National Anthem

unnameable said:

Sussex means South Saxons, as in Kingdom of. Essex means East Saxons. Wessex means West Saxons. Middlesex means Middle Saxons.

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edna krabappel said:

But it doesn't break my heart when they don't make the effort. Look at all the great national anthems around the world, look at the passion they generate in their fans/teams:

-La Marseillaise
-Deutschland Uber Alles
-the Star Spangled Banner
-Advance Australia Fair
-even God Bless New Zealand (with two verses, in Maori and English, no less, of which many players can sing both) is better.
.

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The Large One said:

Go on, enlighten me. What is God Save The Queen really about?

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Storer68 said:

You asked for it............................

"God Save the Queen" currently acts as the national anthem of the United Kingdom, though it has never been officially adopted by Royal Proclamation or Act of Parliament, but, rather, has become entrenched by tradition alone. In general only one or two verses are sung, but on rare occasions three.[8] The British variation of the lyrics to "God Save the Queen" is the oldest amongst those currently used, and forms the basis on which all other versions used throughout the Commonwealth are formed; though, again, the words have varied throughout the years.


[edit] British lyrics
The phrase "God Save the King" is much older than the song, appearing, for instance, several times in the King James Bible.[9] Scholes says that as early as 1545 "God Save the King" was a watchword of the Royal Navy, with the response being "Long to reign over us".[10][11] He also notes that the prayer read in churches on anniversaries of the Gunpowder Plot includes words which might have formed part of the basis for the second verse "Scatter our enemies... assuage their malice and confound their devices".

In 1745, The Gentleman's Magazine published "God save our lord the king: A new song set for two voices", describing it as "As sung at both Playhouses."[12] Traditionally, the first performance was thought to have been in 1745, when it was sung in support of King George II, after his defeat at the Battle of Prestonpans by the army of the Charles Edward Stuart, son of James Francis Edward Stuart, the Jacobite claimant to the British throne, whose forces were mostly Scottish Catholics. It is sometimes claimed that, ironically, the song was originally sung in support of the Jacobite cause: the word "send" in the line "Send him victorious" could imply that the king was absent. Also there are examples of early eighteenth century Jacobean drinking glasses which are inscribed with a version of the words and were apparently intended for drinking the health of King James II. Scholes acknowledges these possibilities but argues that the same words were probably being used by both Jacobite and Hanoverian supporters and directed at their respective kings.[13]


[edit] "Standard" British version
There is no definitive version of the lyrics. However, the version consisting of the following three verses has the best claim to be regarded as the 'standard' British version, appearing not only in the 1745 Gentleman's Magazine, but also in publications such as The Book of English Songs: From the Sixteenth to the Ninteenth Century (1851), [14] National Hymns: How They are Written and how They are Not Written (1861),[15] Household Book of Poetry (1882),[16] and Hymns Ancient and Modern, revised version (1982).[17] The same version with verse two omitted appears in publications including Scouting for boys (1908),[18] and on the U.K. Government's "Monarchy Today" website.[19] At the Queen's Golden Jubilee Party at the Palace concert, Prince Charles referred in his speech to the "politically incorrect second verse" of the National Anthem.

[show]Standard version of God Save the Queen
1
God save our gracious Queen,1
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.
2
O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.
3
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.*
* When the monarch of the time is male, beyond the other alterations mentioned above, the last line of the third verse is changed to "with heart and voice to sing/ God Save the King".


In the United Kingdom, the first verse is the only verse typically sung, even at official occasions, although the third verse is sung in addition on rare occasions, and usually at the Last Night of the Proms.

Around 1745, the anti-Jacobite sentiment was captured in a fourth verse, with a prayer for the success of George Wade's army then assembling at Newcastle. These words attained some short-term popularity, although they did not appear in the published version in Gentleman's Magazine:

Lord, grant that Marshal Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush and like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush,
God save the King.
This verse was abandoned soon after, and certainly before the song became accepted as the British national anthem in the 1780s and 1790s.[20][21] Despite the short-lived currency of this verse, it is still cited as a reason for the anthem causing great offence when sung in most parts of Scotland, even though the motive for its writing drew on what was essentially a religious divide (the Protestantism of the Hanoverians vs. the Catholicism of the Jacobites) rather than one between England and Scotland.

