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Just having a conversation with my sister about national anthems after listening to the Turkish and Italian anthems. We both agreed that England shouldn’t have God save the Queen, as it’s the British anthem. When we play Scotland next Friday, we’ll have the British anthem and The flower of Scotland.
We should have Land of hope and Glory. I remember that was England’s anthem at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. It was very rousing when the whole stadium joined in.
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National anthems. on 12:38 - Jun 12 with 1330 views
Sorry Brian but the Scottish anthem isn’t that great.How can you beat out a tune about the one battle they managed to win over 700 years ago?It smacks of pettiness and obsessing about the one thing they hate rather than what a great country it is,and what it’s achieved.Not that ours is much better though.It should be Jerusalem,in my opinion. I do like the French and Italian anthems,especially in a full stadium.
Oh, the lyrics are dreadful alright - nearly as bloodthirsty as Ãmhrán na bhFiann. But I think the tune's a belter.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
The best anthems have flat-out full-throated peaks you can give a good bellow to, which is why the Welsh and the French are the best. GTSQ doesn't have anything like as much to offer as Jerusalem. Flower of Scotland is worse, sounds like a 45 played at 33.
Ireland's Call, meh. I get the sentiment and its quite catchy, but it sounds like the jingle for a building society ad. For each "Ireland" you can imagine a couple poking their heads out of the window of their dream house, or stepping happily from their new car, or smiling at the kids on the first day of school. The Soldiers Song is much more stirring, whether on the field or at closing time in the pub.
As a historic relic and for general weirdness, you can't beat the Dutch. Not only does it celebrate a ruler and not the country and its people, like ours, but its about a ruler who died 440 years ago. Sadly, they only normally sing verses one and six out of fifteen these days, but they are:
William of Nassau am I, of German descent; True to the fatherland I remain until death. Prince of Orange am I, free and fearless. To the King of Spain I have always given honour.
You, my God and Lord, are my shield, on You I rely. On You I will build; never leave me, So that I may remain pious, your servant at all moments, Dispelling the tyranny that wounds my heart.
I've got a soft spot for the Argentinian one too. It's like the theme for a blockbuster war film from the 60s, with the jolly march, the rambling quiet bit, and the big finish, that rambles on long enough to get the credits in for the set carpenters and the hairdressers. I like the sideways glances on the faces of the players and officials before a game as it wanders on..."is there going to be much more of this?"
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 12:52]
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National anthems. on 12:51 - Jun 12 with 1273 views
Maybe it should be an instrumental like the Spanish one.Or maybe Scotland the brave would be better?
"The song was composed in the mid-1960s by Roy Williamson of the folk group the Corries. It was first heard publicly in a 1967 BBC television series.[1]"
From Wiki.
I just presumed it was an ancient folk song.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Sorry Brian but the Scottish anthem isn’t that great.How can you beat out a tune about the one battle they managed to win over 700 years ago?It smacks of pettiness and obsessing about the one thing they hate rather than what a great country it is,and what it’s achieved.Not that ours is much better though.It should be Jerusalem,in my opinion. I do like the French and Italian anthems,especially in a full stadium.
To be fair, Flower of Scotland was a folk song written by the Corries in the 60s, so never meant to be a National Anthem.
You like La Marseillaise, as I do, but it's about a late 18th century war by France against Austria so not all that different in content to Flower of Scotland.
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National anthems. on 12:51 - Jun 12 with 1268 views
The best anthems have flat-out full-throated peaks you can give a good bellow to, which is why the Welsh and the French are the best. GTSQ doesn't have anything like as much to offer as Jerusalem. Flower of Scotland is worse, sounds like a 45 played at 33.
Ireland's Call, meh. I get the sentiment and its quite catchy, but it sounds like the jingle for a building society ad. For each "Ireland" you can imagine a couple poking their heads out of the window of their dream house, or stepping happily from their new car, or smiling at the kids on the first day of school. The Soldiers Song is much more stirring, whether on the field or at closing time in the pub.
