About time!

[Kwaka]

Long overdue.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-de ... e-35204504

[eboswan]

Why not.....god save the queen is a little boring...you need something a little more uplifting

[bgaltd]

Why not.....god save the queen is a little boring...you need something a little more uplifting

it most certainly isn't ......

[Katzenjammer]

Why not.....god save the queen is a little boring...you need something a little more uplifting

it most certainly isn't ......

It most certainly is!

A National Anthem needs to be about the country not an individual.

[Raj]

Although this is not a translation of the Indian national anthem that I grew up singing in school, it is written by the same poet and elightened soul who was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. I think it is more apt ...

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action;
Into that heaven of freedom, My Father, let my country awake.

[eboswan]

Please note: the following, while a literal translation, unfortunately doesn't rhyme or scan with the music. Since the song is nearly always performed in Welsh, this is presented to give an idea of the sentiment behind the song.

This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom

Chorus:
Land! Land! I am true to my land!
As long as the sea serves as a wall for this pure, dear land
May the language endure for ever.

Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets,
Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards;
Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be
Her streams and rivers to me.

Chorus

Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot,
The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat,
The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand
Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land

[bgaltd]

Why not.....god save the queen is a little boring...you need something a little more uplifting

it most certainly isn't ......

It most certainly is!

A National Anthem needs to be about the country not an individual.

its not broken so don't try to fix it .

[Kwaka]

it most certainly isn't ......[/quote]

It most certainly is!

A National Anthem needs to be about the country not an individual.[/quote]


its not broken so don't try to fix it .[/quote]

I don't think it a case of it's not broken, it's just not right that one part of the UK is not allowed its own national identity. I watch the Six nations and we are the only country to have a national anthem that does not represent England only. I see the passion that the other teams have when their anthem is played and feel we should be accorded the same privilege; other than a combination anthem designed to unite and represent all countries of the union together. If it's good enough for the other countries of the union then it should be good enough for England.
I am English and proud of it and want to be able to celebrate it in the same manners as others do.

I don't dislike the present anthem per se when used appropriately, although I do think it sounds like a dirge, something a bit more rousing and representative of the country as a whole would be better.

Before anyone suggests it I do not dislike the Royal family, I believe the new generation of Royals are more in touch with the people than ever before.

Its time for our own anthem.

[Katzenjammer]

I agree with you Kwaka and I like the sentiments in the Indian and Welsh anthems. We need something similar to represent England. England is not one person - i.e. a king or queen. It is an ideal, a people from many walks of life, a beautiful country as are Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Sorry Raj I cannot speak for India as I have never been.

I am not in favour of the royals though I do admit some do a good job and create income etc. They are not democratically elected though - there is no argument that can prove they are. I accept we are stuck with them for now. But all this is another subject of discussion.

In the meantime England needs an anthem that actually mentions the country and our values - this does not and is actually a very sycophantic set of words because it dates from a period when grace and favour was so important.

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.

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.

[wastrel]

personally wouldn`t be seen singing summit that is not only not my national anthem, but also an insult to me & mine nationally & personally.
I thought Green & Pleasant Land was England`s NA anyhow?