Wouldn't it Be Embarassing if......................

i didn't know this.

I went to school in Scotland for a couple of years where the Rector (headmaster) told my parents that he didn't like the English or the RAF in that orrrder!!! My dad was in the RAF

Didn't Waltzin' Matilda used to be the Australian national anthem? Now there was a catchy tune that anybody could sing along with. How 'bout Ode to Joy? I hear the EU has adopted it as there anthem and are now looking for the official words. A beautiful piece of music, whatever the words.

Hey, Rog.

Waltzing Matilda was the national Anthem of Australia? I didn't know that. Don't know ode to joy, either. Uhoh!

Vivien. My sister's advisor was in the RAF. Grrrrrrrrr. Rather insensitive, I'd say.

Fourth verse to the Star Spangled Banner, and by far the loveliest:

And thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.
Blessed with victory and peace,
May the heaven-rescued land,
Praise the power that has made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, if our cause IT IS JUST.(a very important phrase)
And this be our motto, in God is our trust.
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph will wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I'm sure I won a beer...not that I actually remember...

mac. I swear, I can sing the French National Anthem, but I can't spell it.

Isn't the French national anthem "Le Marsielle....eh dere Nazis, welcome to Paris!"

the Dijonaisse

(no wonder they love us so)

Yes, Miss Letty , it IS embarassing-

I can only 'talk' the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner
(i could NEVER REACH the high notes, singing)

I can hum O Canada... but I confess to forgetting all I ever knew about other country's anthems.
(see, I am just wasting your paper.)

I know, patio and Cav. American fries.

Jackie, my dear. This was intended to be a light post, nothing more, and however you sing, you sure beat the hell out of Rosanne Barr.

Ha ha ha- I saw that too.

Well, yeah- I COULD beat that.

Not totally sure of Matilda, Letty. Ode to Joy is part of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Like me, you have heard it and not known the name. It was used as the theme in Dead Poet's Society and elsewhere. I heard someone whistling it and asked the title. Had a bit of trouble finding Ode to Joey, though. My hearing is a bit off, you know.

We used to sing first and fourth stanzas at weekly assemblies (middy blouses, green satin ties). Googled the SSB and had no recollection of ever hearing verse three; verse two a distant memory.

Considering the lack of patience shown at sporting events for the concluding of the one stanza, can't see the unsung three quarters ever gaining common currency.

I don't wish to gainsay our good friend McTag however I can not find any reference to Scotland in Our national anthem:-

God Save the Queen

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!

O lord God arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall!
Confound their knavish tricks,
Confuse their politics,
On you our hopes we fix,
God save the Queen!

Not in 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 ov'er

From every latent foe,
From the assasins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
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!



I much prefer the National anthem of Scotland in any case:-

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.


The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves
lie thick and still,
O'er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.


Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.


Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again

Just lovely

I love the scene in Casablanca when Paul Henreid ordered the ban to play the Marseillaise to confound the Germans in Rick's. It is one of the most emotional pieces of cinema I've ever viewed:

La Marseillaise

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, was composed in one night during the French Revolution (April 24, 1792) by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, a captain of the engineers and amateur musician stationed in Strasbourg in 1792. It was played at a patriotic banquet at Marseilles, and printed copies were given to the revolutionary forces then marching on Paris. They entered Paris singing this song, and to it they marched to the Tuileries on August 10th.

Ironically, Rouget de Lisle was himself a royalist and refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new constitution. He was imprisoned and barely escaped the guillotine.. Originally entitled Chant de guerre de l'armeé du Rhin (War Song of the Army of the Rhine), the anthem became called La Marseillaise because of its popularity with volunteer army units from Marseilles.

The Convention accepted it as the French national anthem in a decree passed July 14, 1795. La Marseillaise was banned by Napoleon during the Empire, and by Louis XVIII on the Second Restoration (1815), because of its revolutionary associations. Authorized after the July Revolution of 1830, it was again banned by Napoleon III and not reinstated until 1879.

The text here consists of only the first two verses [out of seven].

Click here for a Real Audio file of The Marseillaise

[Note: Although real audio files are capable of being "streamed" over the net, that is not possible from the server I am using on this page (that may change). But even as downloadables, they are much smaller than AU and WAV files. You will need a Real Audio player installed to play them. It is from from the Real Audio Website. ]

Click here for the tune in midi format [At National Anthems site]


Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous, de la tyrannie,
L'étandard sanglant est levé,
l'étandard sanglant est levé,
Entendez-vous, dans la compagnes.
Mugir ces farouches soldats
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Egorger vos fils,
vos compagnes. Let us go, children of the fatherland
Our day of Glory has arrived.
Against us stands tyranny,
The bloody flag is raised,
The bloody flag is raised.
Do you hear in the countryside
The roar of these savage soldiers
They come right into our arms
To cut the throats of your sons,
your country.
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.

To arms, citizens!
Form up your battalions
Let us march, Let us march!
That their impure blood
Should water our fields


Amour sacré de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs,
Liberté, liberté cherie,
Combats avec tes defénseurs;
Combats avec tes défenseurs.
Sous drapeaux, que la victoire
Acoure à tes mâles accents;
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire! Sacred love of the fatherland
Guide and support our vengeful arms.
Liberty, beloved liberty,
Fight with your defenders;
Fight with your defenders.
Under our flags, so that victory
Will rush to your manly strains;
That your dying enemies
Should see your triumph and glory
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.
To arms, citizens!
Form up your battalions
Let us march, Let us march!
That their impure blood
Should water our fields

Well, Rog, Good grief. I'll have to see if I can find "Ode to Joy". I saw Dead Poet's Society and loved it.

Bob, I well remember that scene in Casablanca, but I have forgotten what the Germans were singing. Fantastic anthem.

Thanks, hiama. The words to England's anthem are quite regal, but the Scottish anthem is, as you say, lovely and romantic.

Nextone, Francis Scott Keys wrote our anthem as a poem, so I look at the words first.

Whether or no the anthems of our respective countries allude to patriotism, is not the issue here. Music and it's soul stirring effect, is.The navy hymn of the U.S. is breathtaking, both in lyrics and in music.

Wouldn't It Be Embarrassing If.....we had a president and and administration who had taken a dump on everything this country and the meaning of the lyrics to these beautiful songs stands for?

And wouldn't it be even more embarassing if a huge segment of the population stood by complacently while it happened and in fact even approved of it and was delighted by it?

Sorry........I'm PO'ed this morning after looking at the news....

I know the Indian national anthem by heart....the below is typed, not cut and paste...

Jana gana mana adhinayak,
Jaya he,
Bharat bhagya vidhata.
Punjab, Sindh, Gujrat, Maratha,
Dravid utkala vanga,
Vindhya himachal yamuna ganga,
Ucchala jaladhi tiranga,
Tubh shubha name jage
Tubh shubha ashisha mange
Gahe tubh jaya Gatha
Jan gan mangaldayak jaya He
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
jaya He ! Jaya He ! Jaya He !
Jaya,Jaya,Jaya,Jaya He

Hey, Bi. Agreed No, apologies necessary. Turn off the news, my friend, and enjoy celebrating with your dear family.

Ah, Gautam. I'm not surprised that you know your country's anthem. Wish I could enjoy it with you. How about a translation?

Oops !!

I will try - but tomorrow as I will need to apply my brain. Right now it is too busy with the thoughts of tequila shots and dancing with friends which is about to commence in abt 1 hrs time......(too bad I am wearing a suit and do not have time to go home and change into my dancing clothes)