Speaking as one who loves a good sing – as part of a crowd anyway – I’d have been belting out the words of the National Anthem (which nation is that by the way?) with more gusto than skill if I had been in Jeremy Corbyn’s position.
I miss the alternate Saturdays at Nene Park (only readers of a previous blog existence will understand this reference) as much for the chanting and pitch-perfect renditions of ‘Hi Ho! Rushden Diamonds!’ as for the pitch imperfect football.
And if ever lucky enough to attend a Wales v England game in Cardiff I would be one of few England supporters keen to join in with Hen Wlad Fi Nhadau as well (but only in Welsh – I can never recall the English words). The words are a celebration of Wales to which almost all could subscribe.
Corbyn’s non-singing of the National (which nation is that?) Anthem is the type of bold symbolic (but otherwise fairly irrelevant) stand that can characterise the far-Left. Usually it’s the only thing they can do because nobody gives them any power!
Whether Corbyn sings the National (?) Anthem in future will be keenly watched. I suggest he flips a coin each time just to keep people guessing. Sometimes sing with all your might, deafening those around you and irritating some with your flat notes (that would be me anyway) and sometimes keeping silent.
Or, perhaps to show maximal respect we should all sing all verses of the National (?) Anthem each time it comes up – all six of them. Verse four is rather international socialist in flavour, but I particularly suggest you watch the lips of David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon when we all, singing in unison, get to verse six:
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 our God arise
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all
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
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 over
From every latent foe,
From the assassins 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!
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!
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Just another brilliant effort by Corbyn to draw out and expose the ludicrous, hysterical media’s establishment tools; they went for it hook, line and sinker. It’s very embarrassing – the rest of Europe’s media is so much more mature.
(Sorry, no sense of humour today).
If the biggest issue affecting Britain and its constituent parts is whether someone sings a song praising an unelected billionaire then we’re a lot better off than we thought. The state- regulated jingoism is Orwellian and inspires me to do the opposite.
Think in this instance you both have the wrong end of the stick.
In this particular instance I believe the anthem was really for those pilots who fought to save us all.
Other times he can please himself as far as I am concerned.
The assumption that Corbyn can sing could be wrong
How refreshing to see the first two comments taking a sensible and level-headed view. Lets hope Corbyn is a small start leading to bigger and better things
Mark, pity you chose to include something on this non-event, and to make similarly crass comments regarding the far-Left as the mainstream media. Corbyn is not far-Left and his economic policies are actually Keynesian in nature. He is also perhaps the best chance conservationists have of getting some decent sustainable policies discussed. THAT’s what we should be discussing here. Not trivial nonsense.
I had expected better from you. But then I expected better from the BBC, but they seem to have lost the plot regarding grown-up journalism.
I know nobody making more effort for nature than Mark A. Please allow him a little light relief, it is his website after all. I guess like me you’re having a no-humour day, steve.
I’ve rarely sung the anthem and certainly not for many years, good for Corbyn for joining the rest of us anti monarchists.Its an out moded pile of jingoistic tosh and the institution it praises is little better.
As a card carrying member of Republic and atheist to boot I can sympathise with Jeremy Corby. I too have had to explain myself to others. I never realised the media and general public were such god fearing people and ardent royalists as well. It must hearten the church and state to have such committed subjects. Does it matter who sings what? Personally I’d rather we had a more equal “watermelon” society.
Cannot say I am overly bothered whether he sings or not but if he is going to wear a tie, at least wear it properly.
There’s something very strange about this unelected, billionaire granny with her family of *****s, *******s, ****s and *******s, sitting on a million pound chair wearing a million pound hat and preaching to us about austerity.
I wonder if the word Scots was replaced with Jews or Muslims if the Royalists would still sing this horribly outdated chant with such gusto.
Verse four is quite interesting especially considering the current refugee crisis. Perhaps it’s time that Liz opened up the doors of Buckingham Palace and her many other properties and offered shelter to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in this “one family” after all she’s done the same for Greeks and Germans.
Personally, I’d sooner stick pins in my eyes than sing this grotesque and outdated twaddle.
The Royal Family, like driven grouse shooting should be resigned to the history books.
Note from Mark: this comment has been edited a bit – but only where the asterisks are *********
The day also featured the governments massive cuts to benefits- terrible impacts on 10’s of thousands….. but clearly the tory press thought that JC’s actions would have a more damaging impact on people…..
Another reason why many Scots will not sing the anthem is that if Scotland is playing England at rugby or football, God save the Queen is used as England’s national anthem.
The problem with ‘God Save the Queen’ is that it is such a dreadful meaningless dirge. We could import the American words (‘My Country ’tis of Thee’), but that won’t improve the tune. Or sing the Sex Pistols version, I suppose.
‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ is of course terrific, but then so is ‘Flower of Scotland’, especially when the Scots break, acappella, into the second verse. ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ tells a good story, but is notoriously hard to sing. ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika’ is sublime.
But the best for sheer oomph has to be La Marseillaise. Just imagine the ‘singing competition’ scene in Casablanca, then imagine if the French had had to sing ‘God Save the King’ instead. My point exactly!
I didn’t sing the anthem either but that doesn’t mean I didn’t show upmost respect for the pilots that did their duty to the country and not just to the royals. Maybe Jerusalem would be more than apt as an anthem.
But I must correct you on your “Hi ho Rushton Diamonds” singing. It must be common knowledge that this epic is reserved for the mighty Scunthorpe United!