Various other attempts were made during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to add verses to commemorate particular royal or national events. For example, according to Fitzroy Maclean, when Jacobite forces bypassed Wade's force and reached Derby, but then retreated and when their garrison at Carlisle surrendered to a second government army led by King George's son, the Duke of Cumberland, another verse was added.[22] Other short-lived verses were notably anti-French.[23] However, none of these survived into the twentieth century.[24]

Alternative British versions
There have been several attempts to improve the song by rewriting the words. In the nineteenth century there was some lively debate about the national anthem and, even then, verse two was considered to be slightly offensive. Notably, the question arose over the phrase "scatter her enemies." Some thought it placed better emphasis on the respective power of Parliament and the Crown to change "her" to "our"; others pointed out that the theology was somewhat dubious and substituted "thine" instead. Sydney G. R. Coles wrote a completely new version, as did Canon F. K. Harford.[25] In 1836, William Edward Hickson wrote four alternative verses. The first, third, and fourth of these verses are appended to the National Anthem in the English Hymnal (which only includes verses one and three of the original lyrics).


[edit] William Hixton's alternative version
William Hixton's alternative (1836) version includes the following verses, of which the first, third, and fourth have some currency as they are appended to the National Anthem in the English Hymnal.

[show]William Hixton's text of God Save the Queen
1
God bless our native land!
May heaven's protecting hand
Still guard our shore:
May peace her power extend,
Foe be transformed to friend,
And Britain's rights depend
On war no more.
2
O Lord, our monarch bless
With strength and righteousness:
Long may she reign:
Her heart inspire and move
With wisdom from above;
And in a nation's love
Her throne maintain
3
May just and righteous laws
Uphold the public cause,
And bless our isle:
Home of the brave and free,
Thou land of liberty,
We pray that still on thee
Kind heaven may smile.
4
Nor on this land alone,
But be God's mercies known
From shore to shore:
Lord make the nations see
That men should brothers be,
And form one family
The wide world o'er


[edit] Official peace version
A less militaristic version of the song, entitled "Official peace version, 1919", was first published in the hymn book Songs of Praise in 1925.[26] This was "official" in the sense that it was approved by the British Privy Council in 1919.[27] However, despite being reproduced in some other hymn books, it is largely unknown today.[28]

[show]Official peace version of God Save the Queen
1
God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen!
2
One realm of races four
Blest more and ever more
God save our land!
Home of the brave and free
Set in the silver sea
True nurse of chivalry
God save our land!
3
Of many a race and birth
From utmost ends of earth
God save us all!
Bid strife and hatred cease
Bid hope and joy increase
Spread universal peace
God save us all!


[edit] Unofficial peace version
An unofficial peace version was written in 1958 by Henry Young for the first Aldermaston CND march and is taken from his collection of poems From Talk to Action: The fight for peace.

[show]Henry Young's version of God Save the Queen
1
Please save our lovely land
Gardens and meadows green
Please save our land
Flowers in spring are bold
Fruit in abundance grows
Corn turns the fields to gold
Please save our land
2
Share out the wealth to all
Build houses small and tall
And give us peace
Was not our labours sweat
And let our children get
Safe sleep in their familiar bed
Please give us peace
3
River and lake and stream
Let fish run clear and clean
Please save our land
Keep us from poisoned rain
And let our children gain
Birds, butterflies and bees retain
Please save our land
4
Though life's with danger filled
Give us the strength to build
Freedom and peace
All men and women here
Hold your hands high and fear
No odds: hold hands for freedom dear
And work for peace


[edit] Performance in the United Kingdom
The style most commonly heard in official performances was proposed as the "proper interpretation" by King George V, who considered himself something of an expert (in view of the number of times he had heard it). An Army Order was duly issued in 1933, which laid down regulations for tempo, dynamics and orchestration. This included instructions such as that the opening "six bars will be played quietly by the reed band with horns and basses in a single phrase. Cornets and side-drum are to be added at the little scale-passage leading into the second half of the tune, and the full brass enters for the last eight bars". The official tempo for the opening section is a metronome setting of 60, with the second part played in a broader manner, at a metronome setting of 52.[29] In recent years the prescribed sombre-paced introduction is often played at a faster and livelier tempo.

