What's new

England - Should we change the national anthem?

Huttsey

Huttsey

First Team Regular
Messages
3,454
Reaction score
937
There's a bit of debate going on today on whether English teams should drop 'God Save the Queen' as our national anthem.

I'm interested to know what you all think of this? To me, GStQ, where I ask somebody I don't believe in to save somebody I care very little about doesn't stir any passion in me at all and I wouldn't object to it being replaced.

 
Yes.  I agree with Huttsey.

I saw a suggestion on twitter that it should be replaced with Wonderwall on the basis that at least everyone knows the words!  Imagine thousands of people belting that out! :biggrin:

 
Beerqueen said:
I saw a suggestion on twitter that it should be replaced with Wonderwall
Click to expand...

Please God no!!

I genuinely think Sven Sven Sven would be a better choice than that featureless, drawling mess. Even a 20-minute Emerson, Lake & Palmer instrumental would be preferable.

 
PloKoon13 said:
Please God no!!

I genuinely think Sven Sven Sven would be a better choice than that featureless, drawling mess. Even a 20-minute Emerson, Lake & Palmer instrumental would be preferable.
Click to expand...
I knew some of you would react like that!  

How about Knees up Mother Brown?

 
As a Finn I don't really have anything to say on the matter other than that I sometimes wish Sibelius' Finlandia was the national anthem of Finland.

 
Maksimov said:
As a Finn I don't really have anything to say on the matter other than that I sometimes wish Sibelius' Finlandia was the national anthem of Finland.
Click to expand...
Yes! And instead of words everybody should go Pah-pah-pah or Boing-boing-boing to accompany the instruments.

The Dutch anthem is a 16th century protest song containing 15 verses. If we would sing them all before a match, we would win every match by default, having bored everybody to death. As it is, we only sing the first verse (in theory anyway, many people don't seem to know the words).

 
As a Hungarian I usually do not talk about our anthem... Except for the fact that I'd dearly love to change it.

 
I like our national anthem but I do understand the desire to change. If we did though I think Jerusalem would be a terrible choice, it's too slow and dreary, hard to get much passion into it.

What about Cockney Sparrer's England belongs to me.


 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why do you guys sing that you have German blood, Valerie?

Always funny.

Especially when you are playing against the Germans.

 
Please not Jerusalem.

In fact I don't think we have anything suitable for the 21 century.

Why not have a brand new anthem made.

Do what the Irish RU did, commission  a new anthem, something uplifting to the people.


 
Jones1905 said:
Apparently the debate is just between Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem. 

Which is a shame because... 

My suggestion would be this. 

OK, OK, my serious suggestion would be this. 
Click to expand...
Bit predictable that it's between Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.  I actually quite like them both but was hoping for something a bit less obvious - like your suggestions!  

Three Lions?  Though it always makes me cry as my dad died the night England were knocked out of the world cup in 1998.  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
            How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
            Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
            God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
            God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

No problem with Land of Hope and Glory, the right pace, the right composer.

But we cannot have these old fashioned lyrics, they need updating, nobody talks like that any more.

 
Personally, I quite like the old-fashioned words - it's like the Lord's Prayer - I think it sounds much better with "thy name" rather than "your name" etc.

 
At the last Commonwealth Games in 2014 Jerusalem was played when an English competitor was awarded a gold medal. Prior to that Land of Hope and Glory was played. I believe that GSTQ was played many years ago but am not sure when the change to Land of Hope and Glory was made. For competitors from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales the anthems Flower of Scotland; Londonderry Air and Hen Wald Fy Nhadua are played respectively. Jerusalem is also played at the start of England's cricket matches. Correct me if I'm wrong, I think that GSTQ is only played for the England football and rugby (Union and League) matches so a change to Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory or I vow to thee my Country or any other song would bring the football and rugby teams in line with other sports I've mentioned. 

I was always led to believe that GSTQ is the National Anthem of the whole of the United Kingdom and not just for England. I like Coco's suggestion of composing a new national anthem for England and following the example of the IRFU: a song was written for both sides of the Irish border.

A slight aside, GSTQ is also played before Northern Ireland football matches. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top