Anthem 4 England
02
February
Via JohnJo at the England Project, I followed a link to Anthem 4 England and mostly find the project laudable. One issue:
This is not a republican website - though some contributors to the blog may hold those views - it is a website arguing that the English should sing an English, not British, anthem. God Save the Queen can continue to be the British anthem, to be sung as a celebration of Britishness or the monarch, by the individual nations of Britain, or by the English, Scots, Welsh and Irish when they are gathered together as Brits.
Piss off guys. Happy to see it as a royal anthem, but I’d rather dump it completely for Britain, it’s godawful (apart, perhaps, from the bit about rebellious Scots). Can’t we just adopt Rule Britannia (which, I know, was written about England, but it doesn’t sound like it) for Britain and Jerusalem for England?
My dislike of God Save may be a holdover from my former republicanism, it may be my atheism. But I suspect it’s my dislike of crap songs and awful tunes. Anyone out there actually like the song? I know many support the sentiment, but the song? I’m right, aren’t I, it is crap?
1. Katherine | February 2nd, 2006 at 11:41 am
Former republicanism?
2. MatGB | February 2nd, 2006 at 1:28 pm
If you’d asked me when I was 21, I’d have said simply abolish the monarcy, waste of time and money.
Since then, I’ve studied a lot, not just British history but also contries in Europe with similar traditions, and especially Spain. Spanish history, British history, a reading of Burke and a look at the most stable democracies in Europe points to supporting a Constitutional Monarchy in those countries that have an established monarchical tradition.
Reform the existing monarchy, fix its problems, but dumping it is more hassle than its worth.
3. CuriousHamster | February 2nd, 2006 at 4:28 pm
You’re right. It’s not a song, it’s a dirge. Billy Connelly did a bit about this years ago. He suggested the theme from the Archer’s might be more uplifting if memory serves. I’m sure we could work out some suitable words.
Although talk of crushing rebellious Scots is obviously just wishful thinking from Southern softies. ;o)