unoriginalname38 – the blog of Dave Cole

Anthems, being National in Character

I don't like the national anthem. The British one, that is. God Save the Queen.

Without wanting to nick Billy Connolly's material about replacing it with the theme tune to the Archers, there are some random things I want to say.

Firstly, the tune is crap. It's slow, boring and har to sing.
Secondly, the words. Their repetitive nature doesn't make for a good anthem and there's the anti-Scottishness: 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.
Thirdly, the religion. I'm a Christian, but it seems unfair to impose a religion on any country, but particularly one that has many religious and is principally agnostic.
Fourthly, the monarchy. Which I don't like.

The replacement (if we have to have one at all) should not be written, because it will end up being some vapid thing about 'O Britain' or 'Advance Britain Fair' or something.

John Cage's 4'33" - the one with all the silence. Just because I like the idea of football hooligans having to stand silent because it's the national anthem.
Theme from the Archers - Billy Connolly was right...

Seriously: Land of Hope and Glory. It's suitably optimistic, has a fantastic tune, everyone already knows it and with a simple amendment can be suitably areligious. The chorus could be: Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free/How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?/Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set/That which made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

And before you say that you can't change the words, the version they sing at the Last Night of the Proms goes '..extol thee, those that born of thee'.

Come on, you know how it goes...

xD.

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