It's a terrible dirge and I don't think anyone should sing it ever.

I vow to thee my country for national anthem.
But no matter what it is, id send home any player that doesn't sing it.

Emotion can choke you up & maybe hes just got a really bad voice!

ps swift ever had to sing the National Anthem in a public arena? It can be quite a powerful experience..

you mean we have to sing it unless we're actively subverting the status quo

It just seems a bit, well, sixth form politics really. I don't like queens, so I'll be slightly rude. It's no skin off my nose either way, but it's hardly a point of principle worth taking in isolation. Murray's anguish about bowing to the royal box at Wombledin is rather in the same league of fatuousness.

It just seems a bit, well, sixth form politics really. I don't like queens, so I'll be slightly rude

judging from the lines I've seen, I object to almost every one of them – however I can't think of a situation where I might be called upon to sing the rotten thing anyway!

No atheistic-poly-goddish-sceptical-self-centrist can possibly sympathise with the concept of "building Jerusalem".

particularly given the current conflict over that real estate 🙁

Fairy nuff.

I'm not sure the point has arisen, but I'm reasonably confident I stand for anyone's national anthem – unless I am actively engaged in a struggle to otherthrow the relevant state – regardless of whether I know or approve of the words and sing where I know them. The same basic principle applies to polite bits of religious observance like saying grace before eating or singing hymns at "by default" CofE funerals though. I'm not sure it necessarily implies active endorsement, whereas failure to do so is definitely rather impolite. 🙂

real estate

Jerusalem being physically where it has always been, the idea of building it in Ingerland is simply silly unless one takes a slightly more metaphysical approach to the concept of "Jerusalem" than you typically show aptitude or tolerance for. 😉

The same basic principle applies to polite bits of religious observance like saying grace before eating or singing hymns at "by default" CofE funerals

wouldn't do that either, but never asked, though now I come to think of it, I am willing to concede the grace "Rubadubdub, thanks for the grub" 🙂

Our national anthem:

Sinne Fianna Fáil
A tá fé gheall ag Éirinn,
buion dár slua
Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn,
Fé mhóid bheith saor.
Sean tír ár sinsir feasta
Ní fhagfar fé'n tiorán ná fé'n tráil
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil
Le guna screach fé lámhach na bpiléar
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.

Translates as:

Soldiers are we
whose lives are pledged to Ireland;
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave.
Sworn to be free,
No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the gap of danger
In Erin's cause, come woe or weal
'Mid cannons' roar and rifles peal,
We'll chant a soldier's song.

Never fail to become emotional when singing it 🙂

There is an obscure third verse where there's mention of killing the Saxon foe… 🙄

unless one takes a slightly more metaphysical approach to the concept of "Jerusalem" than you typically show aptitude or tolerance for.

Oi! I'm all over metaphysics! But to my mind Jerusalem seems to involve too much triumphalist smiting so how about Stockholm instead ? Pretty as a postcard and lots of tall leggy blondes without scruples ?

BBC1 19:30: Rouge trades, west bank edition.

Muhammad is upset with housing developer / builder Abraham, a boundary dispute occurs and tensions rise. Hosted by Matt Allwright.

Three stars

The crowd were singing "rule Britania" it's been a while since we ruled the waves and the queen supports the krauts anyway so why not sing Deutscheland uber alles anyway

When Jacques Chirac was president here an impersonator phoned the French team manager pretending to be Chirac and politely asked the team members not only to sing but hold their hands on their hearts. They did:

its not likely to do much for the union anyway iof you remeber the thirsd verse

My understanding of that is that it never was actually part of the national anthem, and instead was simply a verse sung by a music hall entertainer one night in 1745 when the Jacobite army (whom most of Scotland were in fact against) was on its way south.

Of course that doesn't go along with the huge chip many of my countrymen seem to have on their shoulders about the anthem.

As for the Queen being German, that's just patently nonsense. And I'd rather have someone dignified like her as head of state than some elected buffoon pandering to the populist masses.

The crowd were singing "rule Britania" it's been a while since we ruled the waves

It's not "Britannia rules the waves", it's "Britannia rule the waves". The song is looking to the future, not the past.

Anarchy in the UK?

kennyp – Member
My understanding of that is that it never was actually part of the national anthem, and instead was simply a verse sung by a music hall entertainer one night in 1745 when the Jacobite army (whom most of Scotland were in fact against) was on its way south.

Of course that doesn't go along with the huge chip many of my countrymen seem to have on their shoulders about the anthem.

It is the genocide visited upon the Highlands that we have never forgotten. The government measures were directed against all Highlanders, not just the rebels. Most sensible Highlanders had actually supported the government – the Stewart dogma including exterminating the Highlanders. That is why there is so much bitterness.

Didn't intend to open a can of worms, but an interesting discussion nonetheless! I totally understand all the issues around "anthems" that were brought in centuries ago. My gripe was really just that representing your country should be a huge honour and if singing the national anthem is part of the routine, then everyone should really join in. I have real issues with overpaid footballers who are more prima donna than team player …

BTW Llandegla was great – only saw two people during the entire circuit, but the cars were flowing into the car park as I was leaving 😆

**** the queen and **** god.

I wouldn't sing it either as a republican and an athiest

Only version that should be sung, quite appropriatte to Engerlunds progession in the world cup.

God save the queen
The fascist regime
They made you a moron
Potential H-bomb

God save the queen
She ain't no human being
There is no future
In England's dreaming

Don't be told what you want
Don't be told what you need
There's no future, no future,
No future for you

God save the queen
We mean it man
We love our queen
God saves

God save the queen
'Cause tourists are money
And our figurehead
Is not what she seems

Oh God save history
God save your mad parade
Oh Lord God have mercy
All crimes are paid

When there's no future
How can there be sin
We're the flowers in the dustbin
We're the poison in your human machine
We're the future, your future

God save the queen
We mean it man
We love our queen
God saves

God save the queen
We mean it man
And there is no future
In England's dreaming

No future, no future,
No future for you
No future, no future,
No future for me

No future, no future,
No future for you
No future, no future
For you

it is the British national anthem not the English ..not that anyone could accuse the English of arrogance or mistaking the two entities as the same thing.
Many people neither like the monarchy nor beleieve in god so it is quite meaningless to sign it. Personally I would not sign it but might stand up depending on how scary the skinhead next to me is.
As for rooney it is quite complicated lyrics for him to remember.
Ignoring all that it is a really really cr@p morose sounding slow anthem and almost anything would be better than that. I always liked the Ireland song they sign at Rugby seems very rousing is that the anthem?

There'll be an explanation online JY. Amhránn na bhFiann ( our-awn na veean) is specifically the anthem of The Republic of Ireland. Rugby is a one-island game and has had some raving loyalistsunionists playing in green. Singing the Soldier's Song was anathema to some of them. It was decided that Rugby would have a different anthem referring to the "four proud provinces of Ireland" and thus Ireland's Call was composed (in keeping with the peace process in NI). It's sung at away games and is sung alongside Amhránn na bhFiann at home games. It's very cheesy but I like it – it's quite rousing.

I believe it was originally sponsored by "The World" newspaper – though of course that name may have been hubris too

Bemused HTF all of this is the Americans' fault!

Your story is wrong – that supposed etymology is for the World Series, which is baseball. And in a QI-style, it's also completely wrong.

I like Irelands call. Its a good example of a new anthem that seems to avoid all the jingoism and nastyness of many anthems

Tehre is no reason why a new anthem for england could not be written – one was for South Africa as well and flower of scotland was written in the 60s.