Our National Anthem

Songs like Land of Hope and Glory that extol the virtues of empire turn me right off, as do some of the lyrics to I Vow to thee my Country (though I like the tune):

"The love [of country] that asks no questions
The love that stands the test
That lays upon the alter
The dearst and the best"

I don't like the idea of a love that asks no questions. There is, in my view, nothing noble in laying on the altar the dearest and best or evoking the notion of "my country, right or wrong".

I rather like some of the words of the pop song "Proud" - in that it asks each person what they can contribute to the world they live in.

lemongrove it's a secret how many anthems I've listened to and read the lyrics to since this thread was started! .

I'm all for the English using Land of Hope and Glory at sports events if that's what they want, but no way is it suitable for the UK.

I have always thought that Land of Hope and Glory should be our National Anthem. There is something about that song that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but in a good way. Wonderful song.

A national debate could be had in the near future, before another monarch takes over perhaps?

I guess if we knew the actual words to many national anthems we may be surprised by them, and think them unsuitable.

.....but Paddyann you know the rebellious Scots are a problem, so we have to keep the words.

I don't know the words to the Italian National anthem,
But it does gets my foot tapping when played at the Rugby 6 Nations

Oldwoman70 I don't think we'd need to keep changing the anthem because I don't think the important values do change. If we went with lyrics based around the Ofsted decreed British values of...

▪️ Democracy
▪️ The rule of law
▪️ Individual liberty
▪️ Mutual respect
▪️ Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

... well, they're not going to change and they reflect what we should be proud of in the UK. These are the reasons why people like living here and why people want to come and live here.

I've looked at the lyrics of Land of Hope and Glory and Heart of Oak and I don't think they're suitable at all.

Who says we have to keep the original words to 'Land of Hope and Glory' or 'Rule Britannia'? If the tunes are good, surely it's not beyond someone to set modern lyrics to them? That reminds me, when we were at school we used to sing 'Rule Britannia, two tanners make a bob, three make one-and-six and four two bob'!
I don't want our current anthem to change until the Queen dies, though, far better to start a new reign with a new anthem.

well Patriotic is the last thing I feel about an anthem that wants to crush the people of my country..anyway its not ABOUT the nations of the UK its about the unelected head of it and thats ridiculous .

I like our National Anthem. To me its not so much the words but what the whole thing symbolises. Our nation may not be perfect but I still feel patriotic towards it. I love Vow to thee my country although don't find it uplifting or rousing and I don't particularly care about the connotations of Rule Brittania or Land of Hope and Glory. I just love the tunes!

I agree. I'd really like "Land of Hope and Glory" as our national anthem because it's such a marvellous stirring tune. Pity about the words though. Is there not some poet out there who could make them a bit less jingoistic?

Agree that our NA is a bit of a dirge.
Hearts of Oak would be brilliant! Not familiar with the words, so maybe not appropriate, but the tune is good, stirring stuff.
(As long as new words weren't written by some cringingly uber-PC committee....)

Leeds22 that’s a naughty suggestion , but I agree that we’d probably never agree on a replacement if the mix of views on here is anything to go by. Land of Hope and Glory might not go down well with antifeminists and it asks God to ‘make thee mightier yet’ so I could foresee a whole other battle about which God, with protests from those citizens whose religions are nontheistic.

Hmm ...and go with 52% vote?!

Reading all the above comments, I think we will just have to stick with God Save the Queen because we would never agree on a replacement. Or maybe we could hold a referendum on the choices ......

?

I think if we had Jerusalem as our anthem, Donald Trump would think we were the Capital of Israel....?

Nothing quite like singing the Welsh national anthem at a rugby match. It’s so uplifting. I think the English anthem is tedious.

I vow to thee my country is the best suggestion.

I really don t agree with any of the suggestions made above of replacements. Couldn't bear to sing a pop song!

What about ' There'll always be an England'?! For England that is, not GB. But its rather sentimental.
I agree that the Marseilleise is very bloodthiraty when you read the words! But the tune is more rousing than ours (as are most others!)

Regarding jingoism I thought it came from the Victorian song:
'We don't want to fight, but by jingo if we do, we've got the men, we've got the guns, we've got the money too' which goes on to incite war.

Land of Hope and Glory was written to fit a tune in Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance (which is usually played at the Last Night of the Proms. ) Elgar did not like the words. When I was a child we sang Land of Soap and Water at bath time!

OK - I'm sticking my neck out here - but why not adapt the tune the BBC used to use when they televised cricket matches - it's a really catchy and lively number.

"Land of Hope & Glory" has to be the worst of all possible suggestions, and I agree with you maryeliza54

Still seems to chime with the longing for lost empire brigade though - maybe the UK should acknowledge a bit more of the global harm that its imperialist past has done. Many might feel that regurgitating this old chestnut of a song is a tad insulting.

I like that suggestion saggi - mind you I think we'd have to go back to the 1970s when Britain was last a bringer of 'jollity'.

Still had remnants of 1960s best music years, moved into undeniably enjoyable disco and soul music.

Today in Britain, music evolution almost makes you feel like a 'stranger on the shore', even a 'puppet on a string', but please 'don't take away the music'.

Maybe the most suitable tune/song might be 'Stayin Alive', because we maybe really need a 'Caravan of Love'.

We don't really have a national anthem at all do we - we have a 'monarch's song'