British National Anthem?

Question

It has been troubling me for sometime and the world cup as made me ask WHY do England sing God Save The Queen.
This is the National Anthem of Great Britain (Scotland, England Ireland and Wales) When competing on an indiviual basis Scotland, Ireland and Wales have their own. Should it not be the case that England should be singing Swing Low or something else.
You can't compete as England and sing the British anthem simply your not competing for Britian.
Any views on this??

To Cherryburst
Football is Flower of Scotland as we are competing as individual county.
Olympics is usually British National Anthem, unless its the commonwealth games then its Flower of Scotland.

Answer 1

No we don't we have to sing that crap also. Officially that is all our anthams.

We like to sing flower of scotland but when (haha) we qualify of the world cup or the olympic and stuff it has to be god save the queen.

Answer 2

It's not that it's the same anthem, it's that England have never used any other one. Unlike Scotland and Wales, who have used their own songs for years. I personally don't care that they use the British anthem; I don't feel it means anything very much to anyone Scottish or Welsh anyway. But it would be good if, as many England rugby fans would clearly like, Jerusalem was adopted by English rugby union authorities if only to give them access to a much better song which is patriotic to England alone as Flower of Scotland is to Scotland and the Welsh one (sorry, can't remember what it's called off the top of my head; and it's in Welsh which I don't speak so I don't see the need to upset any Welshmen by mincing their lanuage) is to Wales.

Answer 3

Yahoo answers is a good way to learn stuff right? so even if i'm not actually answering your question as long as you learn something thats a good thing?

GREAT BRITIAN DOES NOT INCLUDE IRELAND!!!
it does include northern ireland, not the same thing at all petal!!!!

thats off my chest now, i would have presumed that god save the queen was englands national anthem and is only the national anthem of great britian because the rest are ruled by england, but i don't know i'm IRISH not British so it's none of my concern.

Answer 4

I have wondered this too...

Maybe it is because London is the utmost official residence (Buckingham Palace) of the Queen, therefore, by default, it has to be the national anthem of England.

I don't know if that is correct, but it seems logical...perhaps...

If I could choose and English anthem, I would opt for Land of Hope and Glory.

Answer 5

It's the one they're most likely to know the words to. Also, Rule Brtiannia's a no-no because we stopped ruling the waves a while back, Land Of Hope & Glory is the jingle of the Tory Party and although Jerusalem is great no-one understands what Blake was talking about (and if they did they'd find out what a dangerous environmentalist leftie he was).

So it's got to be either God Save The Queen or England Swings Like A Pendulum Do.

Answer 6

Dear Sandywhistle

In answer to your question regarding The United Kingdom National Anthem of ` God Save Our Queen '. This as alway's been The National Anthem long before our current Queen and that of The House of Windsor.

The National Anthem of ` God Save Our Queen ' is alway's sung as a mark of Respect & Allegiance of Loyalty to Her Majesty The Queen.

The National Anthem of ` God Save Our Queen ' cannot be legally changed without the legal consent of both Her Majesty The Queen and that of The Palace of Westminster in London.

I therefore trust that this answer's your legal question.

Regards

MR STEVEN NEWBERT JP
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
for
ENGLAND & WALES

Answer 7

GSTQ seems to be an entirely Royal rather than specifically National anthem.

Answer 8

I'm a Brit. & I have know idea why we have so many different Anthems!
BUT........................
They can sing whatever dated & pathetic anthem they like.
Soccer's a waste of time, resources & MONEY!

Imagine how many starving African Children could be fed with the MONEY they've WASTED!
Same opinion of most SPORT, watched by Fat couch potatoes that never do any sport themselves. Only exercise they get is shouting at the Telly!

Answer 9

It's a mess. Ireland is not part of Great Britain. Scotland does not have a national anthem ( 2 flags to compensate ) GSTQ is anti-Scottish. I'm with Billy Connelly. We should adopt the theme tune to the Archers as the National Anthem ( tum te tum te tum te tum tum te tum tum te tum tum )

Keep the lyrics as they are... this will not offend anyone and it will be easy for sports fans to remember.

Answer 10

God save the Queen is not, officially, the national anthem. The UK has no official national anthem, but it is widely accepted that God save the Queen is it.

I do tend to agree that England shouldn't use the British national anthem but should get their own like at the Commonwealth games, where they sing 'Land of hope and Glory', which would be my preferred choice for other sporting events for England.

We could not possibly have swing low as that is an American song. Jeruselam is a good possibility. But the problem is that everyone knows God save the Queen (well - the first verse anyway) and not the others.

I don't like the scottish one as it is a bit English-bashing crap, and if it were done vice-versa the English would be scoulded. I believe the Welsh one is English-bashing as well, but as it is in Welsh I can pretend it isn't.

The full National Anthem (with accompanying scots bashing verse) is below for interest: (usuall only 2 verses are sung)

1
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.

2
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 the Queen.

3
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 1.

4
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 o'er.

5
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!

6
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!

Answer 11

well its like this we were once a mighty empire and owned a fair percentage of the world there was no divide among our land apart ireland but that is only water hence great britan and the united kingdom so yes we sing the national anthem and yes they sing theirs because until we found each other neither knew each existed and i think we should sing rule britania anyways