Should the national anthem be changed?
Discuss issues related to the politics of the UK, such as the actions of any MP, any current or potential law, or any other factor affecting the British political system.
| Announcements | Posted on | |
|---|---|---|
| TSR launches Learn Together! - Our new subscription to help improve your learning | 16-05-2013 | |
-
View Poll Results: Which of these should be the UK national anthem?
God Save the Queen 37 36.27% Land of Hope and Glory 19 18.63% Rule Britannia! 17 16.67% I Vow to Thee, My Country 10 9.80% Other 19 18.63%
-
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Posts: 33
Re: Should the national anthem be changedExactly. The majority of Scots were anti-Jacobite at the time. It isn't an anti-Scottish verse, it's an anti-Jacobite one.(Original post by Snagprophet)
A temporary verse, also note the noun phrase 'rebellious Scots' to distinguish as opposed to 'Scots' in general. -
- Reputation:
- TSR Deity
- Warning points: 5
Re: Should the national anthem be changedAs a historical phenomenon, it's questionable whether it even existed at all. The only account of it was published in a magazine, a century later, and came to the reader third-hand. That's not usually accepted as open-and-shut evidence of anything.(Original post by The_Mighty_Bush)
Exactly. The majority of Scots were anti-Jacobite at the time. It isn't an anti-Scottish verse, it's an anti-Jacobite one.
Anyway, as has been rightly pointed out, hundreds of verses have been penned to the tune of God Save the Queen - this one was no more part of the National Anthem than any other. -
- Reputation:
- Benevolent Member
- Location: London
- Posts: 729
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?God save our Queen is a bit defeatist, no? Implying that the future of our state depends on an invisible man saving our monarch. I also don't like the 'born to reign over us bit', makes us sound like serfs.
Overall I don't think it's inspiring and the lyrics are outdated. For me I Vow to Thee would be much better. It's patriotic, the lyrics are inspiring, it sums up Britishness and is overall a great anthem. -
- Reputation:
- Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
Re: Should the national anthem be changedDamn. I quite liked the idea of a national anthem calling for a rebellious-Scot-slaying zombie.(Original post by L i b)
As a historical phenomenon, it's questionable whether it even existed at all. The only account of it was published in a magazine, a century later, and came to the reader third-hand. That's not usually accepted as open-and-shut evidence of anything.
Anyway, as has been rightly pointed out, hundreds of verses have been penned to the tune of God Save the Queen - this one was no more part of the National Anthem than any other. -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Location: Eastmanstown in the upper cataracts on the Australio-Hong Kong border
- Posts: 178
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?Non of the choices in the poll are worthy of being a national anthem.
What we need is something completely new, most prefferably not down right depressing like GSTQ, and without lyrics. -
- Reputation:
- TSR Deity
- Warning points: 5
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?What does God Save the Queen have to do with Englishness? It is about the British monarch, was written after England ceased to be a political entity and is believed to come from an old Scottish hymn. As for history, God Save the King/Queen is tied intricately into Scottish history, not just as our National Anthem but in its rival use by Hanoverians and Jacobites and so on. Ultimately, the phrase 'God Save the King' has Biblical origins, some time before England was on the scene.(Original post by BoxesAndBangles)
I'm Scottish, don't feel like the national anthem applies to me. I might feel more British if 'British' things reflected the whole island rather than Englishness and it's history. -
- Reputation:
- Peer Of The TSR Realm
- Posts: 1,492
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?I completely understand where you are coming from. For me, culturally - whether it's wrong or right - I was brought up feeling like the royal family were an 'English' thing. That was the general consensus where I was from. I feel like culturally, even if it was through misunderstanding, God Save the Queen has been used in reference to all thing 'British' as opposed to 'Scottish'. I don't think Britishness should be about being English but generally the essence of Britishness is conveyed as Englishness. Around the world, so many people think Britain and England are synonyms.(Original post by L i b)
What does God Save the Queen have to do with Englishness? It is about the British monarch, was written after England ceased to be a political entity and is believed to come from an old Scottish hymn. As for history, God Save the King/Queen is tied intricately into Scottish history, not just as our National Anthem but in its rival use by Hanoverians and Jacobites and so on. Ultimately, the phrase 'God Save the King' has Biblical origins, some time before England was on the scene.
I'm blabbing on: my point is, right or wrong and regardless of where it comes from, to me the modern day use of national anthem doesn't feel encompassing of my culture. I've nothing against being British, just would like it to feel more like all 4 countries than 1. -
- Reputation:
- Full Member
- Posts: 138
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?From a musical perspective, 'Jerusalem' would be much better than 'God Save the Queen' imho. It would present the issue, however, of the UK not being England. Thus we can only have it if the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish decide to go their own way.
Anyone else seen the Al Murray sequence on God saving the Queen? -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 3
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?Course the NA should be changed... Long live our noble queen... Don't make me laugh. There is nothing 'noble' about our queen... I read an interesting article about the royal family yesterday called 'Monsters Inc http://www.ccs-rochford.co.uk/spivey/?p=3786
The article was full of proof about all their affairs, including the Queens. The same article more than proved that at best the royal family are nazi supporters, which is an insult to our war dead. The Queen is supposedly the head of the church... look at all the weddings we paid for that ended in divorce They dont take their marriage vows seriously ... The sanctity of marriage is a joke to them... The article Monsters Inc sums them up perfectly. the writer says:
A Royal family should be beyond reproach. They should lead by example and have high moral standards. In short, they should be a shining example not only to our Nation but the world as a whole. We should be proud of our heritage. Instead, they socialise with Paedophiles, crooks and sex offenders. At best they are a source of shame and a National disgrace.
God save our queen? Errr, no thanks. -
- Reputation:
- TSR Deity
- Warning points: 5
Re: Should the national anthem be changed?LOL, nutter.(Original post by Stacker)
Course the NA should be changed... Long live our noble queen... Don't make me laugh. There is nothing 'noble' about our queen... I read an interesting article about the royal family yesterday called 'Monsters Inc http://www.ccs-rochford.co.uk/spivey/?p=3786
The article was full of proof about all their affairs, including the Queens. The same article more than proved that at best the royal family are nazi supporters, which is an insult to our war dead. The Queen is supposedly the head of the church... look at all the weddings we paid for that ended in divorce They dont take their marriage vows seriously ... The sanctity of marriage is a joke to them... The article Monsters Inc sums them up perfectly. the writer says:
A Royal family should be beyond reproach. They should lead by example and have high moral standards. In short, they should be a shining example not only to our Nation but the world as a whole. We should be proud of our heritage. Instead, they socialise with Paedophiles, crooks and sex offenders. At best they are a source of shame and a National disgrace.
God save our queen? Errr, no thanks.
