MPs back calls for English national anthem

[crossref]

Who cares about patriotism?
We just want a good tune we can all bellow out at the top of our lungs.
.

we already have one of those...... swing low ... sweet chariot ...

but an anthem ... pretty much by definition that has to be patriotic.

 

[SimonSmith]

Thank God there's someone here who knows an open goal when he sees one

Courtesy of History Teacher

"Sir, when are we doing Catherine the Great?"
"Horse beat us to it lads"

 

[crossref]

did you just do one joke twice?

 

[Rushforth]

did you just do one joke twice?

He brings "doing" to a whole new level.

Edit: "The importance of doing Earnest" would be... interesting.

 

[4eyesbetter]

Excuse me, I've got a few ads to post on Craigslist...

 

[Rushforth]

Can open goals be sold

 

[Dickie E]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OidSD14mGE&spfreload=10

too easy

 

[Dixie]

Thank God there's someone here who knows an open goal when he sees one

Wasn't that the gardener?

 

[L'irlandais]

That'd be "Lady Ottoline Morrell's Lover" (unpublished work)

 

[Dixie]

The okey-cokey.

The worst thing that could happen is there is a competiton for a totally new anthem. then we'll either end up with some jingoistic dirge, or something that sounds as if its been recorded by (random choice) Atomic Kitten.

I have to disagree. England lacks a history of raucous or inspiring folk songs, though you can find them in separate regions where songs like The Blaydon Races (North East) or You'll Never Walk Alone (North West) can get a large section of the community united. But countrywide, there's nothing to match Danny Boy for example.

Because of this lack, all the talk is of the very few songs that people DO know - but because the "people" here are largely privately educated and/or middle class, they've gone for hymns (Jerusalem) and classical (Land of Hope and Glory). The population at large (say 90% of a football crowd) have no idea of the words of these songs, and frankly anything that includes the words thee or thy should automatically be binned. The notes of LOHAG are far too high pitched for a choir comprising largely male voices, and the words are archaic too. Ditch those two and there's nothing left -we need to start afresh.

The closest thing to a totemic anthem in my lifetime was Football's Coming Home. That was a bit of a laugh from a couple of comics. I'm sure that the English music industry could do the job for a generic sporting anthem.

 

[L'irlandais]

How's about John Lennon's imagine?
Make for a great anthem, one cannot get more English than the Beatles, surely? :eng:

 

[Dixie]

How's about John Lennon's imagine?
Make for a great anthem, one cannot get more English than the Beatles, surely? :eng:

So you want England to sing a slow, plodding song along the lines of "imagine there's no countries - it isn't hard to do. Nothing to sing or play for, and no religion too"? I can see that going down well as a unifying force. Are you just stirring the pot? [do you see what I did there?]

If we're going to nick an existing song, Queen have all the best tunes, and a proper name for a monarchy too.
It's a kind of magic, Killer Queen, or .... Bohemian Rhapsody! [sings] I see a little silhouetto of a man [/sings]

 

[L'irlandais]

Remember that The fields of Athenry is a Munster Anthem.
So no not stirring the pot.

Stirring from me would be suggesting The Muppets – Mah Nà Mah Nà.

How about The Beatles – Hey Jude.?

 

[Rushforth]

Always look on the bright side of life.

 

[Rich_NL]

Rousing *and* patriotic.