Our National Anthem

It's horrible! It's dreary and slow and not even about the nation but about one person, the monarch.
I am rather fond of the French one but even so, I wonder why there is any requirement for these anthems? Some of them are very jingoistic, others are maudlin and I'm not sure what real purpose they serve.

I agree it is a very boring tune, but Land of Hope and Glory has impossibly imperialistic words. We really couldn’t have that in this day and age. Jerusalem is a wonderful tune with wonderful words, but not quite suitable because it is about England only.

I think we”ll have to stick with the one we’ve got.

I've often wondered why our National Anthem is a song about the Monarch. I've now found out!
here's the history behind it.
I agree that it is outdated, there is nothing about nationhood or national pride in it at all.

“That’s the view of Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who is calling for God Save The Queen to be part of the national curriculum.

He said: “We have generations of young people who don’t know the words of the national anthem and don’t understand the importance of national identity and its traditions.

“Singing the national anthem can provide a great sense of unity.

“Disrespecting or disowning the anthem is a cause for division.”

I have NEVER stood for the NA,why would I as a Scot when its 6th verse advocates "crushing rebellious Scots" now why would anyone sing a song that wants to destroy its people ..and why would the rest of this "Union" that we were told we're better together in think its a good idea for them to sing it?Thats quite apart from my opinions on Lizzie and her marry band of reverse robin hoods

Merry Band

We couldn't have Jerusalem as it implies that Jesus came to England, which he didn't, did he?

The words are of their time, I suppose, and the verse about the Scots is never included.

Have you ever read the words of the Marseillaise? They are pretty awful, violent, xenophobic and bloody, but still sung. The tune is vastly better than ours.

Mrs mopp,

There was a legend that Jesus came to England, but in any case poetic license means poetry doesn’t have to be literal, and usually isn’t.

I prefer 'Jerusalem'. I've been known to sing it at political gatherings and brandish an imaginary sword with 'Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand'.

I wasn´t born in the UK and I don´t live there now, though I did spend a great part of my life there. I love God Save the Queen. Whenever I hear it, my eyes mist over and I have a tendency to stand up. Most national anthems are boring, repetitive and nonsensical, but still make the people of those nations stand to attention. It is a symbol and symbols are important. Next thing will be doing away with the union jack or the royal coat of arms. Turn Buckingham Palace into a shopping centre? Whatever next?

I dislike it, and think the Welsh & Scottish (either one) much better. I love Jerusalem, though think we should probably not adopt it: or people will do a refrain that goes 'no, no, no, no, and get them yourself'.
I think we should commission a few of our great song writers to come up with new versions that are about our people, not the monarch, and have some sort of vote. Paul McCartney & Billy Bragg spring to mind (I love his version of I Vow to Thee My Country). I love Maggie Holland's 'England' but of course that wouldn't do for a 'national' anthem.
Jerusalem is sometimes sung at England rugby matches.

Polyester I think that’s a bit OTT.

The Welsh National Anthem is great , just expresses love of our country and language

www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/anthem/pages/anthem-lyrics-en.shtml

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Maybe it would be nice to have an English anthem

how is is OTT? (Over the top? Off the topic?) All I said was that I liked the present national anthem and didn´t favour a change. It seems to me that non-British born people are far more patriotic than the real Brits. Am reminded of the Indian family in Adrian Mole.

England does need it's own anthem but one which expresses love of country and not Land of Hope and Glory

Agree with OP. What we perhaps need are replacement lines for the impossible ones of Land of Hope and Glory, or Rule Britannia. The subject for a competition, perhaps - or for our poet laureate?

The thought of a national anthem by Paul McCartney is too terrible to contemplate.

I agree that God Save the Queen is a bit of a dirge and celebrates the monarchy rather than the nation and its achievements: Imagine if we had to sing all the verses:
www.lyricsondemand.com/n/nationalanthemlyrics/uknationalanthemlyrics.html.
I know that Flower of Scotland is a 'sacred cow', but the lyrics are backward-looking and confrontational - OK for Calcutta Cup matches, I agree! It looks back to the Battle of Bannockburn in which Robert the Bruce defeated 'Proud Edward's Army' and even the last verse which asserts that 'Those days are past now', ends, still looking back to our one big triumph:

But we can still rise now
And be the nation again
That stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Of course, we never encourage our national teams with 'The Flowers o' the Forest' which commemorates the disastrous battle of Flodden, 99 years after Bannockburn when the English got their own back in a big way.

It’s OTT because you went onto link it with what would happen next - or did you forget the ?

I could never accept Land of Hope and Glory even with different words because it used to be sung at the end of the Tory conference. We used to sing ‘Land of Dope and Tory’ and giggle.

Right, get it, present time only.

I was, tongue in cheek, going to suggest Rule Britannia. Then I read the lyrics - priceless jingoism:
www.songandpraise.org/rule-brittania-lyrics.htm