Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Jun 17 - 02:58 AM

McGrath, that's an absolutely brilliant suggestion! Hahaha! Love it!

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 09:36 PM

I've always favoured "Yellow Submarine" as a replacement to God Save the Queen.
Good natured, inclusive, and absurd, which are pretty good candidates for what ought to be seen as the "British Values" worth encouraging.

Paul McCartney's Frogs' Chorus wouuld be another excellent choice -

Win Or Lose, Sink Or Swim
One Thing Is Certain We'll Never Give In
Side By Side, Hand In Hand
We All Stand Together...

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Jack Campin
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 08:11 PM

Wave a dish of caviar over it instead...

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 08:04 PM

--- and as for 'royal occasions' - I ignore them completely!

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 08:03 PM

god save the king - including 'rebellious Scots' verse - was written for performance in London theatre as The Bonnie Prince and his Jacobite army marched South, well on their way to take the English capita! Supposed to keep the Londoners in good heart,stop the exodus of fearty people
I can't think of any occasion when people in Scotland would sing Rule Britannia - it's not in our dna! Freedom Come A' Ye perhaps, certainly amongst 'folkies'

(I am old enough to remember when 'the national anthem' was played at the end of (every?) function, cinema, theatres etc - and people all stood! by the time I was third year at school rebels amongst us were refusing to stand or sing - and I joined them. Preferred to sing ban the bomb songs. I've not sung the anthem since, nor stood for it. If at a function where there's a 'loyal toast' - I don't, tho if I am at top table I pass my glass of whisky over a glass of water and quietly say 'king over the water'!

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 04:58 PM

'A Place Called England' would be fine for events involving just England, but it doesn't cover Scotland, Wales or Ireland.
'Rule Britannia' covers the whole of Britain, and is a song British people may turn to spontaneously when they want to express feelings of defiance, triumph, love of freedom. An example being a bus-load of children on a school trip who were in the news a few years back, finally heading for home after having been detained by Eastern European bureaucrats. The news item showed the bus with the children singing at the tops of their voices.

'God Save the Queen' (or 'God Save the King' when we have one) would be better reserved for royal occasions.

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 10:12 AM

wiki - I'm Backing Britain

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 09:57 AM

I'm trying to remember the "I'm Backing Britain" campaign of the mid 1960's...

Was there a song to go along with it..???

apart from maybe "World Cup Willy"...



..welll yes... there was....
I'm Backing Britain 🇬🇧 😜

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 09:55 AM

I'd vote for Maggie Holland's A place called England any time

DtG

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 09:13 AM

Hahahaha Greg, yes, we did our best didn't we?

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Greg F.
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 08:48 AM

We don't need to invade the entire world.

Yiz done that already in the 19th Century.   ;>)

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 07:24 AM

I believe it is Tunesmith.

As Connelly says, "Don't get me wrong, I agree the Queen should be saved. And if so, then God's the very chap." He goes on to explain how awful it is however, especially at ceremonies such as the Olympics.

I think our anthem is the most boring, uninspiring, dreary thing ever.
And why not praise our country rather than the Monarch? 'Land Of Hope And Glory' would be much better in my opinion. Although... expressing a wish for our bounds to be set 'wider still and wider' is a bit greedy. We don't need to invade the entire world.

Maybe Connelly is right and the Archers tune could be used with some patriotic lyrics. Very jolly and catchy.

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Jack Campin
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 07:20 AM

The British anthem isn't originally a national anthem at all, and there weren't any when it was written - it was called "The King's Anthem" for its first century or so. (It has also never had any standard text, so getting aerated about the anti-Scottish verse from the 18th century is rather beside the point, no law ever said anyone had to sing it).

The American anthem is even sillier, praising a flag. (They oughta use "This Land Is Your Land" and then they can argue interminably about whether to use the last verse).

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 07:10 AM

Is it true that the British national anthem is the only anthem which is praise of a person rather than a country and its people?

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm-national anthems
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 04:40 AM

Haha Sandra! God Save the Queen had the line '...rebellious Scots to crush...'. That verse is tactfully not sung any more!

We had to learn the thing as Brownies. I've never known it taught in schools in all my years as a teacher, nor ever seen the flag put up anywhere on the premises. Strange that...

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 12:52 AM

not only enthusiasm but sticking to the exact beat (hmmm)

oh, dear I hope it doesn't come in here - most Aussies can sing the first verse & can mumble bits of the second verse, with more mumbling than words ...

Forgotten verses of Advance Australia Fair we'd be embarrassed to sing today IF THERE'S one tune we're going to hear a lot of today, aside from the winner of the Triple J Hottest 100 of course, it's the Australian national anthem.

With backs straight and heads held high, many of us will prepare to belt it out, only to suddenly realise we've forgotten every second word and therefore proceed to mumble our way through the thing. Apart from "girt by sea". Everyone remembers that line even if no one quite understands what it means. (read on)

Advance Australia Fair lyrics & info

sandra (who certainly knows "girt by sea", & even what it means - we are an island continent, but had forgotten it was once the third verse ...)

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 04:00 PM

If you sing any anthem you ought to song it with enthusias. There've been some dire singing of the Red Flag at party cnferences by New Labour politicos...

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 11:50 AM

It's called Lupang Hinirang, and it's ever so catchy. There's a bit in the middle that sounds as if it's breaking into La Marseillaise.
Much more cheery than the dirge God Save Our Gracious Queen.

(see Billy Connelly on Youtube, suggesting the Archers music for our National Anthem. Brilliant!)

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: Jack Campin
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 10:45 AM

Not good enough, M. You could get in trouble for that.

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: GUEST,M
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 10:44 AM

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 09:41 AM

Oh no.. this'll give Tory right-wingers and brexiteers another bright idea.

Subject: RE: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: Raggytash
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 09:32 AM

Jessica Sachez sings the Philippine Anthem

Subject: Compulsory enthusiasm
From: Jack Campin
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 09:27 AM

Anybody know the Philippine national anthem? This is just crying out for a suitable parody:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40415778