first note …lol

Well I grew up with it too Judybloom and I can’t stand it 🤣🤣

It is a dirge.

It is a bit of a dirge, but I always feel a surge of pride when it strikes up when the British win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Yes, of course.

We are competing as one nation on those occasions too.