Time to change the national anthem?

[Dayvo]

[QUOTE 4010112, member: 43827"]Did you show them ALL the actions, including the part about "coming" for to carry me home?

It would be good to see the royal family performing those actions in front of the Queen.[/QUOTE]

ALL the actions, as skilfully demonstrated by any rugby player in the clubhouse at about 8:00 on a Saturday evening.

We had a lot of Welsh players at the club, and they wouldn't let us sing some of the songs (proper ones) as they (rightfully) thought our singing was atrocious.

 

[Profpointy]

[QUOTE 4010066, member: 43827"]There's no need to change our national anthem:



Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,
Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

(Chorus)
Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.


Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,
Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i'm golwg sydd hardd;
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si
Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.

(Chorus)


Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed,
Mae hen iaith y Cymru mor fyw ag erioed,
Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

(Chorus)

Perhaps there is a need to write an English national anthem - one that celebrates the country itself, rather than the privileged family, of which the population are "subjects", and who come lower down in their affection than horses and dogs.

If a UK national anthem is required, possibly Rule Brittania - but update the anachronistic words. Jerusalem is a decent tune but change the words to reflect the secular society the UK has become.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot is a laughable choice for an anthem, given it was written about slaves looking for freedom - or is that what the British (particularly the Scots) are looking for after living in the UK?[/QUOTE]

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't know the other verses. There was a snippet on the radio the other day describing how the Kiwis had introduced the hakka (sp?) to intimidate the opposition, used with success on England on a particular occasion - but no match for 100,000 boyos belting out Hen Wlad fy nhadau full blast (on that day anyway)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I always loved Serge Gainsbourg's irreverent anti-colonial version of the Marseillais ('Aux armes etcetera..."), which really annoyed the right:


The Japanese national anthem is very controversial and many refuse to sing it - seeing as it's a glorification of the Emperor, and used by the right as part of their effort to return the country to Emperor-worship...

 

[MichaelW2]

How would Casablanca cafe scene play if they swapped the La Marseillaise for something less tuneful.

 

[totallyfixed]

If only this could be used with different words, listen from 5.28, does it for me.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-v-DZjZ9iY


This girl could sing an anthem for us, if you haven't seen it before prepare to be amazed

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDqTBlKU4CE


I think this would be my choice though

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UgSJgG7oQ

 

[winjim]

I wouldn't want to give the gouging copyright trolls any more money for it, though, so it should get its own special section in copyright law - like Peter Pan, except this one would be to invalidate any copyright for 4'33".

According to www.nationalanthems.info

Are national anthems copyrighted?
Most anthems are in the public domain due to the age of the song/lyrics or by legislation making national symbols copyright-free, however, individual composers can still arrange a national anthem and record it, and the recording of their arrangement is under copyright protection.​

So we might be alright .
I just think it's the piece of music with the least chance of offending anyone (except classical music conservatives), everyone knows the words, and it would give state functions an air of gravitas.

 

[pplpilot]

Not bothered. As an atheist and republican I wouldn't sing, listen or acknowledge it in any way whatsoever. 'God save the Queen' just how arrogant is that?

 

[srw]

John Cage died recently enough that his music is still in copyright.

 

[snorri]

Scotland got it right when they adopted "Flower of Scotland" as their unofficial national anthem.

Did we really?
I hope we didn't, ....................although it's ok for sporting events against the auld enemy.

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 4010066, member: 43827"]If a UK national anthem is required, possibly Rule Brittania - but update the anachronistic words[/QUOTE]
Unless you intend to change the words in the title, it's pretty imperialistic as well as anachronistic.

 

[MichaelW2]

I reckon with a few bits of critical information I could write a National Anthem for just about any country.
Highest mountain
Longest river
Most bounteous plane
Largest forest/wilderness area
Major mineral extraction industry
National bird/apex predator
City with fairest maidens
Most popular meat product

 

[TheDoctor]

Can we have Tubthumping by Chumbawamba?
It describes us perfectly. We won't be kept down, and we do like a drink. A whisky drink, then a vodka drink...

 

[Venod]

"Hey Jude" gets people singing who don't usually sing

 

[Profpointy]

"Hey Jude" gets people singing who don't usually sing

In this particular case , not wholly a good thing.

Edit Although to be fair it's a good song, but not sung by pub crowds, nor Sir Paul somewhat past his best

 

[Profpointy]

[QUOTE 4010671, member: 43827"]That too!

How about this:

Poor Brittania, Brittania once was strong,
Now the U.S. lets you tag along.

Poor Brittania, you once had factories,
Now you've call centres and bankers' sleaze.


I could go on, but I think you've all probably suffered enough already.[/QUOTE]

what's wrong with the traditional words?

"Rule Britannia!
Marmelade and jam
Five Chinese crackers up your peanut
bang, bang, bang, bang bang !"