I've just heard the Welsh and the French anthems sung at the rugby...the former always moves me emotionally and the latter is very stirring to the soul. I wonder why the English anthem always sounds like a tuneless dirge to me? Am I alone in this?
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:11 am
by gmc
theia;1387678 wrote: I've just heard the Welsh and the French anthems sung at the rugby...the former always moves me emotionally and the latter is very stirring to the soul. I wonder why the English anthem always sounds like a tuneless dirge to me? Am I alone in this?
The english don't actually have an official national anthem they use god save the queen instead.
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:31 am
by Betty Boop
theia;1387678 wrote: I've just heard the Welsh and the French anthems sung at the rugby...the former always moves me emotionally and the latter is very stirring to the soul. I wonder why the English anthem always sounds like a tuneless dirge to me? Am I alone in this?
You're watching the rugby? I missed the start, had to get the kids out first then come back and catch what I could. Now the daughter is sulking cos I have control of the remote :wah:
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:45 am
by theia
Betty Boop;1387683 wrote: You're watching the rugby? I missed the start, had to get the kids out first then come back and catch what I could. Now the daughter is sulking cos I have control of the remote :wah:
It's been on in the background...I like the ceremony at the beginning, I watch if it sounds exciting and I watch the last five or ten minutes.
The english don't actually have an official national anthem they use god save the queen instead.
That's a shame though...God Save The Queen is so dull.
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:49 am
by Betty Boop
theia;1387686 wrote: It's been on in the background...I like the ceremony at the beginning, I watch if it sounds exciting and I watch the last five or ten minutes.
The english don't actually have an official national anthem they use god save the queen instead.
That's a shame though...God Save The Queen is so dull.
It is dull, yes. What would you suggest as an alternative and what could Cornwall have as an anthem?, whilst we're at it
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:13 am
by theia
Betty Boop;1387687 wrote: It is dull, yes. What would you suggest as an alternative and what could Cornwall have as an anthem?, whilst we're at it
Good question...Trelawney seems to be the Cornish anthem (I googled!)
Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory seem to be the favourites for England (on Google). I quite like I Vow to Thee My Country but I suspect that if a decision is ever made on replacing God Save The Queen there will be an outcry about the suggested alternatives.
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:26 am
by spot
I can't see LOHAG being a fair reflection of the UK these days - "Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set; God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet"? It's an open invitation to send Our Lads to sort out the Lesser Breeds, don't you think. Not on, that. If we're still going down the road to Empire let's go the whole hog and use Rule Britannia - "Still more majestic shalt thou rise, More dreadful, from each foreign stroke; As the loud blast that tears the skies, Serves but to root thy native oak".
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:32 am
by theia
spot;1387691 wrote: I can't see LOHAG being a fair reflection of the UK these days - "Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set; God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet"? It's an open invitation to send Our Lads to sort out the Lesser Breeds, don't you think. Not on, that. If we're still going down the road to Empire let's go the whole hog and use Rule Britannia - "Still more majestic shalt thou rise, More dreadful, from each foreign stroke; As the loud blast that tears the skies, Serves but to root thy native oak".
Outcry alert
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:47 am
by spot
theia;1387692 wrote: Outcry alert :DIn the annals of inspiring national anthems you left out that of the Soviet Union:
That ought to bring tears to anyone's eyes, it defines justifiable pride.
Am I allowed to offer The Internationale as a replacement national anthem for the UK?Stand up, all victims of oppression
For the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing, if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all.Alistair Hulett died a couple of years back and I so looked forward to his tours. A great man, that.
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 2:51 pm
by jones jones
Look, the Welsh can sing, no doubt about that. But the two best rugby anthems are those of first Scotland and then Ireland. Singing a song asking God to save a lady and to have her live long was probably a hit in Victoria's time, but today its seriously boooooooooooooooring!!!
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:23 pm
by spot
Oh come now JJ, the South Africans have far and away the best anthem, it's even danceable.
National Anthems
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:30 pm
by spot
That one they play at Irish matches always has me puzzled, it sounds so like Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag that I'm surprised they weren't sued for plagiarism.
National Anthems
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:44 am
by jones jones
spot;1387710 wrote: Oh come now JJ, the South Africans have far and away the best anthem, it's even danceable.
And its sung in three of the twelve official languages too!
National Anthems
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:05 am
by Oscar Namechange
How best to sing the US National Anthem.
Eddie Izzard on the US National Anthem - YouTube
National Anthems
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:52 pm
by Bryn Mawr
Betty Boop;1387687 wrote: It is dull, yes. What would you suggest as an alternative and what could Cornwall have as an anthem?, whilst we're at it
Goin' up Cambourne Hill?
My preference would be for Lamourna but it's hardly national anthem material.
National Anthems
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:57 pm
by Bryn Mawr
spot;1387693 wrote: In the annals of inspiring national anthems you left out that of the Soviet Union:
That ought to bring tears to anyone's eyes, it defines justifiable pride.
Am I allowed to offer The Internationale as a replacement national anthem for the UK?Stand up, all victims of oppression
For the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing, if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all.Alistair Hulett died a couple of years back and I so looked forward to his tours. A great man, that.
What! It cannot be that long since I saw him with Dave Swarbrick.
You could at least have referenced the Paul Robeson version so that the assembled multitude could have appreciated the sentiment behind the words :-
Soviet/ USSR Anthem in English [by Paul Robeson] - YouTube
National Anthems
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:00 am
by gmc
Bryn Mawr;1387810 wrote: What! It cannot be that long since I saw him with Dave Swarbrick.
You could at least have referenced the Paul Robeson version so that the assembled multitude could have appreciated the sentiment behind the words :-
Soviet/ USSR Anthem in English [by Paul Robeson] - YouTube
Did he not get hauled up in front of the un-american activities committee and accused of being a communist?
Billy connolly says it better than just about anyone.
Billy Connelly : National Anthem - YouTube
National Anthems
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:45 pm
by Bryn Mawr
gmc;1387822 wrote: Did he not get hauled up in front of the un-american activities committee and accused of being a communist?
Billy connolly says it better than just about anyone.
Billy Connelly : National Anthem - YouTube
Very - probably because he was
National Anthems
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:38 am
by gmc
Bryn Mawr;1387866 wrote: Very - probably because he was
In those days anyone that spoke about civil rights was viewed as a communist, not really done any research on the subject, travelling to the ussr does not make you a communist. You're talking about a country that thought the labour party in the UK was communist.
National Anthems
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 4:30 am
by spot
Really, seriously, of all people in the 20th century besides Lenin and Trotsky, Paul Robeson was a communist. It's nothing to do with accusations, it's what the chap was.