The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #31708   Message #415059
Posted By: roopoo
11-Mar-01 - 03:04 AM
Thread Name: English National Anthem
Subject: RE: BS: English National Anthem
All other UK countries except England have their own anthems and use them except when a more general one is required. The English to my knowledge have never had one of their own, as is shown by any international sporting event. Not only that, the tune is also used across the pond ("My Country 'tis of Thee") so it is not just "ours". We should be ashamed that we've either been too arrogant or complacent to think of one!

Now some might argue that the real English are the Welsh, but somehow I can't see "Land of My Fathers" being sung twice over at Twickenham! Other academics say that the nearest to Old English/Norse is spoken in Northumberland, which is about as unadulterated as you can get these days with the advent of "Estuary English". Unfortunately if you accept "Blaydon Races" it somehow wouldn't sound right in anything else except the original dialect.

Personally I like the suggestion of "T'Anthem". It's not too long, and it's a damn good sing. It also "travels" into other regional accents reasonably well. Don't know how it'd sound played by the band of the Coldstream Guards though...

Andrea