As a historic relic and for general weirdness, you can't beat the Dutch. Not only does it celebrate a ruler and not the country and its people, like ours, but its about a ruler who died 440 years ago. Sadly, they only normally sing verses one and six out of fifteen these days, but they are:
William of Nassau am I, of German descent; True to the fatherland I remain until death. Prince of Orange am I, free and fearless. To the King of Spain I have always given honour.
You, my God and Lord, are my shield, on You I rely. On You I will build; never leave me, So that I may remain pious, your servant at all moments, Dispelling the tyranny that wounds my heart.
I've got a soft spot for the Argentinian one too. It's like the theme for a blockbuster war film from the 60s, with the jolly march, the rambling quiet bit, and the big finish, that rambles on long enough to get the credits in for the set carpenters and the hairdressers. I like the sideways glances on the faces of the players and officials before a game as it wanders on..."is there going to be much more of this?"
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 12:52]
The Argentinian one is fantastic. Brilliantly described, Sheen.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
National anthems. on 12:51 - Jun 12 by BrianMcCarthy
"The song was composed in the mid-1960s by Roy Williamson of the folk group the Corries. It was first heard publicly in a 1967 BBC television series.[1]"
From Wiki.
I just presumed it was an ancient folk song.
It's basically the Fields of Athenry, instant heritage. The Fields is a much better singalong, though.
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National anthems. on 12:54 - Jun 12 with 1258 views
The best anthems have flat-out full-throated peaks you can give a good bellow to, which is why the Welsh and the French are the best. GTSQ doesn't have anything like as much to offer as Jerusalem. Flower of Scotland is worse, sounds like a 45 played at 33.
Ireland's Call, meh. I get the sentiment and its quite catchy, but it sounds like the jingle for a building society ad. For each "Ireland" you can imagine a couple poking their heads out of the window of their dream house, or stepping happily from their new car, or smiling at the kids on the first day of school. The Soldiers Song is much more stirring, whether on the field or at closing time in the pub.
As a historic relic and for general weirdness, you can't beat the Dutch. Not only does it celebrate a ruler and not the country and its people, like ours, but its about a ruler who died 440 years ago. Sadly, they only normally sing verses one and six out of fifteen these days, but they are:
William of Nassau am I, of German descent; True to the fatherland I remain until death. Prince of Orange am I, free and fearless. To the King of Spain I have always given honour.
You, my God and Lord, are my shield, on You I rely. On You I will build; never leave me, So that I may remain pious, your servant at all moments, Dispelling the tyranny that wounds my heart.
I've got a soft spot for the Argentinian one too. It's like the theme for a blockbuster war film from the 60s, with the jolly march, the rambling quiet bit, and the big finish, that rambles on long enough to get the credits in for the set carpenters and the hairdressers. I like the sideways glances on the faces of the players and officials before a game as it wanders on..."is there going to be much more of this?"
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 12:52]
I remember going to the west of Ireland with my brother in the early 80’s and at closing time they played the national anthem.I wondered why everyone was standing up when I got back from the toilet the first time it happened.Perhaps having a removals lorry with a Union Jack on the side wasn't the smartest move,but the locals were normally friendly enough.
To be fair, Flower of Scotland was a folk song written by the Corries in the 60s, so never meant to be a National Anthem.
You like La Marseillaise, as I do, but it's about a late 18th century war by France against Austria so not all that different in content to Flower of Scotland.
Braveheart has a lot to answer for hasn’t it?
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National anthems. on 13:00 - Jun 12 with 1239 views
It's basically the Fields of Athenry, instant heritage. The Fields is a much better singalong, though.
Jesus, I hate that song!
Possibly the most stupid use of a song in sports (non-celery related, naturally) is Munster Rugby fans adopting as their anthem a song about Connaught.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Gotta say, I always liked the old East German (GDR) national anthem - the music if not the words. Sorry, can't do links. Admit to always liking Russia's too (even in USSR days) - very emotive.
For a wholly-English anthem, it has to Sir Edward Elgar - Jerusalem probably in front of Pomp & Circumstance No.1.
