God Save the Queen
 

Firstly were you webbers aware that there are 6 or even more verses to our National Anthem (for U.K.ers that is) - and what I thought was the second verse is actually the third?

This is the officially recognised 6 verses:
first publicly performed in London, 1745

1. God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us;
God save the Queen!

2. O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all!

3. Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign;
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen!

4. Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world over.

5. From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!

6. Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the King!


This Text and Tune is often credited to Henry Carey, 1740, although there is controversy with many votes, including the British monarchy's, for anonymous. On official occasions, only the first verse is usually sung, and occasionally verse 3. The tune has been used by many countries for anthems and hymns.

OUCH! Sorry you Scots :p

Personally, I would like to keep this as our anthem but I know that many people are in favour of a change, What about you? and has anyone had the occasion to sing more than 2 verses?

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Nope i say change it personally i prefer 'land of hope & glory' or even 'Jerusalem' LOL I think a National Anthem should be about the good of our Country rather than the Royal heirachy. But there are Countries with worst national anthems than our one at the moment & even if we stick to god save the queen it will still mean a lot as English pride anthem during the World Cup LOL :D

Though have to say interestingly i wasn't aware there were more verses to it although only bit i know proper is lalallalala ... god save the queen pmsl in fact know Jerusalem lyrics much better maybe that could be reason as we arn't like the Americans having the national anthem as morning prayer everyday pmsl :D

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I say change it to Land Of Hope & Glory; we should be celebrating everything that is good in the UK (the success of the people); not celebrating the existance of a silly old bat living off public money for no apparent reason.

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Personally I think we need something completely new to reflect the diversity in the UK/GB . We are no longer that Island fortress but a multicultural country if economic ties to the 4 corners of the world. Time we reflected that. Owd Liz can stay but sad old Chic aint to sure of so maybe it should be Billy boy next in line.

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I like Land of Hope and Glory and I love Jerusalem so I say change it for one of them. Though have to say that I would hate it if someone chopped around with the current God Save our Queen song - I really don't like it when political correctness makes changes to things like that.

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I too think it should be Land of Hope and Glory. God save the queen is so out of date.

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It has served the country well for almost three hundred years. Beethoven thought we were truly blessed in having the tune as our national anthem.
It embodies all of the sentiments that made our country great and unique in the world. If it aint broke, and it ain't, why fix it?

The whole point about things that are traditional is that they remain the same from generation to generation.

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There's also the point of moving with the times, Acrylic-Bob.
God Save The Queen embodies a Britain which has not existed for decades; the all conquering empire of a state.

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Well shakes you going to write a new song for us then? :D

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Somehow I don't think the Royalists would approve.....lol

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If you love the Queen doesnt mean they should ignore the country as a whole. Besides we might not be a monarchy for ever. She could get a line in the song to keep them happy.

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Good point...even The Pistols' 'God Save The Queen' has its charms :cool::D

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All we need now is a song to top it. Gonna be hard.

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Agreed. Stick her and Phil the Greek in a home for the bewildered. I'm sure there must be better uses for Buck House than having these two wandering around bouncing off the walls, she doesn't even know how many rooms it has.

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Any sugestions as to what to use buck house for? If they were to go we would def need a new anthem.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Land of hope and Glory for me

Re: God Save the Queen
 

I don't object to God Save The Queen under the GB flag for sporting events and such, but it would be nice if England adopted it's own National Anthem, for those occaisions Land Of Hope and Glory would get my vote. :engsmil:

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thats the most sensible reply on here.
The national anthem is a national one, but it's part of our heritage. Your all so keen on getting rid of the sponging royals but do you think how much prestige They give the country? Would we get that with A president?, what would you do with the all the royal connected things that help draw tourists in, the palace, the crown jewels, etc . It's not just the royal family you'd be getting rid of, it's far more than that.
God save our Queen
Religion let it be
Royals lets throw them out and get a president
Is that not a contradiction, that goes against the main religion in this country? As the two go together. Why was the church of england formed?

I do think England needs an Identity of it's own though, we have st patricks day, but when it comes to stgeorges day, nothing, no celebration, no holiday, just some politically correct loony telling the people that have bothered to fly the flag that they're being racist.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Found this lovely bit of trivia regarding our National Anthem whilst having a mooch on the web .... quite interesting :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen

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Sell 'em, give the money to the NHS.

Because a fat bloke couldn't get a divorce from the old religious bloke

Re: God Save the Queen
 

The fat bloke was married to the old religious bloke??? gawd, I never got taught that at my school.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Land of Hope and Glory is our anthem at the Commonwealth Games. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all compete under their own flags and use their own anthems. God Save the Queen isnt being played at all. Personally i'd leave it as it is and if we did become a republic it would have to be something else.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Bloody hell how long you been on this forum? I do believe that was your first attempt at inciting a giggle! Well done, better luck next time :rolleyes:

Re: God Save the Queen
 

thinking about this ????????????? A/B you mentioned that its been along these lines for eons! what apart from the history of england does she put into this country, she kills off unwanted brides ...........etc she doesnt stick up for the cause! (of hunting ) going to get my self hung here!

