National Anthems

[Norrin Radd]

Our anthem is an absolute durge ,it's painful to listen to. We need a more upbeat tune along with words that give you a feeling of belonging to our country .
Whatever that tune or anthem is I don't know but whatever it is it's got to be better that falling asleep to our durge of a tune .

 

[RichA]

How about an Abba Voyage style AI version of "Whispering Grass" with Don Estelle accompanied by Windsor Davies for all GB sporting events? One for the kids.

 

[Robster59]

Why do we need lyrics, apart from a sing-a-long. Spain doesn't have any lyrics to it's National Anthem. Neither do Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino and Kosovo.
In terms of rousing, I like Land of Hope and Glory. Jerusalem is just too religious, and also the lyrics are extremely unlikely.
For me, if you must have a National Anthem (with or without lyrics), make it something rousing that stirs the soul. God Save the King is not even a unique melody. It is also used in the national anthem of Liechtenstein, "Oben am jungen Rhein", and the royal anthem of Norway, "Kongesangen". The melody is used for the American patriotic song "My Country, 'Tis of Thee".
For the lyrics, if you have lyrics, they always tend to be patriotic, with references to future "glories" (how glorious some of them were is up to debate).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

For the amount of times I've heard it already this summer surely Three Lions has already been adopted

 

[Robster59]

For the amount of times I've heard it already this summer surely Three Lions has already been adopted

Only for football matches though.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Swing low sweet chariots. The rugby boys have it sung to them .

 

[Robster59]

Swing low sweet chariots. The rugby boys have it sung to them .

Too Rugby Union focused.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Swing low sweet chariots. The rugby boys have it sung to them .

SLSC is now as hackneyed and past its sell by date as an ‘anthem’ for England as (unfortunately IMO) FOS is for Scotland - for I was one who sang it at Corries concerts in the mid-70s before it moved to Murrayfield and the Edinburgh pubs post match - where I continued to sing it with gusto before it was formally adopted by the SRU.

In my experience SLSC is a song that rugby followers sang in the pub with a few (or many) pints in their bellies - accompanied by hand and arm choreography that was in part lewd. And the lewd bit was why most blokes that I knew enjoyed singing it. Nothing to do with the tune or words. Hardly the stuff of anthems.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

SLSC is now as hackneyed and past its sell by date as an ‘anthem’ for England as (unfortunately IMO) FOS is for Scotland - for I was one who sang it at Corries concerts in the mid-70s before it moved to Murrayfield and the Edinburgh pubs post match - where I continued to sing it with gusto before it was formally adopted by the SRU.

In my experience SLSC is a song that rugby followers sang in the pub with a few (or many) pints in their bellies - accompanied by hand and arm choreography that was in part lewd. And the lewd bit was why most blokes that I knew enjoyed singing it. Nothing to do with the tune or words. Hardly the stuff of anthems.

When the pipes stop for the second verse of FoS....that is a magical moment.
Passing from the past to the present.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

In my experience SLSC is a song that rugby followers sang in the pub with a few (or many) pints in their bellies - accompanied by hand and arm choreography that was in part lewd. And the lewd bit was why most blokes that I knew enjoyed singing it. Nothing to do with the tune or words. Hardly the stuff of anthems.

It is just a rude Rugger boys song

 

[SocketRocket]

Well Westering Home (Eilean mo Chridh’) is indeed lovely…as are the Eriskay Love Lilt and Tiree Love Song. Problem is…there is strong rivalries between the Hebridean islands and to have an Islay song as an anthem…well pigs would be flying

Don't some derivatives use "my ain land" In place of "Islay"

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Don't some derivatives use "my ain land" In place of "Islay"

Indeed though ‘my ain land’ as sung refers to Islay, though in my experience it is sung by Gaels of other Hebridean islands often with their own island in mind as the words talk of the journey Hebridean Gaels make when travelling Home.

A bit like The Dark Island…though a much more recent song (and not originally Gaelic) from the early 60s and one referring to Benbecula - because that island is not named in the lyric Hebridean Gaels will sing it with their own island in mind. I find it very evocative when I sing or hear it as I have taken the boat from Oban through the Sound of Mull, passing Coll then out to Tiree many times - sometimes heading north to Barra and South Uist. Glorious.

Dougie MacLean’s Caledonia is these days the song thinking of exiles reflecting with longing and love of their country that is sung at the end of many Scottish weddings…along with Auld Land Syne, FoS, and 500 miles / Sunshine on Leith and maybe also chuck in Dignity by Deacon Blue to make for a rousing and sentimental ending to the evening.

 

[Asian Dawn]

The one good thing about the Scottish anthem is that you only have to hear it in the opening group games

 

[IanMcC]

I'm a Scot.
God Save The King is an absurd embarrasment.
Flower of Scotland does not send the right message either.

I would chose Robert Burns' 'A Mans A Man For A' That' as the Scots National Anthem. Great words, simple Major Chord tune, and sends the correct message about our nation.

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.

Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

 

[IanM]

"Land of hope and glory" with a few 21st century tweaks, is the way forward.

Stiring tune,

Billy Connolly of course had it sussed way back. (Archer's theme)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

"Land of hope and glory" with a few 21st century tweaks, is the way forward.

Stiring tune,

Billy Connolly of course had it sussed way back. (Archer's theme)

He did a live version of that gag at the Hammersmith Odeon or whatever name it is now when I went to see him. Brilliantly funny and bang on the money

 

[Tashyboy]

I'm a Scot.
God Save The King is an absurd embarrasment.
Flower of Scotland does not send the right message either.

I would chose Robert Burns' 'A Mans A Man For A' That' as the Scots National Anthem. Great words, simple Major Chord tune, and sends the correct message about our nation.

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.

Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

Flippin eck the game would be finished by the time you sung all that.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm a Scot.
God Save The King is an absurd embarrasment.
Flower of Scotland does not send the right message either.

I would chose Robert Burns' 'A Mans A Man For A' That' as the Scots National Anthem. Great words, simple Major Chord tune, and sends the correct message about our nation.

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.

Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

Agree 100% - it was memorably sung by Sheena Wellington at the formal opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, with the assembled MSPs and guests movingly joining in.

As noted elsewhere - the poem (and song) endorses equality in a nation, and rails against social injustices; it's as relevant now as in Burns's time.

I sing it at Burns Suppers I host at my club, and give the words out for all to join in singing the chorus - and even with those taking part being primarily English it does go down well.

 

[KenL]

I'm a Scot.
God Save The King is an absurd embarrasment.
Flower of Scotland does not send the right message either.

I would chose Robert Burns' 'A Mans A Man For A' That' as the Scots National Anthem. Great words, simple Major Chord tune, and sends the correct message about our nation.

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.

Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

I'm from Scotland, but don't consider myself a Scot.

Can we have a translation please?
What's a birkie?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I'm from Scotland, but don't consider myself a Scot.

Can we have a translation please?
What's a birkie?

A foolish person