The National anthem has got to change. A good time would be with the Quoon's eventual demise. Its monarchist theme centred all about the glorification of the Royal Family is out of touch with the times and it's a god-awful tedious dirge with a boring simplistic melody. The other main contenders, Rule Britania, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem are all great rousing tunes which are infinitely preferable, but they all have fairly stupid jingoistic words and references to a non-existent deity. Why not choose one of them and change a few words? I agree with Pete that the reference to Jerusalem is a bit daft in a song celebrating England. I can see that one going down a storm in Bradford. Let's face it, we don't rule the waves any more so pretending we do in a national anthem is a bit daft. I reckon Elgar's number is probably the best of the bunch.
I believe that Blake wrote the song as a veiled dig at the self appointed big wigs of the English church...Cleary Jebus didn't not walk on our shores! I don't really get the nationalistic attitude of some people, I'm sure a French person is equally 'proud' of being a French person as brit being a brit, doesn't make one better than the other. Makes me laugh when some rant on about country X being the greatest country in the world, usually they've not left shitsville USA! From what I see, usually the individuals that spout on about being proud to be English/British or whatever, are usually the worst examples.
Elgar's tune is definitely the best. Why not write new words? That's a good idea. It wasn't written as a national anthem after all so there's no point criticising the words when we're considering them out of context. As a rousing feel-good chorus that's infectious and easy to sing its peerless. If we don't win many medals at the next Olympics we'd always win the sing-off.
careful with this national anthem thing, sooner or later some one will accuse you of being a nationalist (like that's a bad thing?)
This is the real "anthem" of true Brits... Come cheer up my Lads, 'tis to glory we steer, To add something more to this wonderous year. To honour we call you, as freemen, not slaves, For who are so free as the sons of the waves? Chorus: Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men, We always are ready, Steady, boys, steady, We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again! We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay, They never see us but they wish us away. If they run, why, we follow and run them ashore, For if they won't fight us, we cannot do more. Chorus: They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes; They frighten women, children, and beaus, But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er, Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore. Chorus: We'll still make them fear, and we'll still make them flee, And drub 'em on shore as we've drubb'd 'em at sea, Then cheer up my lads, with one hear let us sing, Our Soldiers, our Sailors, our Statesmen, our King. Chorus: We'll still make 'em run, and we'll still make 'em sweat, In spite of the Devil and Brussels Gazette, Then cheer up my lads, with one heart let us sing, Our Soldiers, our Sailors, our Statesmen, our King.
like the song, the problem is, give it couple more years and few more defence cuts, the 2/4 categories in the last verse/line will be redundant - literally.
