English anthem

Just been on BBC4....

If only we had something like Woody Guthrie's 'This land is your land'.

I would choose Land of Hope and Glory - with maybe the words slightly altered. I don't at all like the idea of building Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land - I've never been there but it looks very dry and dusty and not at all English.

Rather smug to believe the second coming will take place in England ?

Re national anthems in general, I was at a seaside brass bandstand concert a couple of years ago and when the initial drum roll for "God save Liz" started. (It's rarely played nowadays at such events), Those in the audience who could, automatically got to their feet. Talk about us being deeply programmed.

That's the English for you, Annie.

Oh heaven forfend - please, not something especially written for the National Anthem, just look at what we churn out for the Eurovision song contest.

(Although I may possibly make an exception if someone like John Rutter or a contemporary choral composer were to write it.)

Someone on Twitter made me laugh, (ruefully) with this suggestion. www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4
Time it was a hit all over again. Classic. And very easy to sing.

Okay - I've just had a long chat about this with my parents in law. We decided to put it in the hands of Gareth Malone to come up with half a dozen choirs and half a dozen different song choices - no auditions as the anthem needs to be suitable for anyone to sing - then allow a sing-off to decide the winning song. Simples.

Of course - what other choice could there be? Fat Les and Vindaloo!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=va6nPu-1auE

I quite fancy us all singing John Lennon's Imagine.
Will not upset the Scots, Welsh or Irish. We all know the words. No jingoism.
Might upset the religious, but the ones I know are very broadminded.

I don't like Imagine, so sorry, can't join in
even though I am not strongly religious and am broadminded, it's not so much the words (although I don't much like them either)
It's another dirge!

just look at what we churn out for the Eurovision song contest.

Perhaps Gransnetters could do better

Where's the patriotism though durhamjen ?

And just think how long it would take to sing the whole bloomin' lot...

The Hokey Cokey?

I just posted this in the wrong thread, but what about Flanders and Swann's 'Song of Patriotic Prejudice'? "The English, the English, the English are best; i wouldn't give tuppence for all of the rest!" i'm not about to quote the rest of the words for fear of being lynched!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdY1Y5XNJBY

Brilliant Greyduster

roses - oh, yes, the Hokey Cokey would be brilliant. Anyone know what a Hokey Cokey is? Or what about Knees Up Mother Brown if we want something really singable. Might have to rewrite the words!

Thanks for the reminder Greyduster...I had forgotten how good they were....we used to play their songs in the car on long journeys after DD2 'discovered' them 20 years ago....they were old fashioned then but somehow still relevant and funny!

That's the whole point of it, nina. Too much patriotism causes problems. I prefer the idea of being part of a brotherhood of man.

Patriotism in a national anthem? Perish the thought!

For whom does too much patriotism cause problems? Certainly not for me and, i suspect, for many many people like me, and before someone jumps to the wrong conclusion, and there are always those who can't wait to so just that, i am not some tub thumping, strident, nationalistic redneck; i am a person of moderate views who loves her country, has taken an oath to protect it and its ruler and its values (yes, we still have some good sound British values). If too much patriotism causes woolly liberals and their mealy mouthed compatriots problems, i for one could not care less! It is too little patriotism that is the problem, not to much!

Hear, hear, *greyduster. There is patriotism (good) and there is being jingoistic (bad)

The whole point of a national anthem is patriotism - good patriotism, not verbally bashing any other country but expressing love and pride for one's own. That does not clash with international goodwill and a love for ALL humanity.

Exactly.The Welsh and the Scottish own anthems express patriotism after all, so there would be no problem with blowing our own trumpet a bit as well.