National Anthems and local traditions

Enjoyed that grumppa !

Never mind the tune of God Save the King, how about changing the words?

May England be the best,
Outscoring all the rest,
Come on England!
Whate'er the sport we play,
Be sure we'll win the day,
Encouraged all the way:
Come on England!!

Or

Let us now celebrate:
Our worthy Head of State
Stands for us all.
Here's to our Head of State,
May they not hibernate,
But strive until it's late,
Ans'ring our call!

Or

Praise our Prime Minister!
Dexter or sinister,
May they succeed.
Only some time will tell
Whether they govern well.
In times of need.
If they turn out a flop,
Then they will get the chop,
Just like a weed.

I absolutely love the Italian national anthem!

Posters have mentioned the South African national anthem, it is indeed beautiful, it starts with the verse Nkosi Sikelele Afrika (in Xhosa) then each following verse is sung in 4 different languages including Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans. The final verse is in English.

I remember an interview with Terence Davies, the film director, talking about his inspiration. He was brought up in Liverpool, and was taken regularly to the cinema by his fiercely Nationalist Irish nan. She was so anxious to leave the cinema BEFORE the National Anthem was played, that they always missed the last few minutes of the film! He would lie in bed, imagining the endings.................

Yes, of course.

We are competing as one nation on those occasions too.

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.

It is a dirge.

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

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

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

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.

Whingey

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

🤣🤣🤣

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

Na, nid anthem chwaraeon yn unig fyddai hi.

Sorry but that wasn’t very clear Allira

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.

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

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?

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

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)

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

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

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.

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!