Thursday, 11 November 2004

They're getting serious now

Now that smoking's been dealt with (unless you're in prison of course), our politicians can turn their attention to more important matters. Like selecting a national song or a state bird. How on earth could we survive without these people?

3 comments:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

William
From your link it seems Bhutan is banning all tobacco sales. Which is slightly different from McConnell's pathetic "oh, we're opposed to tobacco, it's terrible but, er, uh, please do keep buying it for yourself, like." McConnell wants to pretend he's doing something whilst still accepting the substantial cash that comes from cigarette duties.

15 November 2004, 16:55:49 GMT
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Stuart
I see that both Russia and Bhutan are following our example: 
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4012639.stm

15 November 2004, 12:50:37 GMT
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William
From the Queen herself - 
 
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page317.asp 
 
There is no authorised version of the National Anthem as the words are a matter of tradition. Additional verses have been added down the years, but these are rarely used. The words used are those sung in 1745, substituting 'Queen' for 'King' where appropriate. On official occasions, only the first verse is usually sung, as follows:  
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. 
 
An additional verse is occasionally sung:  
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,

15 November 2004, 11:38:57 GMT
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Milo Thurston
Apologies for posting twice by mistake - I'm not sure how that happened. 
The verse 6 lyrics are irrelevant because they are not sung, they are not not sung because they are irrelevant. I must disagree that the integrity of the composition is compromised.

15 November 2004, 11:26:48 GMT
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David Farrer said...

Stuart
The existence of these lyrics is not "irrelevant". It compromises the integrity of the whole composition. If it said "Rebellious Jews to crush" or "Rebellious blacks to crush" do you think that it would still be sung? 
 
I like "Scotland the Brave" and "Scots Wha Hae" but this is the whole problem: everyone has a favourite. Lets have a bit of assertiveness and choose a bloomin' song. Surely even this modest task cannot be beyond our masters in Parliament? 
 
Personally I prefer this version of God Save the Queen; you can pogo to it! 
 
God save the Queen 
the fascist regime, 
they made you a moron 
a potential H-bomb. 
 
God save the Queen 
she ain't no human being. 
There is no future 
in England's dreaming 
 
Don't be told what you want 
Don't be told what you need. 
There's no future 
there's no future 
there's no future for you 
 
God save the Queen 
we mean it man 
we love our queen 
God saves 
 
God save the Queen 
'cos tourists are money 
and our figurehead 
is not what she seems 
 
Oh God save history 
God save your mad parade 
Oh Lord God have mercy 
all crimes are paid. 
 
When there's no future 
how can there be sin 
we're the flowers 
in the dustbin 
we're the poison 
in your human machine 
we're the future 
you're future 
 
God save the Queen 
we mean it man 
we love our queen 
God saves 
 
God save the Queen 
we mean it man 
there is no future 
in England's dreaming 
 
No future 
no future for you 
no future for me 
 
(J. Rotten, G. Matlock, S. Jones, P. Cook)

15 November 2004, 11:21:09 GMT
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Milo Thurston
Thanks, Stuart. I've been looking for those words for ages! Still, as those words are not used I don't think that the dislike of the song (usually because it is perceived as 'English') is justified. Still, it always gets an interesting reaction when I play it upon my pipe (in honour of Queen Elizabeth the 1st of Scotland, of course . 
Thanks for the clarification on your "better" statement - I have to agree.

15 November 2004, 11:18:39 GMT
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David Farrer said...





Stuart
Milo Thurston, 
I most certainly did not mean to say that I consider Scots "better" than the English, and if that was taken to be the meaning I retract the statement. I do not consider any nation to be better than any other: merely different, and variety is indeed the spice of life. 
 
What I meant is that when we constantly define ourselves in comparison with England we are diminishing ourselves. We ought to rise above that petty boundary and raise our sights to wider, international horizons. The BBC are experts at maintaining the narrow, parochial focus of Scots on our southern neighbour. We will never grow up til we get over that "England" chip on our shoulder. 
 
By the way, the correct title of the song is "God Save the King"; "...Queen" is merely a temporary phenomenon. 
 
Lyrics can be found at: 
 
http://ingeb.org/songs/godsaveo.html 
 
Verse 6: 
 
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 King!

15 November 2004, 11:05:13 GMT
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Milo Thurston
Stuart - I agree with Mr. Reid on both the inappropriateness of FoS and the reason why it is inappropriate. "So much more, and better, than", though? Definitely a lot more than that, but "better" moves onto very dodgy ground. 
Also, the old "crushing rebellious Scots" words to GStQ have come up again. I often hear of these, but have never heard them. Even if they actually exist, they are never sung so their existence is irrelevant. What's wrong with "Scotland the Brave" as a national song, anyway?

15 November 2004, 09:33:14 GMT
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Ken
I like the way the article says that Mr Reid achieved a "major success" when fixing an official colour for the Scottish saltire. Do these people have nothing worthwhile to do?

13 November 2004, 20:12:34 GMT
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Stuart
Sassenach, 
Mrs Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had no choice. She is a puppet head of state. 
 
The Scots people had spoken loud and clear: The Scots' Parliament Will Be Re-convened. 
 
"Flower of Scotland" is a lament to the fallen soldiers from the successful Scots' army of resistance to an English invasion. Mr Reid thinks that it is inappropriate because it tends to define Scottishness as being simply "Not English". We are so much more, and better, than that. 
 
An Englishman who regards his country as merely a "province". No typical Englishman you! England is a constituent country of a trans-national union, not a "province" dear boy - have some self-esteem. 
 
(Incidentally, "Jerusalem" has been pointedly omitted from the most recent Kirk of Scotland Hymnary. Nice tune.)

12 November 2004, 11:43:20 GMT
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Sassenach
If God Save the Queen has no relevance, who was it who signed the bill that gave rise to their toytown elected chamber in the first place? And who do they think was the little old dear who opened it? 
 
Scotland is part of the UK - hence God Save the Queen (the UK National Anthem). Anyway - what's wrong with Flower of Scotland? As an Englishman (with Scots roots, mind), I'm happy to regard "Jerusalem" as our unofficial "provincial" anthem.

12 November 2004, 11:00:23 GMT
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Andrew McManama
Survive without politicians? But then who'd be there to waste your money and tell you what to do?

11 November 2004, 20:16:20 GMT