Change the tune......liderally!!!

[Barking Spiders]

Not long ago England lock Maro Itoje said he would no longer be singing 'Swing low sweet chariot' at rugby internationals because of its origins as an American slave ritual while ex-England hooker Brian Moore also called for its ban for the same reason and because it's become predictable and tedious. Ditto 'Sweet Caroline' at rugby and football matches. Why for the life of me either have become an anthem beats me. I agree 100%. They're meaningless and irrelevant to either game.

 

That said, England international teams will soon need a new anthem anyway, when QEII passes on. It would be a good time to ditch that dismal and lyrically inappropriate and irrelevant anthem and replace it something with more oomph, similar to the Marseillaise or 'Fratelli d'Italia', but which has no mention of monarchy/royalty. Is there any other well known tune that'd be better?  Anyone for Jerusalem or Land of Hope & Glory? Not great faves of mine but they're better. Besides, the name of some other country's capital city doesn't really cut it.  Not 'Rule Britannia' as again the lyrics smack of imperialism and besides England doesn't have an anthem of its own like Scotland and Wales. How about John Cage's 4'33"? I'd like something on the lines of 'Wellerman'. That's got a great melody that could be belted out.

 

Edited July 14, 2022 by Barking Spiders

[Doctor J]

Land of Hope and Glory is another empire bigger-upper, no better than Rule Britannia, really. An English anthem should be specific to England, rather than Britain, surely?

 

Why does it need to be olde anyway? Perhaps Stormzy can conjure up something? Or Ed Sheeran?

[Doctor J]

Oooh, imagine the cash which could be made with the England's New Anthem reality TV series, the winner voted for by the public, of course. Ratings gold! Cash money!

[Heathy]

I believe the answer is ‘Waterloo Sunset’ 

[Maude]

27 minutes ago, Heathy said:

I believe the answer is ‘Waterloo Sunset’ 

 

If the answer isn't 'Waterloo Sunset', then it must be The Jam's 'English Rose'. 

 

Edit: Or, the older I get the more relevant it becomes, Anti-Nowhere League's 'I Hate People'. 😁

Edited July 14, 2022 by Maude

[Earbrass]

 

Edited July 14, 2022 by Earbrass

[Old Horse Murphy]

This has my vote 

[Lozz196]

I like Jerusalem, but think we should do Swing Low same as what we do for rugby, can’t see why we have different songs for different sports.

[Stub Mandrel]

22 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I like Jerusalem, but think we should do Swing Low same as what we do for rugby, can’t see why we have different songs for different sports.

 

It does seem crazy that a song written by a freed slave and that was banned by the nazis should be dingled out as politically incorrect.

[Rich]

There's nothing worse than a politically correct dingle. 

[Barking Spiders]

11 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

It does seem crazy that a song written by a freed slave and that was banned by the nazis should be dingled out as politically incorrect.

But lyrically it's got no relevance to the country. It really only became thing when Martin 'Chariots' Offiah was the biggest name rugby league star back in the 80s. Like why is Sweet Caroline sung at footy and rugby matches? Just random

[dclaassen]

4 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

But lyrically it's got no relevance to the country. It really only became thing when Martin 'Chariots' Offiah was the biggest name rugby league star back in the 80s. Like why is Sweet Caroline sung at footy and rugby matches? Just random

I would ask, “why not?”…oh, I forgot about folks ready to be disturbed/offended at every turn. Lighten up and let the rest of us have some harmless fun…please!

[40hz]

Land of Hope and Glory - the Madness version!

[Rich]

Everybody is missing the obvious choice for an English national anthem -- as proposed by the Big Yin:

 

 

[ezbass]

I’m all for something like the Spanish national anthem, no words. Then you don’t have to hear the awful singing of the players during the pre match formalities and there’s no finger pointing when someone isn’t singing.

[paul_5]

11 hours ago, Rich said:

There's nothing worse than a politically correct dingle. 

I wouldn't know; all the Dingles I've seen have most certainly (and without exception) been on the wrong side of the law.

[Barking Spiders]

14 minutes ago, dclaassen said:

I would ask, “why not?”…oh, I forgot about folks ready to be disturbed/offended at every turn. Lighten up and let the rest of us have some harmless fun…please!

 to start with they were fun enough but now it's done at every single match it's got tedious

[paul_5]

Seriously, I get the idea of a national anthem, and think they are generally. good idea, but the British one isn't about the nation, it's about perpetuating the idea of hereditary privilege, and 'keeping us all in our place'. 

 

I suggest an instrumental is the way forward on this - none of those pesky forelock-tugging or jingoistic words to get in the way of a good melody.

 

Can we have something with a bit more life in it though, 3/2 is a rubbish time signature.

[MacDaddy]

 

[lowdown]

38 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

3/2 is a rubbish time signature.

 

If you are talking about the National Anthem, that's probably why it is commonly (universally) orchestrated and engraved in 3/4.

[paul_5]

Exactly!!

[neepheid]

 

[Doctor J]

14 hours ago, Heathy said:

I believe the answer is ‘Waterloo Sunset’ 

The Village Green Preservation Society would be a good one, too.

[Mykesbass]

Swing Low was a rugby drinking game for years before becoming used by England fans. Along with its gestures it really has become outdated (like the Black & White Minstrel Show) and should be quietly let out to pasture.

[Count Bassy]

15 hours ago, Heathy said:

I believe the answer is ‘Waterloo Sunset’ 

Some would say that "Dead End Street" would be more appropriate.