Until the latter part of the 20th century, theatre and concert goers were expected to stand to attention while the anthem was played after the conclusion of a show. In cinemas this brought a tendency for audiences to rush out while the end credits played to avoid this formality.

The anthem was traditionally played at closedown on the BBC and with the introduction of commercial television to the UK this practice was adopted by some ITV regions. BBC Two never played the anthem at closedown, and ITV dropped the practice in the late 1980s, but it continued on BBC One until 8 November 1997 (thereafter BBC1 began to simulcast with News 24 after end of programmes). The tradition is carried on, however, by BBC Radio 4, which also plays the anthem at 0700 and 0800 on the actual and official birthdays of the Queen and the birthdays of senior members of the Royal Family. If scheduling and time allow, Radio Four often plays the anthem as a transition piece between the end of the Radio Four broadcasting and the move to BBC World Service. The anthem always prefaces the The Queen's Christmas Message, and important royal announcements, such as of royal deaths, when it is played in a slower, sombre arrangement.


[edit] Other United Kingdom anthems
Frequently, when an anthem is needed for one of the constituent countries of the UK – at an international sporting event, for instance – an alternative song is used:

England generally uses "God Save the Queen", but "Jerusalem", "Land of Hope and Glory" and "I vow to thee, my country" have also been used.
At international test cricket matches, England has, since 2004, used "Jerusalem" as the anthem.
At international rugby league matches, England have used "Land of Hope and Glory", but in the 2005 internationals changed to "God Save the Queen".
Scotland uses either "Flower of Scotland" or "Scotland the Brave", depending on the occasion.
Wales has its own official anthem: "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" ("Land of My Fathers").
Northern Ireland most frequently uses "God Save the Queen" at events associated with the British tradition, and the Irish national anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" ("The Soldiers' Song") at events associated with the Irish tradition. Additionally, "Londonderry Air" ("Danny Boy") is a popular cross-community anthem.
In international rugby union, Ireland (a team representing both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) uses "Ireland's Call", a song which attempts to unite the two traditions on the island. The song is sung at Ireland's home and away games.
"The Song of the Western Men" (otherwise known as "Trelawny") has popularly been considered to be the Cornish anthem, and is sung at Cornish rugby matches and events such as Saint Piran's day and other Cornish gatherings. However some Cornish nationalists argue that "Bro Goth Agan Tasow", which is in Cornish rather than English, should be adopted. This is the anthem used by the Gorsedh Kernow for the last 75 plus years ("The Land of My Fathers", but literally, "Old Country of my Fathers"), and has a similar tune to the Welsh National anthem and the Breton|Breizh anthem. "Bro Goth Agan Tasow" is not heard as often due to it being sung in Cornish. Those who prefer an anthem in English also sometimes use "Hail to the Homeland".
Recently the British and Irish Lions rugby union tour used the song "The Power of Four", but this anthem was especially designed for the tour.
In April 2007 there was an Early Day Motion, number 1319, to the UK Parliament to propose that there should be a separate England anthem: "That this House ... believes that all English sporting associations should adopt an appropriate song that English sportsmen and women, and the English public, would favour when competing as England". An amendment (EDM 1319A3) was proposed by Evan Harris that the song "should have a bit more oomph than God Save the Queen and should also not involve God."[30]

[edit] Use in other Commonwealth countries
"God Save the King/Queen" was exported around the world via the expansion of the British Empire, serving as each country's national anthem. Throughout the Empire's evolution into the Commonwealth of Nations, the song remained in use in some of the states which became independent kingdoms in personal union with the United Kingdom, either as one of the official national anthems, such as in New Zealand,[31] or as an official royal anthem, as is the case in Canada and Australia, to be played during formal ceremonies involving national royalty or vice-royalty; in Australia, the song has standing through a Royal Proclamation issued by Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen on 19 April 1984.[32] For modern Commonwealth Realms it has become analogous to the American presidential anthem, Hail to the Chief. Two or three bars form a part of the Vice Regal Salute played either for Governors-General, Governors, or Lieutenant-Governors.