Unless you want to go radical and go for Benjamin Britten. The War Requiem is an absolute masterpiece.
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National anthems. on 13:14 - Jun 12 with 1194 views
National anthems. on 13:02 - Jun 12 by BrianMcCarthy
Jesus, I hate that song!
Possibly the most stupid use of a song in sports (non-celery related, naturally) is Munster Rugby fans adopting as their anthem a song about Connaught.
It's success says a lot about the shift in public sympathies from winners to losers over the last century. Rather than celebrating ruling the waves it immortalises defeat and separation. As someone pointed out, Flower of Scotland picks out a rare victory out of dozens of defeats instead, which is actually more humiliating than dignified.
All group affiliations are at the same time artificial and absurd and fundamental to identity. The Irish could have sworn the oaths to the King as Head of the Church and become West Britons, but they wouldn't. Why do we persist in supporting our ramshackle club when there's a bigger and more successful one less than three miles away that would guarantee us more regular joy and success? Or worst of all, why are those silly men fighting over a ball when they could have one each?
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 13:18]
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National anthems. on 13:16 - Jun 12 with 1187 views
My late father in law left the wilds of Mayo a few years after WW2 to travel to England as a trained shuttering carpenter, he was working in Belfast for a few Months on his way over. The daft sod was skint one night and only had enough for one pint and a visit to the cinema as he was getting paid the next day, when the film ended he quickly walked up the aisle to get to the pub before it shut but unbeknown to him the national anthem was being played and a big Norn Ireland bloke jumped out in front of him and told him to stand still for the Queen, the Father in law replied bolox and the next thing he knew he was being given smelling salts in the cinema foyer, the big Norn Ireland bloke had promptly knocked him out.
Welcome to Belfast
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
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National anthems. on 13:34 - Jun 12 with 1155 views
Gotta say, I always liked the old East German (GDR) national anthem - the music if not the words. Sorry, can't do links. Admit to always liking Russia's too (even in USSR days) - very emotive.
For a wholly-English anthem, it has to Sir Edward Elgar - Jerusalem probably in front of Pomp & Circumstance No.1.
Unless you want to go radical and go for Benjamin Britten. The War Requiem is an absolute masterpiece.
LOVE the Russian National Anthem. Unreal tune.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
It's success says a lot about the shift in public sympathies from winners to losers over the last century. Rather than celebrating ruling the waves it immortalises defeat and separation. As someone pointed out, Flower of Scotland picks out a rare victory out of dozens of defeats instead, which is actually more humiliating than dignified.
All group affiliations are at the same time artificial and absurd and fundamental to identity. The Irish could have sworn the oaths to the King as Head of the Church and become West Britons, but they wouldn't. Why do we persist in supporting our ramshackle club when there's a bigger and more successful one less than three miles away that would guarantee us more regular joy and success? Or worst of all, why are those silly men fighting over a ball when they could have one each?
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 13:18]
I'm sure you know this, and it's completely off the point but Peadar Kearney who co-wrote Ãmhrán na bhFiann was an Uncle to Brendan Behan and a fellow house painter.
'Tis a small Country in every way.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
National anthems. on 13:34 - Jun 12 by BrianMcCarthy
LOVE the Russian National Anthem. Unreal tune.
The Russian / Soviet anthem is the absolute winner for me as a heartbreakingly rousing tune and a great example that words can be modified
Stalin used to be in but was dropped in the 60's or 70's and changed again when the union broke up
if they can do that can we not remove the imperial racist stuff in ours and change it to something that is more reflective of the country we are /want to aspire to be rather than glorifying a morally questionable history
we should change the God save bit as well barely anyone in this country actually believes in GOD. so why call on one. whats wrong with "we love our gracious Queen" I could live with that but i cannot utter "God save the queen" unless im drunk and its Karaoke night
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National anthems. on 21:32 - Jun 12 with 1028 views
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky
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National anthems. on 13:29 - Jun 14 with 812 views
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