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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 23:54 - Jun 11 with 1562 views
I think we should have a rousing version of Aggadoo for the national anthem. we should also insist the team do the dance to it. I'd also go so far as getting the players to wear bells as per morris dancers on the top of their socks. this would send out a strong statement of intent.
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National anthems. on 01:33 - Jun 12 with 1454 views
When it comes to NAs it gives us a chance to all agree that the Aussie anthem is bloody awful. Oh Canada often has me saying to Mrs PH, ‘Why Canada?’ For it too has a bit of the Aussie feel to it.
An anthem should be upbeat, uptempo, gave a few key changes and end with a bang. On that basis, the Italian, which starts off all over the place, slow and a bit naff, is such that by the time it ends you want more.
The French is better and ends well, but was inadvertently ruined by United fans in the 90s. The Yanks similarly ruined by overplay and being sung by people using it as an audition for ‘American Idol’. The German offering while mostly flat is enjoyable; but there’s always something foreboding about it for me.
South Africa’s is beautiful. I do like the Russian despite a tendency to need a swift voddie half way through to get you to the end.
As for the those around us: less said about the Republic’s the better. Scotland’s is so Scottish which includes a tendency for dourness and bloody bagpipes. A little reworking a faster tempo and no hint of music from a sheep’s bladder and they’d be really on to something. But I do like how they stop the musical accompaniment and let it sing out to the end.
If you’ve ever been to a Wales rugby game in Cardiff, it’s a cracking tune and a thing of wonder to be sat among big burly druids belting it out with tears rolling down their cheeks on to their Burberry jackets. Probably the best of the lot.
As for LOHAG, too much last night at the Proms for me. GSTQ is thankfully short, compared to many which drag on. I’d leave for now, but up the tempo. I fear when it becomes GSTK it will become slower by command.
For my money, the one Ireland use in the rugby has got it right. Upbeat, fast, cracking key changes with added sing-a-long factor.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
The two we differ on are GSTQ (the very idea of asking a deity to protect the head of the church who reigns above us is pathetic to me, plus the tune's waaaay too slow) and the Irish rugby dirge (which is a an industrial canal barge in the Fastnet Yacht Race.
Scotland, Wales, France and Nkosi Sikelel'i are all cracking tunes.
Isle of Man?
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
The French National anthem is fantastic. Welsh one is great, Scotland’s is decent and the bagpipes are a big part of that. GSTH is terrible - should be about the country rather than an individual, and is painfully slow. LOHAG is too Last Night of the Proms for me. Let’s have Jerusalem instead. That or World in Motion.
One thing that kills every NA, as previously said, is having someone Pop-Idoling or Tosca-ing their way through it.
Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts
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National anthems. on 07:51 - Jun 12 with 1305 views
However, given the religious turmoil in the city I wouldn’t want it erected in the Lakes, Downs, Moors or any of our green and pleasant countryside. And to be reminded of the awfulness of industrial revolution Britain, with its dereliction of workers rights, would merely act as encouragement to the Rees-Moggs of this world to send the children of impoverished working class families up chimneys.
If we are going to drop GSTQ, then it’s a shortened version of ‘Dambusters’ or ‘Vindaloo’.
[Post edited 12 Jun 2021 10:44]
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
When we’re on the cusp of a trade war over sausages and borders, imaginary or otherwise, Ireland’s Call rises above religious and historical divides, and circumvents all hurdles with fantastic and arguably, unparalleled key changes while stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Admittedly a little difficult to perform if your the little President fella and the blokes either side are the second row forwards, but for a minute odd of a rabble rousing ditty, it does the job and some.
Industrial dirge…
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Well I guess in the next 5-10 years they won’t be singing GSTQ regardless. The Queen is 95 now even if she lives to 105 I imagine there’ll be some kind of succession soon.
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.
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National anthems. on 12:36 - Jun 12 with 1033 views
It's mawkish, John, with soppy sixth form lyrics and the tune is funereal. Plus, it's not a National Anthem, it's an Irish solution to an Irish problem.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
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