[edit] Use in Canada
In Canada "God Save the Queen" has not been adopted as the Royal Anthem by statute or proclamation, however it has come to be used as such through convention, and is sometimes sung together with "O Canada" at public events.[33] The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces regulates that "God Save the Queen" be played as a salute to the monarch and other members of the Canadian Royal Family, though it may also be used as a hymn, or prayer. The words are not to be sung when the song is played as a military salute.[34]

Queen Elizabeth II stipulated that the arrangement in G major by Lieutenant Colonel Basil H. Brown be used in Canada. The authorised version to be played by pipe bands is "Mallorca".[34]


[edit] Canadian lyrics
As "God Save the Queen" is the Royal Anthem of Canada,[35] the first verse has been translated into French for use in that country, as shown below.

Dieu protège la reine
De sa main souveraine!
Vive la reine!
Qu'un règne glorieux,
Long et victorieux
Rende son peuple heureux.
Vive la reine!
A bilingual verse was often sung in Canada on Remembrance Day:

Dieu sauve notre reine,
Notre glorieuse reine,
Vive la reine!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God Save the Queen!!
As sung in English in Canada, God Save the Queen has an additional English verse, sung after the first or second verse, which is also given below. In general use in Canada, however, only the first verse is sung.

Our loved Dominion bless
With peace and happiness
From shore to shore;
And let our Empire be
Loyal, united, free
True to herself and Thee
God save the Queen.

[edit] Use in New Zealand
In New Zealand, the second more militaristic verse is replaced with Hixtons verse "Nor in this land alone..." (often sung as Not in this land alone"), otherwise known as a "Commonwealth verse". However, that verse is primarily used only when the anthem is played past the first verse.


[edit] Use elsewhere
"God Save the King" was the first song to be used as a national anthem, although the Netherlands' national anthem, the "Wilhelmus", is older. Its success prompted a number of imitations, notably in France and, later, Germany. Both commissioned their own songs to help construct a concrete national(ist) identity. The first German national anthem was a copy of "God Save the King" with the words changed to "Heil dir im Siegerkranz", and sung to the same tune as the British version. The tune was either used or officially adopted as the national anthem for several other countries, including those of Russia (until 1833) and Switzerland ("Rufst Du mein Vaterland" or "O monts indépendants").

It is also the melody to the United States patriotic hymn "America" (also known by its first line, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"), and was played during the Presidential Inauguration parade of President George W. Bush on 20 January, 2001. In Iceland it is called "Eldgamla Ísafold". The tune is also used as Norway's royal anthem entitled "Kongesangen", and was used for the Swedish royal anthem between 1805 and 1893, entitled "Bevare gud vår kung".

The tune is still used as the national anthem of Liechtenstein, "Oben am jungen Rhein". When England met Liechtenstein in a Euro 2004 qualifier, the same tune was therefore played twice, causing some minor confusion.

The melody of "God Save the King" has been, and continues to be, used as a hymn tune by Christian churches in various countries. The United Methodists of the southern United States, Mexico, and Latin America, among other denominations (usually Protestant), play the same melody as a hymn. The Christian hymn "Glory to God on High" is frequently sung to the same tune, as well as an alternate tune that fits both lyrics.


[edit] Musical adaptations

[edit] Classical composers
In total, about 140 composers, including Beethoven, Haydn and Brahms, have used the tune in their compositions.[36]

Johann Christian Bach composed a set of variations on "God Save the King" for the finale to his sixth keyboard concerto (Op. 1) written c. 1763.

