Anthems, Like Flags Are Symbolic (God Save The Queen)

Member Name: reg_scrat

Product:	God Save The Queen
Date:	03/07/01 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Meaning For Some People, Potent Symbol, Stood The Test Of Time

Disadvantages: Should Not Necessarily Be Taken Literally

God Save the Queen/King has meant a lot to people outisde of our generation, especially during the last two World Wars. In those eras, symbolism and tradition anchored patriotism - something which, I would argue, continues to decline these days.

In actual fact, the first rendition of Britain's national anthem appeared in 1745. The phrase "God Save the King" had obviously appeared much before that, having Biblical origins. The tune has been accredited to several different minor composers, therefore making it likely that the tune evolved as it increased in popularity. Ironically (in light of this topic), the tune has been appropriated by over a dozen other countries for their patriotic songs. During WWI, for example, when the British Tommies sang the anthem across No Mans Land, the American and British troops immediately recognized it, joing in with their own lyrics.

By the early 1900s, God Save the King had been offically recognized as the national anthem. In contrast to 'La Marseillaise' or 'The Star Spangled Banner', both of which emerged out of eventful births of the modern French and American nations, God Save the King is more of an all-purpose hymn centred on the monarch, whose leadership spared Britain from the bloody revolutions which affected virtually every other nation in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Britons must attempt to take pride in the best aspects of tradition while reforming the poor and inefficient aspects of what it means to be British. The monarchy, in the grand scheme of things, the least of all problems facing the country. The monarch, like it or not, still symbolizes Britain in the rest of the world. Fair enough, the monarchy these days has its problems. And I'm sure they did in the days before tabloid journalism.

However, in conclusion, I think the best way to view the national anthem is in terms of what it means to all those who fought and died
for our freedom. Like the flag, the meaning of the anthem transcends mere words, and I think it selfish of us to change it for generations to come. As many have pointed out in their opinions, there is no pressing contender for a replacement, and I think we should protect those things which have stood the test of time.

God Save The Queen
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

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour
Long may she reign
May she defend our laws
And give us ever cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen

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