A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος (hymnos), “a song of praise”.
In recent years the Church of England has appeared divided over the suitability of Jerusalem for religious occasions, mainly on account of the fact that it is not – in the view of many people – a proper hymn. However, as reported in today’s press (see the Telegraph and Mail), the Church of England have now come down in favour of the singing Jerusalem at weddings, a decision that will be a relief to a great many couples given that Jerusalem is the fifth most popular choice of for CofE weddings. The following is taken from the Church of England website:
Sung in churches, used by various organisations, and having been selected by the England Commonwealth Games team for their ‘victory anthem’, the hymn Jerusalem is liked by many but not all.
The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten, said: “The runaway success of the planner shows the popularity of liturgy and hymns and what can happen when planning a service is made user friendly. These hymns, all firmly fixed in our hymn books, are much loved and have a rightful place in Church of England worship and in the online ceremony planner.”
A factsheet by the Revd Peter Moger, National Worship Development Officer, called Singing Jerusalem at Weddings, has also been released, as a guide for clergy. It highlights various ways to build on the hymn’s enduring popularity with churchgoers, various organisations and sports fans to “make a marriage special” and “forge a positive and lasting relationship with wedding couples”.
Whether this is a victory for common sense or a case of the Church bowing to popular and commercial demand is unclear. It’s most probably a bit of both. And frankly, who cares?
An anthem4england supporter emailed the RFU to point out that England’s Commonwealth Games governing body has recently held a poll, involving the public and English athletes, upon which anthem should be used to celebrate England’s success at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Dehli.
He asked why the RFU did not follow suit. This is the response:
Thanks for your mail. We are aware of the Commonwealth Games survey as we promoted ourselves on our Facebook site given our 7s team will play a key role at the Games. However we have no plans to change the anthem we use for games as we have always had strong links to our royal family and Prince Harry is our vice patron and we think that is the appropriate anthem to use and our member clubs agree. We realise that others have a different view and we accept that but for now we will stay with God Save the Queen.
Regards
Peter Thomas
Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
Rugby Football Union
Whitton Road
Twickenham
TW2 7BA
The patron of Welsh Rugby is the Queen, and the Vice Patron is Prince William, yet they seem to be able to get away with singing a Welsh anthem.
The Patron of Scottish Rugby is Princess Anne, and the Scots seem to get away with a Scottish anthem. Princess Anne doesn’t sing God Save the Queen when attending Murrayfield for diplomatic reasons, but she belts out Scotland the Brave. She once remarked of the English rugby crowd “I wonder why they don’t sing Land of Hope and Glory instead”.
So what’s the big deal about God Save the Queen and Prince Harry being the Vice Patron of English Rugby?
The following letter appeared in the Western Daily Press on 3rd July 2010.
Jacky Myers (Letters 01.07.10) writes that she is saddened by the fact that the English football team couldn’t be bothered to sing the national anthem with a bit of gusto.
It must have escaped her notice that England was the only country competing in the World Cup that does not have an anthem of its own.
Within the UK Land of my fathers is used as the national anthem for Wales and Scotland uses Flower of Scotland. God Save Our Queen is not an English national anthem but it is the United Kingdom anthem, which may explain the lack of enthusiasm shown by the English football team.
In this and the matter of devolution England alone is, as ever, denied a separate identity within the UK.
On St George’s Day 2010 Commonwealth Games England announced that they would let the nation decide which anthem is to be played at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi by allowing the public to vote for the song of their choice.
Voters were able to choose between God Save The Queen, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory – with Jerusalem beating the both the national anthem and the anthem previously used for English athletes competing at Commonwealth Games. The new official anthem of the England Team will be played for English athletes on the podium in Delhi when a Gold medal is won.
England athlete Dean Macey, who won Gold at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, welcomed the new anthem, saying: “Jerusalem’s awesome for getting you pumped before competing. Couple this with the huge pride that comes in wearing the red lion and you’ve got the perfect anthem for England’s Commonwealth Games’.
Duncan Lewis, Marketing Director for Commonwealth Games England, said, “The nation has spoken and we are delighted to accept Jerusalem as the anthem for England athletes in Delhi. The response from the public has been absolutely fantastic and I hope they will carry on this level of enthusiasm in supporting the team in Delhi this summer.”
