National Anthems. Are they important.

First topic message reminder :

I just heard Jerusalem.

It almost made me Cry. Its beautiful and makes me feel proud.

NZ have two anthems. It gets them geared up for a game.. Sometimes Ireland has 2. Wales and Scotland connect with there's. We can't connect with God save the queen.

Games of Rugby can be lost in the first second of the game. Just like the Wales England game at the weekend. We were never in it.

If we sung Jerusalem with pride- would it have made a difference to how we start

I am not going to suggest this would make a difference in others sports like football or cricket. They are different games and need a different type of focus.

But with Rugby. The passion, the history, the animalistic nature needs patriotism.

We Need Jerusalem

offload wrote:All would be improved if the English simply sang verse 2 instead:

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.

There, problem solved - imagine the passion as 75,000 fans belt out "frustrate their knavish tricks"

We want it to remain a rugby game though ....... a stadium is a very small space to have a Real war in.......

SecretFly wrote:

offload wrote:All would be improved if the English simply sang verse 2 instead:

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.

There, problem solved - imagine the passion as 75,000 fans belt out "frustrate their knavish tricks"

We want it to remain a rugby game though ....... a stadium is a very small space to have a Real war in.......

Fly - Where's your sense of adventure! For good measure they could add the never used 6th verse about crushing rebellious Scots........Seriously though when you look at all the lyrics you see how hopelessly out of date it is.

mystiroakey wrote:I just heard Jerusalem.

It almost made me Cry. Its beautiful and makes me feel proud.

NZ have two anthems. It gets them geared up for a game.. Sometimes Ireland has 2. Wales and Scotland connect with there's. We can't connect with God save the queen.

Games of Rugby can be lost in the first second of the game. Just like the Wales England game at the weekend. We were never in it.

If we sung Jerusalem with pride- would it have made a difference to how we start

I am not going to suggest this would make a difference in others sports like football or cricket. They are different games and need a different type of focus.

But with Rugby. The passion, the history, the animalistic nature needs patriotism.

We Need Jerusalem

Isn't this treason...at the very least sedition...does HRH still hang for that or is it just balls off in the tower? lets hope the latter

I really do not understand why the Irish HATE Ireland's call so much. Ok you think it is patronising but as an anthem I find it quite rousing, the first time I heard it was at the rugby league World Cup about twenty years ago, and they were beating the snare drums in the background and from then on I have always thought it was a good un, I even sing it myself during a Wales v Ireland game, sometimes I really do think that our Celtic cousins across the Irish Sea can be a little precious when it comes to patriotism and religion at times, just chill out and go with the flow, that is what I say.

offload wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

offload wrote:All would be improved if the English simply sang verse 2 instead:

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.

There, problem solved - imagine the passion as 75,000 fans belt out "frustrate their knavish tricks"

We want it to remain a rugby game though ....... a stadium is a very small space to have a Real war in.......

Fly - Where's your sense of adventure! For good measure they could add the never used 6th verse about crushing rebellious Scots........Seriously though when you look at all the lyrics you see how hopelessly out of date it is.

I will be honest with you i only know the first verse. And i do not know many other people who know any other versers.

Verse 3

O Lord, our Jolly Japes,
Scatter our sour grapes
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their dirty tricks,
On Walsh our hopes we fix:
God save the Queen.

On thee our hopes we fix....

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.espnscrum.com/PICTURES/CMS/11000/11015.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.espnscrum.com/newzealand/rugby/image/115123.html&h=498&w=500&sz=191&tbnid=gDkSoqnj3iHkWM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=100&zoom=1&usg=__x-5Nm-iXhThbo3zKnzDugsb8_dk=&docid=g4SPG0sFTr0IJM&sa=X&ei=ZQ1KUcDBCKScjAKN94CwBA&ved=0CGQQ9QEwEA&dur=509

RubyGuby wrote:Verse 3

O Lord, our Jolly Japes,
Scatter our sour grapes
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their dirty tricks,
On Walsh our hopes we fix:
God save the Queen.

I can die happy...outrageous!!!

RubyGuby wrote:Verse 3

O Lord, our Jolly Japes,
Scatter our sour grapes
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their dirty tricks,
On Walsh our hopes we fix:
God save the Queen.

If National anthem's were all that important then everyone would be practising them at training.

RubyGuby wrote:Verse 3

O Lord, our Jolly Japes,
Scatter our sour grapes
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their dirty tricks,
On Walsh our hopes we fix:
God save the Queen.

nice one Ruby, nice one.

LordDowlais wrote: I really do think that our Celtic cousins across the Irish Sea can be a little precious when it comes to patriotism and religion at times

Oh I get it...you're listening to the words?????

Us Irish, (who don't like it) don't give a damn about the words. In the sense that we're not exactly frothing at the mouth in protest that the four Provinces are mentioned as standing together shoulder to shoulder. That's just bunk lyrics...they don't offend us. It's a lovely sentiment but syrupy sweet lyrics.

But what we don't like mostly, I'd assume, is the bloody da, da, dada, da - da, da, da, da, da tune.
It's maudlin, it's old fashioned, it's come-all-ye-ish... which is a particular brand of Irish music that is neither traditional Irish, traditional folk or modern. A half way house of slush.... the difference between The Velvet Underground and an X Factor winner. Schmaltz.

Does that make it clearer? It's nothing to do with religion or patriotism..it's just a crap tune and crap Eurovision entry lyrics. (in my opinion You always have to add that as we Irish are........... a precious lot about patriotism and religion!!!!)

I quite like the NZ anthem in Maori. I think we should just stop after that. The English lyrics sound awful. Maybe that's why we perform the haka: to try and restore a cool image after that turgid nonsense.

Personally Pokarekare ana makes me homesick. Not appropriate at a rugby match but Hayley Westerna singing the NZ anthem in Maori is a nice compromise.

Scotland, France and seeing the passion of the Pumas are my anthem highlights. The rest are a good opportunity to go to the bar and get those last orders in before the haka. I'm always reminded of Billy Connolly when I hear God Save the Queen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ

Just one change:

offload wrote:All would be improved if the English simply sang verse 2 instead:

O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their Steve's knavish tricks,
On thee our hopes we fix:
God save the Queen.

There, problem solved - imagine the passion as 75,000 fans belt out "frustrate their knavish tricks"