General Chat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuhKE1XkGK8

Ten Athems on that clip... it's over 30 minutes long....slide through if you want to hear the ones you don't know.

Japan
France
Spain
UK
Canada
USA
Australia
Russia
South Africa
New Zealand

Australia's Anthem is "Advance Australia Fair"

I don't like it........ especially when non-Aussies ask who Gert is

One version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8tswkr25A0

Usually only the first verse is sung.

I love Flower of Scotland and can't stop singing it for days when I have heard it during a rugby match!
And Ireland's Call.

Anthems sang at such occasions do tend to give a psychological boost to the players,.

I have discovered another contender for Wales thanks to our much missed (however you personally viewed him) JustJohn .

YMA O HYD (Still Here) .... DAFYDD IWAN (whose mother taught me Welsh in school)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjFHqMxLGjg

chorus translation-

We are still here
In spite of everyone and everything
We are still here

Right said Fred. (Bernard Cribbins?)

or

Imagine (John Lennon)

Star Spangled Banner played by Jimi Hendrix.

:-)

Rollo We sang the first three verses when I was at school. :-D

Pick 'n mix something for everybody I guess except Jacobites and wee 'eck.

1. 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!

[ all, forte ]

2. 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!

[ duet, agitato, Mr Hammond and Mr Farraj ]

3. 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!

[ official, sovereign present ]

4. Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world over.

[ imho this verse should be reinstated ]

5. From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!

[ Hammond, Farraj reprise ]

6. 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 Queen!

[ 16 April each year, lustily by the Coldstream Guards, bayonets fixed ]

:-)

This one seems quite popular at the moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M9wrLN_dV0

:-D :-D :-D

There are, apparently, six verses to GSTQ, but only verses one and three are generally sung these days.

If I remember correctly, during the Royal Visit to Lithuania in 2006 they sang all six. Prince Philip was not that amused.

Being a Scot I love to hear The Flower of Scotland <3 where I lived in Edinburgh's New Town, you could hear it loud and clear when Scotland was playing at Murrayfield Stadium :-)

I like the idea of Land of Hope and Glory or Jerusalem for England's anthem.

I don't mind God Save Our Gracious Queen but I just wish it could be played at a faster speed - think it would sound better.

Kath. x

Land of My Fathers,,,better than GSTQ

The French one - great stirring Republicanism but quite a jolly tune.

I have to say I like the German one, another great tune :-D

I also love 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' but not sure if this is actually a national anthem.

I've never heard the full version of 'GSTQ'

Lloyd George knew my father, my father knew Lloyd George .....
:-D

Jerusalem I find is beautiful and think
England should have it as their anthem.

GSTQ is the British anthem imo.

Of course my favourite being a Scot is Flower of Scotland. :-)

same as Rambling Rose :-D

The Star Spangled Banner :-)

Land of my Fathers

and the Marseillaise

lol maybe I am a closet "rabble rouser" at heart ;-)

GSTQ has massive advantages.

It is very short. Thus it does not delay important things such as starting the match or breaking out the champers.

There is no long list of singers wanting to belt it out at Wembley etc (too short).

The current version ( one verse) is free of politics. OTOH if Salmond wins his referendum I guess the version sung south of the border will have something about knavish tricks.

For countries full of rabble rousers and riff raff there is of course "la Marseillaise", "Star Spangled Banner" and "Waltzing Matilda" to choose from which I give you are better tunes. I know Oz has something boring called "O Australia" but it isn't real. Some Englishmen think the Australian anthem is "Two Little Boys" ... others think it is the Neigbours theme.

For older countries this is a pretty good all purpose anthem as yet unclaimed (Russia ? )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBlTUOL8WlY

The leading UK contenders are:

"Jerusalem" - no chance in a multi ethnic country ; could invite defensive attack from Nehetnayu

"Swing Low Sweet Chariot" Would probably win the men's vote

"Test Match Special Theme" - has my vote along with all Brixton residents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67xXbTaQlKI

"Land of Hope and Glory" - this is 2014 not 1914 , no chance at the UN etc

"Ode to Joy" - favoured by Nick Clegg

"Nimrod" - the thinking man's anthem, no words big plus

"I Vow to Thee My Country" - beloved by the W.I. and non-taxpaying ex pats, Mrs Bercow

"Lilly Bollero" - widely believed to be the UK national anthem in much of Asia, Africa

"London Calling" - why not ?

For sheer bordeom watch the North Korean anthem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPB70_3SNVg

So there you go given the popularity of Prince George the UK anthem will prob be GSTQ?K for the rest of this century at least.

<3

What is your favourite?.

I like "Flower of Scotland" I am not a Scot, but just love to sing along to it. I would prefer something a bit more inspiring than our own "God save the Queen"