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Nothing, but why change it, you seem to think you'll pay less tax, but you won't, you'll just get some useless politician, that does nothing for the country as pressident, and you'll loose the the prestige that the queen gives the country, the heritage, the tourists. I'm not a big fan of them, I think they've bought the present attitude on themselves with the dianna episode but I do see there's nothing to be gained by changing things.

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Land of hope and Glory anyday and it's alot more cheary than God save our Gratious Queen (wat we gonna sing wen we get a knig????) God save our Gratious King now that just dusn't fit

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Errr........I seem to recall the anthem then goes "God save the King".

Re: God Save the Queen
 

it doesnt bother me i dont know it anyway! i only know the first line then i seem to sing lalalala to the rest. :D

Re: God Save the Queen
 

You obviously have a different understanding of the word "Gracious". As a reference to the monarch, the word carries with it the explicit meaning of mercy, justice and even-handedness and as such it is an admirable quality in anyone and one which is devoutly to be wished for in any monarch. In the context of the National Anthem the word is not associated with attributes which may be seen as exclusively feminine.

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That was a while ago. :D

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Yep I Remember Singing God Save Our Gracious King .it Seemed Strange When He Died And We Had To Sing Queen Instead

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Maybe Dean is confusing 'gracious' with 'graceful'? :D

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Get rid of the darned thing and have Jerusalem, my old school song :D

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I have to agree with Willow in that our anthem has a depressing quality about it and sounds like something that you would hear in a chapel of rest. Most of us seem to agree that Land of Hope and Glory would be a better anthem....

How many of us know all of the words to that????????:D

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Land of Hope and Glory

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!

Truth and Right and Freedom, each a holy gem,
Stars of solemn brightness, weave thy diadem.

Tho' thy way be darkened, still in splendour drest,
As the star that trembles o'er the liquid West.

Throned amid the billows, throned inviolate,
Thou hast reigned victorious, thou has smiled at fate.

Land of Hope and Glory, fortress of the Free,
How may we extol thee, praise thee, honour thee?

Hark, a mighty nation maketh glad reply;
Lo, our lips are thankful, lo, our hearts are high!

Hearts in hope uplifted, loyal lips that sing;
Strong in faith and freedom, we have crowned our King!



Hmmm that last couplet poses a bit of a problem considering we don't have a king. What could rhyme with queen? "Loyal lips that preen"?

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Yeah me knows a good un.....let it be a home for all the retired wheelie bins.........wish mine would flippin retire, just nearly broke my back movin the dam thing!.....J

Re: God Save the Queen
 

I thought England was a Christian country.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp
The problem with Jerusalem is that it doesn't represent everyone. It's a Christian hymn and a large part of the population is not Christian.


Willow is commenting on the fact that in Jerusalem christians are a minority.

Re: God Save the Queen
 

Cone on.. you can't change the anthem just like that! god save the Queen is known all over the planet. whats the swedish anthem or the ugandan anthem? no one knows

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Everyone knows Land Of Hope and Glory better....hell, the Americans even use it on their victory marches/degree ceremonies etc

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DrillerCone on.. you can't change the anthem just like that! god save the Queen is known all over the planet. whats the swedish anthem or the ugandan anthem? no one knows

Just for you driller. :D

Du gamla, Du fria, Du fjällhöga nord
Du tysta, Du glädjerika sköna!
Jag hälsar Dig, vänaste land uppå jord,
Din sol, Din himmel, Dina ängder gröna.

Du tronar på minnen från fornstora dar,
då ärat Ditt namn flög över jorden.
Jag vet att Du är och Du blir vad du var.
Ja, jag vill leva jag vill dö i Norden.

Jag städs vill dig tjäna mitt älskade land,
din trohet till döden vill jag svära.
Din rätt, skall jag värna, med håg och med hand,
din fana, högt den bragderika bära.

Med Gud skall jag kämpa, för hem och för härd,
för Sverige, den kära fosterjorden.
Jag byter Dig ej, mot allt i en värld
Nej, jag vill leva jag vill dö i Norden.

Text: Richard Dybeck, 1844
SVERIGES NATIONALSÅNG SEDAN 1866

Ye free, ancient country
Ye high mountaned north
Ye silent and free
and so delightful
We greet you as loveliest
land upon earth
Your shining sun, your sky
Your pastures green
(repeat previous two lines)
You rest on your memories
of days great and past
When all round the world
your name was honored
I know that you'll always remain
the way you were
In my own Nordic land
I'll live forever
(repeat previous two lines)