Nnational Anthems are for the most part a severe rectal pain. I always avoid such renditions
If we must have 'em, I think the English one should be
"We Are The Champions" by Queen. Or their other one "We Will Rock You"
I don't know all the verses, but I think the last verse to the SSB (from memory- I haven't looked) is something like
O Thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
between the la-la-la-la and la war's desolation.
So conquer we must, if our cause it is just,
and this be our motto, "In God is our Trust"
and the Star Spangled Banner, in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What about Sikilele Africa?
That's a song I like.
And blooming heck, the Flower of Scotland is not an anthem. It's just a song they sing at rugby games, and I wish they wouldn't.
We haven't got an anthem really, I don't think. Our OFFICIAL anthem is the same as the rest of the Brits.
"Scotland the Brave" is sometimes substituted.
I'll see if I can get some information on that line about "Rebellious Scots". It was certainly there in the 18th Century, and I believe perhaps later too.
McT
Hmmmm, McTag. Maybe that verse got lost when Brigadoon disappeared
Equus, my equestrian friend, I done done that verse.
Well, John oak, I'm certain that you would get a lot of backing from the hard rock left/right.
Why not "I am a rock; I am an Island"
Letty very neat idea, dearest. But it is an AMERICAN SONG
John, darlin' , so it is, but don't forget, the melody to the Star Spangled Banner is from an old English drinking song. Can't verify that at the moment, but whilst McTag searches, I will, too.
All the Queen's horses and all the queen's men verify this, John.
John Stafford Smith, to whom the tune was attributed, was an important English music historian, as well as a singer, organist and composer of glees. Smith's melody originated as To Anacreon in Heav'n, sung at each fortnightly meeting of London's Anacreontic Society, a club of wealthy amateur musicians founded in 1766. Anacreon (c. 563-478 B.C.) had been a classical Greek poet who wrote of love and wine: Ralph Tomlinson's six verses to Smith's ode each end with
"...[en-] twine /
the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine."
Smith's tune was popular in the American colonies: Robert Treat Paine wrote Revolutionary words to it, Adams and Liberty. Franz Joseph Haydn visited the Anacreontic Society in 1791. The club disbanded in 1794 when members resigned in protest after their president forbade the performance of certain comic songs that might offend the visiting Duchess of Devonshire.
Letty sweetheart. You are a wonderful font of knowledge, but --- All the Queen's lover's and all the queen's drinkers verify this, surely
Sorry I was neglecting you, away making my tea (pasta with a cheese sauce, but is wasn't my own making, and it wasn't very good)
Here's a note about the "rebellious Scots" lyric.
http://www.sovereignty.org.uk/features/articles/monscot.html
(General Wade was active killing off rebels loyal to the Stuart cause in ca. 1750, and very good at it he was, too)
So, it did exist, was never official, is associated with the independence movement, and didn't impress this author.
Now I'm off to the pub.
McT
Have a safe and sane 4th of July, McTag
Hope that pub is close by.
Thanks for the link, though.
fealola
you said
"One of the most moving things I've ever experienced was when the Brits played the Star Spangled Banner instead of God Save the Queen at the changing of the guards on or shortly after 9/11. It had never been done before. I completly lost it."
I thought something similar at the time. And I said so on Abuzz and elsewhere. But GWB has squandered that great well of sympathy towards America and Americans. Sorry but now I wince when I hear a Yankee accent.
Ode to Joy-- Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
Escritos originales del himno a la alegría
BARITONE
O Freunde, nicht diese Töne,
sondern lasst uns angenehmere
anstimmen, und freundenvollere.
AN DIE FREUDE - FREDERICH SCHILLER
BARITONE, QUARTETT UN KEHRREIM
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
was die Mode streng geteilt:
alle Menschen werden Brüder,
wo dein snafter Flügel weilt.
Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen,
eines Freundes Freund zu sein,
wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
weinend sich aus diesem Bund!
Freude trinken alle Wesen
an den Brüsten der Natur,
alle Guten, alle Bösen
folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
TENOR ALLEINFLUG UND KEHRREIM
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan,
laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen!
KEHRREIM
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
was die Mode streng geteilt:
alle Menschen werden Brüder,
wo dein snafter Flügel weilt.
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, überm Sternenzelt
muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such ihn überm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muss er wohnen.
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt!
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such ihn überm Sternenzelt!
Brüder, überm Sternenzelt
muss ein lieber Vater wohnen!
Freude, Tochter aus Elysium,
deine Zauber binden wieder,
was die Mode streng geteilt!
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
wo dein sanfter Flügel Weilt.
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, überm Sternenzelt
muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Freude, schöner Götterfunken!
»DIE ENDE«
'Ode to Joy' is the unofficial-official European anthym, btw.
An was used a the "combined" German anthym when the Federal Republic of Germany and GDR teams started 'combined' at the Olympics, from 1956-1964, if I remember correctly).
Thanks bobsmyth. I didn't catch a single word on my version. It really works better than the lyrics would have you believe.
Well, Steve. It is unfortunate that you equate a Texas drawl with all of America. So be it.
Thank you all for the beauty of music.
....no, not the universal language, but close..........................................................................
Hi Letty:
I know what you mean by the beauty of music. Many years ago I heard a song on the radio sung by a woman in Spanish with a group backup. To me it was incredible. I didn't understand the words but tears started flowing and I didn't know why. Every once in a while I'd hear it and never was able to pick up what the name of the song was. Finally I asked a woman at work who was Hispanic if she could supply the name. I hummed the tune for her and she recognized it. The name is Eres tu and she told me the best group to perform it is Mocedades. I looked everywhere only to be thwarted. Leaving Best Buy one day going past the cd section Spanish for a section just seemed to leap out to me. There it was. After asking music clerks for what seemed an interminable amount of time it was mine. When I mentioned it to my son in law from Sweden he told me it had won a prestigious award in Europe. Awards don't matter to me. What does matter is that whenever I hear it I feel an inner peace.
Yes, Bob. I don't know the song of which you speak, but I do know that although my British friend (with whom I Im) and I don't always agree on the genre of music, we agree on the effect of it.
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~wcd/oct16.htm
Missing from this lovely paean is the final verse:
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet tis truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be be wrong.
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.
Hmmmm. Now you've sent me on another fox chase, John.
