Ditch Flower of Scotland?

**Redshank** · 4th January 12, 02:04 AM

Flower of Scotland will do for me but then I am an insipid mindless hooligan noveau nationalist : )

**madmacs** · 4th January 12, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by Redshank

Flower of Scotland will do for me but then I am an insipid mindless hooligan noveau nationalist : )

Well as long as you know your place...

...and yes it was humour before anyone takes offence...

**McClef** · 4th January 12, 06:29 AM

Well "old animosities" can appear in the lyrics of various anthems - the third verse of the Star Spangled Banner (it has four verses and another was added by Oliver Wendell Holmes during the Civil War period), for example.

"Proud Edward" is not especially well liked in Wales either.

But should the referendum outcome be for independence, some of the words that currently express the hope to "be a nation again" would become redundant.

But how often redundant phrases are actually changed as opposed to simply not being used is another question. If it's not in the first verse then most people would not even be aware it was there. Flower of Scotland is probably one of those rare instances where most people who know it and sing it know the whole thing.

There are 8 verses in the Norwegian National Anthem, how many Norwegians can sing them all without looking them up?

There are three verses in the Welsh National Anthem, how many, even of those who speak Welsh fluently and every day, know the second and third verses?

There are six verses in God Save The Queen, even dropping the Marshall Wade verse, that still leaves five and I struggle with anything beyond the first verse!

**Chas** · 4th January 12, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by McClef

There are six verses in God Save The Queen, even dropping the Marshall Wade verse, that still leaves five and I struggle with anything beyond the first verse!

No There Are Not!

You might doubt Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen

But are you seriously saying that you know better than the Official website of the British Monarchy?

http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Sy...nalAnthem.aspx

Chas

**McClef** · 4th January 12, 07:20 AM

I do not doubt my source which is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...en-lyrics.html

And your link to the British monarchy website does not work.

**Chas** · 4th January 12, 07:25 AM

The Telegraph! - you've just lost your argument.

Try the link now.

Chas

**madmacs** · 4th January 12, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

The Telegraph! - you've just lost your argument.
Chas

Newspapers do tend to fact check...

Would we rather have the bbc...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7126929.stm

Not actually the lyrics, but certainly a reference to the same story and verse 6 issue...

**Jimmy** · 4th January 12, 10:08 AM

Highland Cathedral would be an awesome anthem especially if some good lyrics were added

**McClef** · 4th January 12, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

The Telegraph! - you've just lost your argument.

Try the link now.

Chas

I fail to understand this East Anglian phobia for this particular newspaper but the argument is still far from lost. If you read the Monarchy Today website properly you would have seen Additional verses have been added down the years, but these are rarely used.

Thus they do exist and that existence is acknowledged, and though they may not be used (as most additional verses of any national anthem are not), the Telegraph is not incorrect.

And I am sure that the Marshall Wade verse was indeed sung in 1745!