Posted on 07/24/2019 9:18:08 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Why is it Wales and Scotland, who share our monarch, both have stirring national songs while England plough on with our homage to Queen Elizabeth II? It's hardly the most uplifting and melodic of tunes...Compare it to France - whose tune La Marseillaise commences at 100mph without slowing down before it's defiant ending...Queen Elizabeth is our monarch, and quite rightly we sing for her. As we did for King George in the anthem's original adaption God save great George our king.
If we got rid of God Save the Queen, what would we sing?
When England compete in the Commonwealth Games, they sing the poem Jerusalem, it's regarded in many circles as the unofficial anthem of England. As well as its use at the Commonwealth Games, cricket fans following the country's fortunes sing it with gusto before play - however, the team still sing GSTQ.
"And did those feet in ancient time, Walk upon England's mountains green?"
It meanders through three verses before the final section that boasts the dramatic end...
"Till we have built Jerusalem, In England's green and pleasant Land."
What about any other options? The patriotic song 'Land of Hope and Glory' is a contender.
'Rule, Britannia!' Now this is a song that could rival Brazil or Italy for its upbeat tempo. It screams out patriotism and defiance.
(Excerpt) Read more at coventrytelegraph.net ...
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.
(Words by William Blake and Music by Sir Hubert Parry)
My vote would also go to "I Vow To Thee My Country." Beautiful and stirring.
“I Vow To Thee My Country” (from WWI Festival of Remembrance )
https://youtu.be/bvouc8Qs_MI
“Jerusalem” (from Royal Wedding of William & Catherine)
https://youtu.be/4yIWBO_7nio
“Dark, satanic mills” has always struck me as just a touch anti-capitslist. The whole song is an anthem to socialist hubris, that society can build the New Jerusalem on England’s green and pleasant shore if only it eliminates all those horrible capitalist inequities.
We mean it, man!
Not a Brit, but I’d vote for ‘Jerusalem’. It seems to be the unofficial anthem already.
Back when Peter Gabriel was with Genesis, they would play a brief snippet of “Jerusalem” with Peter whistling the melody, before going into “Suppers Ready”.
There are different interpretations of the term. The obvious one as you cited is a referral to the new industrial factories. Blake wasn’t the only one who considered them a blight on the land. Some believe Blake was referring to the corrupt Church of England. As this Wikiepdia entry cites Blake and many others in the Romantic movement were rebelling against the dominance of reason from the Enlightenment period.
Italy's national anthem may be stirring, but it makes you want to dance rather than fight. I don't think England wants to go there.
Spoken as an American whose most recent English ancestor arrived in 1850. Others arrived much earlier, and several met and married into the people who were already here.
“Back when Peter Gabriel was with Genesis”
Ahh..those were the days.
Mark
“..’Rule, Britannia!’ ....”
The UK would have to invest in a Navy again!
“...ompare it to France - whose tune La Marseillaise commences at 100mph without slowing down before it’s defiant ending...”
Oh, “La Marseillaise” ended a LOT less “defiantly” in 1940.
Why, the French even planted a lot of trees so the Germans could march in the shade...
Well at least they still have the rum and the sodomy.
I first heard Jerusalem on the LP version; Mr. Verity puts a bucket over his head & the store manager confronts the customer:
“Did you say `mattress’?”
“Well, yes.”
“I did ask you not to say `mattress’, didn’t I? Now I’ve got to get into the fish tank and sing!”
(sounds of splashing) “And did those feet in ancient times.....”
I still say the Soviet/Russian anthem musically is the best anthem.
The lyrics do leave much to be desired, though.
Fast forward and today it can be seen as anti-globalist...anti-E.U. ?
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