National Anthem

[Dr Strangelust]

As you may have heard, Scotland’s national anthem has been ruled a devolved issue. What should our anthem be? Is this just an unimportant English territory that should keep the song of its masters? Is "Flower of Scotland" a corny dirge that only defines Scotland in terms of England? Would something by Burns be appropriate or should a new song be composed?

Your views please.

[Mr_Big_Dave]

Keep flower of scotland.

But if it has to be changed I'd go for Highland Cathedral

[Steveo]

Don't allow Scotland to have one.

You have God Save The Queen like the rest of the UK.

[hr][s]Strangers passing in the street....by chance two seperate glances meet[/s]

[David]

[s]Steveo wrote on 15:59, 29th Nov 2004:
Don't allow Scotland to have one.

You have God Save The Queen like the rest of the UK.

[hr][s]Strangers passing in the street....by chance two seperate glances meet[/s]




God save the queen has to be one of the worwst national anthems ever, its so dull and dreary. Flower of scotland jsut fires up your spirits and national pride! I say keep it or go for highland cathedral

[scumdeeforever]

something new needs to be composed. don't get me wrong, i'll belt out flower of scotland with the best of them, but it really does pigeon hole our country a little - we're basically singing "We're Not England". Scotland the Brave is not an option, and, although Highland Cathedral stirs the blood of any true and proud scot, i don't really think its national anthem material. although given the state of the parliament, its probably best to stick with flower of scotland, "better the devil you know" and all that...

[Spaceman Spiff]

If the bloody English wanna keep God save the Queen then so be it but Scotland should have its own national anthem too!! We shouldnt have to have the English one, down with the Queen!!!

[Chain Mailer]

Why not a Robbie Burns song? Or make one of his poems a song?
I would suggest 'My Heart's in the Highlands' but I think the lowlanders would be a bit put out :s


[hr]
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious

[flossy]

Personally I dislike God Save The Queen as all the football fans who don't know the second verse so just sing the first one twice make us look like absolute twats.

As an English person, I'd like it replaced with Rule Britannia or my all-time-favourite-gonna-be-played-at-my-funeral Jerusalem. Although that could be confusing...

[Bread Roll]

Is God Save The Queen not the British or even UK national anthem? I'm sure it doesn't sing about England, just the Queen, who is the Queen of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Irealand, Canada, Australia and undoubtedly a load of other tiny places too. It is pretty uninspiring though. Maybe we could get someone to rap it..... But on the Scotland thing, you all sing Flower of Scotland at the rugby and the football already do you not? So why not keep it as your Scottish anthem and when we have to sing a national anthem as the UK then we can have God Save The Queen or maybe the new Hip-hop version of it and if England is on its own at the footie then we can all sing Land of Hope and Glory or whatever.

[hr]

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[Stuart]

It annoys me that the English have hijacked God Save The Queen for their sporting occasions. Either it should be sung by all four home nations, or by none of them, as is the case at the Commonwealth Games. The present situation, where one constituent nation appears to stake a greater claim to the national anthem is unacceptable.

[Bread Roll]

[s]flossy wrote on 16:25, 29th Nov 2004:
As an English person, I'd like it replaced with Rule Britannia or my all-time-favourite-gonna-be-played-at-my-funeral Jerusalem. Although that could be confusing...


Jerusalem also at my funeral. And possibly my wedding. Would be great National Anthem for England apart from confusing part about Jerusalem being in England.....

Rule Britannia however... I rather like the song to be honest.

[hr]

Get your philosophy from a bumper sticker

[FURY-161]

Both "Queen" and "Flower" are hideously dull and dreary songs. You just need to see any football fan groaning his lungs out to prove that.

Why can't we have something truly rousing, like "La Marseillaise"? Now there's a song that'll get a nation to chop necks!

Until we get something like that (or are annexed by France), I guess I'll have to stand by "flower" on principle. It is monumentally crap, though.
[hr]
FURY-161
"Anything to feel weightless again"
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[scumdeeforever]

[s]Bread Roll wrote on 16:34, 29th Nov 2004:
Is God Save The Queen not the British or even UK national anthem? I'm sure it doesn't sing about England, just the Queen, who is the Queen of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Irealand, Canada, Australia and undoubtedly a load of other tiny places too. It is pretty uninspiring though. Maybe we could get someone to rap it..... But on the Scotland thing, you all sing Flower of Scotland at the rugby and the football already do you not? So why not keep it as your Scottish anthem and when we have to sing a national anthem as the UK then we can have God Save The Queen or maybe the new Hip-hop version of it.

[hr]

Get your philosophy from a bumper sticker




part of the reason people feel the need to change from flower of scotland is that its been "spoiled" by the terraces of sporting venues. it was only introduced for that purpose as when scotland and england met it seemed a little weird singing the same song twice. isn't it the same with the Aussies singing Waltzing Matilda (a song incidentally about a mattress, if anyone wants to hear the story)?

[Bread Roll]

[s]scumdeeforever wrote on 16:38, 29th Nov 2004:



Isn't it the same with the Aussies singing Waltzing Matilda (a song incidentally about a mattress, if anyone wants to hear the story)?


I thought the Aussies had a national anthem, Advance Australia Fair or something like that?

[hr]
Get your philosophy from a bumper sticker

[Zombie Sheep]

[s]Dr Strangelust wrote on 15:45, 29th Nov 2004:
Is "Flower of Scotland" a corny dirge that only defines Scotland in terms of England?

I do believe that God Save the queen once contained a verse with the lines "and like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush". Admittedly, not added when it was officially introduced as the anthem, but interesting nevertheless. As for the Scottish anthem, what about "A Man's A Man For A' That", as it was sung at the opening?

[hr]
"The feudal system of land tenure, that is to say the entire system whereby land is held by a bassal on perpetual tenure from a superior is, on the appointed day, abolished. Scotland, 28th November 2004.

[Iain]

Considering this is a devolved matter then a "Scottish National Anthem" can't be anything British or English for goodness sake folks! Don't you know the meaning of devolution?!

Flower o' Scotland, A Man's a Man, or something new? Get some composers together and then have a referendum via the internet. It's not an issue where electoral fraud could come into play!!

[David Bean]

Yes, of course 'God Save the Queen' is the British national anthem, and must have primacy over any pseudo-national anthems for the regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster - each of which should have its own of the latter, if any one of them is.

My vote is for "A Man's A Man", which is a song of genuine historical and moral import, not a rabble-rousing sham like "Flower of Scotland".

[hr]"Fiat justicia ruat coelum (let justice be done though the heavens may fall)" - Judge James Horton (family motto)

[Ga]

I'd stick with Flower of Scotland, most people already know most of it and isn't prone to the "Dudududadadada!"ness of Scotland the Brave.

If not, I say we should try The Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be".

[hr]If everything in life had a point, life would be pointless

[maz]

caledonia 's calling me.... moves me to tears pretty much everytime i hear it - especially if i'm far far away from home

[Gubbins]

Verse 6 of God Save the Queen:

Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the Queen!

Not a very Scottish-friendly verse (the whole song was written about Bonnie Prince Charlie's crew), so they tend not to sing that one these days. It's a bit of a dirge, anyway. Personally, I like Billy Connolly's idea of putting it to the words to the tune of the Archers... da da dee da da da da... it actually fits quite well.

Flower of Scotland is all about English-bashing, so if the English are going to have a Scottish-bashing anthem, why don't we have one to get our own back? Nothing like cross-border relations, eh?