Joseph Haydn was impressed by the use of "God Save the King" as a national anthem during his visit to London in 1794, and on his return to Austria wrote a tune to the national anthem, the "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" ("God Save Emperor Franz"), for the birthday of the Emperor Franz of Austria. The tune of "God Save the King" was later adopted for the Prussian national anthem "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz".

Ludwig van Beethoven composed a set of seven piano variations in the key of C major to the theme of "God Save the King", catalogued as WoO.78 (1802–1803). However, he also quotes it in his "battle symphony" Wellington's Victory.

Muzio Clementi, another composer who used the theme to "God Save the King", placed this theme into his Symphony No. 3 in B major. This work is dubbed the "Great National" and is catalogued as WoO. 34.

Further information: Niccolo Paganini
Johann Strauss I quoted God Save the Queen in full at the end of his waltz Huldigung der Königin Victoria von Grossbritannien (Homage to Queen Victoria of Great Britain) Op. 103, where he also quoted Rule, Britannia! in full at the beginning of the piece.

Claude Debussy opens with a brief introduction of God Save the King in one of his preludes, Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C. The piece draws its inspiration from the main character of the Charles Dickens novel The Pickwick Papers.


[edit] Rock adaptations
Jimi Hendrix of the The Jimi Hendrix Experience played an impromptu version of "God Save the Queen" to open his set at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Just before walking onto the stage, he can be seen (on the DVD) and heard to ask "How does it go again?" in reference to the said British national anthem. He was able just to hear it mimicked by voice and then perform it. His relatively accurate lead-guitar rendition of "God Save the Queen' can be viewed in stark contrast to his performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Woodstock Festival, 1969.


The rock band Queen recorded an instrumental version of "God Save the Queen" on their 1975 album A Night at the Opera. It was arranged by guitarist Brian May and features his distinctive layers of overdubbed electric guitars. A tape of this version would be played at the end of almost every concert, with Freddie Mercury walking around the stage wearing a crown and a cloak on their Magic Tour in 1986. The band played "God Save the Queen" at the end of all of their concerts.

A version of "God Save the Queen" by Madness features the melody of the song played on kazoos. It was included on the compilation album The Business.

On 3 June 2002, during the Queen's Golden Jubilee, Brian May performed the anthem on his Red Special electric guitar for Party at the Palace, performing from the roof of Buckingham Palace.

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Yorkie said:

£1.18 per person per year.
Yes and she's my boss too. I even have Crown as the title of my job. She gives me 2.5 extra days holiday a year. On Maundy Thursday I have half a day when she's distributed the money, on her birthday and at Christmas.
God save the Queen.


Not according to the latest set of accounts.

The Queen and the Royal Family cost the UK taxpayer £37.4m in the last financial year, her financial public accounts reveal.
The cost, equivalent to 62p per person in the UK, rose 4.2% over the previous year, accountants said.


£38 million a year for what?

Vive la revolution
Government of the people, by the people, for the people

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume II, (August 1, 1858?), p. 532.

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Storer68 said:

...Vive la revolution
Government of the people, by the people, for the people

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Yorkie said:

£1.18 per person per year.
Yes and she's my boss too. I even have Crown as the title of my job. She gives me 2.5 extra days holiday a year. On Maundy Thursday I have half a day when she's distributed the money, on her birthday and at Christmas.
God save the Queen.

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Race said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQ8ZLrjMNo

thats what its all about

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Gwylan said:

PEDANT ALERT




I take your point though. La Marseillaise is a blinding anthem, one that I can never resist joining in.

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smudge said:

I'm loving the Rugby. Loving the anthems, especially ours. The footballers need to sit as a squad & watch the Rugby World Cup Final together. When they see how pumped up the Rugby players are when they sing that anthem, they should look & learn.
Proud to be English thanks to the rugger buggers!

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Seasider78 said:

What happens to GSTQ when she snuffs it and Charlie gets the nod? God save the king? Perhaps a new anthem can be created in a show fronted by Simon Cowell 'Anthem Idol'

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