English anthem

Done and dusted!

Sorry ... you got the second line wrong ... that should read Spurs ...

England has never "ruled the Commonwealth", ab. It grew out of the British Empire as colonies gained their independence, and with a few exceptions (the pre- Act of Union colonies) the Empire was created/acquired/cobbled together by The UK.

Yes grumppa, ruled the countries of the commonwealth before they fought for / gained their independence and formed the commonwealth ,

You sound very anti-English Annie !

Were there no Welsh civil servants in the Empire, or Welsh regiments involved in colonial wars?

The Scots were very enthusiastic slavers, particularly in the West Indies but they do admit to it.

Well, if we're going to include football how about 'You'll Never Walk Alone'?

However, perhaps we should have an entirely new melody; if new words are written for an existing melody people will start singing the old ones, especially if they can't remember the new ones.

As for the English and the Empire:
For example, some plantations in the West Indies bore Welsh place names, such as Denbigh and Swansea; sailing between Britain and Asia were the East Indiamen Anglesey, Cardigan, Carmarthen and Monmouth; and New South Wales in Australia was initially called ‘New Wales’. There are also examples of prominent individuals, some Welsh, others with a Welsh connection, playing a role within the Empire

And a link to Scottish Imperial history:
www.historytoday.com/blog/2012/06/scotland-and-british-empire

And possibly everyone sang the British Anthem in those days, unless it was before 1707.

There's often criticism of footballers, MPs, anyone really who doesn't sing along to our national anthem.

I also don't sing along because I'm not a royalist and also a non-believer; the current NA is a double blow to the likes of me!

The tune is very rousing though - perhaps we can change the words.

As for an English NA I'll go with the Roger Miller song!

The tune is very rousing though - perhaps we can change the words.

Am I alone in thinking it's not rousing, it's a bit of a dirge? And lots of people would still carry on singing the old words, it would be confusing what to sing when
People would be muttering to one another, is this an English event or a British event, what are the new words? - then it would all be over

Jalima Can't have "You'll never walk"- it's a Liverpool song. Geordie supporters would demand "The Blaydon Races" and make accusations of racism. So we'd have to have both and then West Ham would want.... Oh it could go on for ever!!!

Good lord, jings, that's nearly as un-pc as flanders and swann! We'll have it!

Riverwalk, I am not anti English , I am aware of the history of this country, I wouldn't be comfortable with the Welsh anthem if it spoke of being chosen by God to be mighty . Just joining in the discussion, if it's for the English only say so, I will never have to sing the anthem anyway, I just think England should have it's own anthem .

"But Man United reign" there would be rebellion in the Newcastle pubs. We'd have to ask for a Geordie state and have a referendum.

I love the tune to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and was thrilled when they included it in the finale of The Last Night of the Proms but now they've dropped it again

Oh wow how amazing that would be to get rid of our dull and drab national anthem. Being a rugby fan I'm all for "Jerusalem ". However "Land of Hope and Glory "would be good too!

Well, I am dithering between the two, but think on the whole that Jerusalem wins out and sounds great belted out..... But then so does Land Of, oh what a dilemma.

Isn't Jerusalem too Christian? All the unbelievers would be shouting out, "No"!

(And did those feet...)

Land of Hope and Glory is aggressive! . Like we've got our eye on the rest of Europe.

(Wider still and wider...)

I had a go at re-writing some of the words of 'There'll Always Be An England' yesterday, I cut out the first few lines - the tune is rousing enough and not aligned to any football club, as far as I know.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayiydam4nCk

^There'll always be an England
While there's a country lane,
Wherever there's a cottage small
Beside a field of grain.
There'll always be an England
While there's a busy street,
Wherever there's a turning wheel, A million marching feet.

Red n’ white flags flew; what does it mean to you?
Surely you're proud, shout it aloud,
"England, awake!"
The people too, we can depend on you.
Freedom remains. These are the chains
Nothing can break.

There'll always be an England,
And England shall be free
If England means as much to you
As England means to me^

Patriotism is ok if you don't start going on about conquest and putting down foes.
This is where the Welsh anthem is so good. That just praises the country and it's history and language.

This is one reasonably close translation.

"The land of my fathers is dear to me,
Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free;
Its warring defenders so gallant and brave,
For freedom their life's blood they gave.

Wales, Wales, true am I to Wales,
While seas secure the land so pure,
O may the old language endure.

Old land of the mountains, the Eden of bards,
Each gorge and each valley a loveliness guards;
Through love of my country, charmed voices will be
Its streams, and its rivers, to me.

Though foemen have trampled my land 'neath their feet,
The language of Cambria still knows no retreat;
The muse is not vanquished by traitor's fell hand,
Nor silenced the harp of my land."

We English need something on similar lines, praising our countries artistic achievements, perhaps our pioneering engineering and our landscape.

Think Will Shakespeare and our other poets, artists and muscians, which probably lead to some suitable tune by Elgar.

Now who could write the words? It has to be a rousing tune with a chorus.
no more dirges.

No. We need an anthem celebrating all things British. And not that horrible "bobbies on bicycles" thing! (How many of those do you see about these days anyway? The fuzz in incandescent coloured cop cars might not sound right really)

Well Jingle knows what I am getting at 12 seconds between those ideas.

Jingle, it's for England not the UK , I agree with Nellimoser, England has much to be proud of so I hope an anthem celebrating this will be chosen

Why has it got to be for England only? (sorry if that has been gone over) God Save the Queen is for all, isn't it?

Ho. Sorry. It must mention fish and chips and curry. We need to be all inclusive.

Why has it got to be for England only?

Because when England play eg Wales or Scotland at rugby it doesn't seem right for the Welsh/Scottish to sing their own anthems and for the English to sing the British one.
It would be very odd if England, Wales, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada etc etc all sang GSTQ. Or I suppose it would save time, everyone could sing it together just the once.

Not just sport, other events too.