Survey by YouGov of 1,896 entrants
Results –
1. Jerusalem: 52.5%
2. Land of Hope and Glory: 32.5%
3. God Save The Queen: 12%
Which is the only nation competing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup that, when the two teams line up ahead of kick off, doesn’t have an anthem to call its own? Easy! Easy! England of course. Whatever the Scots, Welsh and at least half the Northern Irish’s view of the Royal Family, God Save the Queen is as much their anthem as ours, so why on earth doesn’t England get a tune that belongs to us?
Of course the Scots and the Welsh have decided that while God Save the Queen is good enough when the Union Jack is run up the Olympic Flagpole for their Gold Medalists Chris Hoy and Nicole Cook, when their football or rugby teams are competing in the colours of Scotland or Wales its time to belt out Flower of Scotland or Land of My Fathers. OK, so Northern Ireland has opted for no anthem of their own, though at Stormont they do at least have a Parliament they can call their own, a subject for another debate.
‘Happy and Glorious’ God Save the Queen goes, and ‘long to reign over us’ a line later. Nothing could sum up English subjecthood better. Of course the Royal Family are happy, because they reign over us at our expense, but the argument for an anthem to call our own cannot be reduced to making the case for English Republicanism. However, a song that celebrates being ruled by others put in place simply by accident of birth, and which in not one stanza ever actually mentions England is surely not a fitting tune.
After World Cup 2002 the FA quietly ran a poll amongst England supporters on whether an alternative to God Save the Queen should be considered for international matches. With zero campaigning, and no alternatives offerred, an astonishing 36% voted for change. Nothing came of it, the opportunity to inauguarate the new Wembley with an anthem to call our own squandered, but there remains significant popular support whenever the argument is made not in terms of knocking God Save the Queen but simply pointing out that England should have its own anthem.
And the contenders? Well it would be very New Labour to commission Simon Cowell and Andrew Lloyd Webber to come up with ‘Anthem Idol’ wouldn’t it? It’s just the sort of thing Blair-lite Cameron might favour too. But twenty-first century manufacturing of tradition could never match the heritage of the songs we have on offer to choose from.
Each will have their favourites. If I was asked to plump for a modern classic I’d choose The Jam’s English Rose. Haunting, full of longing for a country. But that’s probably too up-to-date for most tastes. I Vow To Thee My Country has probably the best tune of the lot but I’m not sure that words written by a Yank entirely fit the bill – although music provided by a Swedish immigrant born in Cheltenham is rather neat. Rule Britannia is rousing enough yet is clearly a British anthem, not an English one in any obvious sense. Some will differ but I also find the singing of ‘Britons, never, never will be slaves’ more than a tad dodgy when the team we’re supporting on the pitch is made up of a fair number of players whose great grandparents were precisely that, slaves. Land of Hope and Glory fails for me on similar counts. Again, with no actual mention of England it is a celebration of the Britishness of Empire, not England. And do we really want a tune that marks England’s fate after Empire ‘By Freedom gained, by Truth maintained, Thine Empire shall be strong’.
No there’s one runaway contender, presuming Cowell and Lloyd-Webber failed to find their anthem-factor. Jerusalem. Words by one of England’s greatest cultural figures, William Blake. Artist, poet, thinker. Music by an English composer. The words actually mention England. A bit too Christian? That might put off some, attract others. But of course the Jerusalem Blake was writing about was a better, brighter society we could call England. A bit political? Come off it, who doesn’t want a better England, the argument is only what we might mean by better.
Will it ever happen? I mean an anthem to call our own, not the better England! I entirely back the idea of an English Parliament but right now I would put the anthem, and a day off for St George’s Day too, right at the core of campaigning for England’s place in the break up of Britain. These are hugely popular issues, they carry none of the trappings of Westminster politics currently mired in scandal and disrepute. Yet they codify our difference, our independence and have the potential to appeal to all who call England their home.
Mark Perryman is the editor of Imagined Nation : England after Britain and co-founder of philosophyfootball.com. The company poduces a T-shirt with the words to Jerusalem forming a St George Cross, and on the back for fans of cult 70s sci-fi… well what other squad number could you give William Blake apart from ‘7’. Available from philosophyfootball.com
In his recent call to celebrate Englishness, the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, ended his speech with the lyrics of Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory (which happen to be the two front-runners in our current poll). However, there are those who would like a new, contemporary, anthem for England.
