'thy bounds', iirc

ie let's go and conquer some more of the world.

Like I said, jingoistic nonsense.

Yeah it is a bit out of date but do you not think it's an uplifting anthem.

I think Pomp and Circumstance March No5 is a brilliant bit of music. Like Elgar, I think putting those words to it ruined it.

I've always thought the theme tune for the Radio 4 soap The Archers would make a good anthem for England. Its extremely English, doesn't have any religious or political connotations and imagine how fun it would be to sing;

LA LALA LALA LA LARR
LA LALA LALARR LARR!!

Plus, as Baz points out, this is what we sing anyway.

Its been ruined by coked up soccer hooligans singing

'We all follow Chelsea...over land and sea (and Arsenal)

We all follow Chelsea... on to vic-tor-eeeeeeeeeee'

etc etc



Shame really

Wrong.

(Without wanting to have a protracted discussion regarding the authorship and intentions of the music...)

I have no problem with LOHAG, GSTQ and Jerusalem being used at big rugby league matches. It is not like you couldn't fit them all around a game in some context.

The 2nd Test at OT 1990 is a perfect example of using two of them.

The team walked out to LOHAG, which again as per Wembley visibly lifted the side, and sung the anthem GSTQ in a very stirring manner immediately before kickoff.

Winners all round.

Ooooooohhhhh Yeeeeahhhhh.

For me its the same one you mention GSTQ. Last time i looked Wakefield seems to be in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so i guess thats my Anthem, i suppose you could break it down if you so wished but i see no need.

Reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Homer fights Drederick Tatum...

[iDue to popular demand, we will forgo our national anthem[/i

I prefer to sing GSTQ, but I'd like Jerusalem to be sung before hand, abit like Abide With Me is sung before the national anthem at the CC final.

Get some opera singer in, words on the big screen and get it belted out.

The lyrics:

Jerusalem
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen!
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark satanic mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England’s green & pleasant Land.


Land of Hope and Glory
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still, and wider, shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet!
Truth and Right and Freedom, each a holy gem,
Stars of solemn brightness, weave thy diadem.
Tho' thy way be darkened, still in splendour drest,
As the star that trembles o'er the liquid West.
Throned amid the billows, throned inviolate,
Thou hast reigned victorious, thou has smiled at fate.
Land of Hope and Glory, fortress of the Free,
How may we extol thee, praise thee, honour thee?
Hark, a mighty nation maketh glad reply;
Lo, our lips are thankful, lo, our hearts are high!
Hearts in hope uplifted, loyal lips that sing;
Strong in faith and freedom, we have crowned our King!

Rule Britannia
When Britain first, at heaven's command,
Arose from out the azure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:

Rule Britania!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
The nations, not so blest as thee,
Must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
(Chorus)
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Brittons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Rule Britannia (with pronuciation singing guide)
When Britain first, at heaven's command,
Aro-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-zure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian A-a-angels sang this strain:
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
The nations, no-o-o-o-ot so blest as thee,
Must i-i-i-i-in their turn, to ty-y--yrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to ty-y-rants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and e-e-e-e-nvy of them all.
(Chorus)
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Blake was highly critical of the Christian Church (not of religion, as he was undoubtedly a believer) and many read the original text to be a critique of that Church - his appeal to 'Jarusalem' is an appeal for people to break their relationships with the England of that day (which would have included the dominance of the CofE Church) to create the 'New Jerusalem' (which in Blake's interpretation of Christianity would have meant an overthrowing of the established religious order). I doubt he'd be too happy with how his words have been co-opted the way they have by that very same Church (and the WI etc.)...

That's what i meant in response to you mentioning how its sung at the start of (presumably, establsihed Church) services.

fwiw, I have always rated it - just wish people bothered to actually read the words within the (often critical) context that the author intended.

(ps. even recognising it as a song set to words and not as a poem, it's still not a hymn as it doesn't actually praise God, or any other figure)

Among these dark satanic mills?

was he talking about West Yorkshire?

Rule Britannia would be an apt anthem for the England team to run out to


"Rule Britannia!
Britannia rules the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves"



I don't think the England side have won a trophy since Admiral Lord Nelson was winning at Trafalgar

My understanding - the "Dark Satanic Mills" was in truth an analogy for the established church. For "mill" read "church", or more so "cathedral" IMO. Blake wrote the lyrics at the very start of the 19th century...well before the full rush of the industrial revolution but when nevertheless there was serious serious social deprivation, and a ruling elite - including the church and the palace - hideously removed from the realities.

And mmp - what you wrote is absolutely my understanding too, and I listen to - and sing - this superb piece of music very much in that context. It is NO WAY a hymn in the established sense - in its day, had Parry written the brilliant music at the same time Blake wrote the poem, it would have been a revolutionary song! And indeed, some reactionary dioceses have banned it because they realise it is not to the glory of God, or at least definitely NOT to the glory of the corrupt established church of the day.

As I see it, anyway.

Look no further than "London" for guidance on how Blake saw things - this was at the very end of the 18th century:

I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow,
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

In every cry of every Man,
In every Infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.

How the Chimney-sweeper’s cry
Every black'ning Church appalls;
And the hapless Soldier’s sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls.

But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlot’s curse
Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage he.


Theyt don't come much more powerful than that? Every word counts. "mind-forg’d manacles", "Every black'ning Church appalls"...powerful imagery there?


Forget Marx and Engels...Blake was your original socialist - and he had every right to be. Read "London", then read "Jerusalem" in that context, I suggest?

Sounds like the place hasnt changed much

GCSE English Literature Anthology circa 1996...'London' was one of the compulsary readings.

"Britannia rule the waves" Baz, "rule"

Originally an instruction rather than a boast, me old convict.

The Verve?

I think the first verses of History were a reworking of Blake's "London" - that what you referring to? I suspect the whole song may owe more to Blake than is immediately apparent, but I'm not a huge Verve fan so others may have a better feel for it.

As your ousted Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said "Feel free to take advantage of another of your rights - your right to leave"

EDIT - I believe it may have been john Howard who said the above.

December 21st

For a small admin fee, you should be able to bring it forward a bit