The BBC and Arts Council England have teamed up to commission a new anthem for England. The result is Sam Dunkley’s Made in England.
I am England, England is inside of me.
I am England, England is what I want her to be,
I am England, I am English, I am England to my core,
And wherever you may find me, you’ll find England.
England Forever More!
England, my England, she never lets me down,
Hustle bustle, urban tussle, dancing through the crowds,
Or out in the country, a fresh place for me to breathe,
England my England is always home to me!
Fish and chips in paper, with mushy peas,
Balti chicken, naan bread and onion bhajis,
A cup of tea and toast, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,
Tastes of our culture, tastes like England to me!
Swing low sweet chariot, God Save The Queen!
Land of hope and glory and of pleasant mountains green,
England’s future, past and today live in our minds on St George’s Day,
England, England, my country!
The Daily Mail calls it ‘banal‘, Cranmer calls it ‘utterly banal‘ and Anthony Barnett says ‘ouch‘.
You can judge for yourself by listening to it here.
That this House believes that it is time for England to adopt an appropriate song as the English national anthem to be used by English sporting teams and athletes; further believes that it is quite wrong that England uses the UK national anthem; considers that God Save the Queen should only be used for British or UK teams, for example the British Lions and at the Olympics, including if a Team GB football team competes at the London 2012 Olympics; is concerned that the continued use of God Save the Queen by the English and the failure to make the distinction between England and Britain is inaccurate and confusing and that not making the distinction between England and Britain actually undermines the union; urges the English people to recognise that British and English identity are not the same and that God Save the Queen is the anthem of Britain as a whole; and calls, therefore, for the introduction of a solely English national anthem to be used on occasions when England, as opposed to the UK, is being represented.
Yes, England should most definitely have its own anthem – either Rose of England or Land of Hope and Glory.
What a shame that we don’t have ‘Rose of England’ as one of the options in our poll.
Rose of England
Grown in one land alone,
Where proud winds have blown;
There’s not a flow’r
Born of the show’r
Braver than England’s own.
Though gales of winter blow
Piercing hail and snow,
Shining she stays,
Bright as in days of yore,
Old England’s pride still blossoms
fresh on England’s shore.
REFRAIN:
Rose of England, thou shalt fade not here,
Proud and bright from rolling year to year.
Red shall thy petals be as rich wine untold
Shed by thy warriors who served thee of old.
Rose of England, breathing England’s air,
Flower of Chivalry beyond compare;
While hand and heart endure to cherish thy prime,
Thou shalt blossom to the end of Time.
Music by Ivor Novello from “Crest of the Wave”
Words by Christopher Hassall
Still, despite the original ovesight, ‘Rose of England’ now gets its own blog entry by way of amends.
WHAT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR WALES IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ENGLAND! – MULHOLLAND
Embargo: Immediate, Tuesday 20th May 2008
Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has said that, after the Welsh National Anthem was played alongside God Save the Queen at Wembley at the weekend to mark the fact that Cardiff City made the final, it is time for an English anthem to mark when English teams compete internationally.
Greg has written to the Football Association to outline these views.
Commenting on the opening Greg said:
“It is rather odd that the welsh national anthem was used for a welsh team playing in the FA Cup Final, yet the English Football Association continues to ignore the obvious fact that the England football team should use an English national anthem.
“It is time this blind spot was addressed. I am all for Scotland and Wales having their own anthems and using then when appropriate, but how long must we endure England being overlooked or lazily confused with Great Britain and the UK.
“It is time English sporting associations, starting with the FA woke up to this. In 1966 England fans waved union jacks, now they proudly and correctly fly the cross of St George. “
“It is time we made the same logical step with the anthem and left God Save the Queen for its correct usage such as at the Olympics when we are competing as Great Britain or the United Kingdom”.
GIVE FANS CHANCE TO VOTE FOR ENGLISH ANTHEM FOR THIS YEAR’S RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP – MULHOLLAND
Embargo: Immediate, Tuesday 23rd April 2008
Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West and Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rugby League is calling for the England Rugby League team to use an English national anthem at this year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in autumn.
Greg has written to the Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League, Richard Lewis, saying that rugby league, as a progressive sport, should lead the way on this issue and stop the situation where England teams use the British national anthem, which is particularly strange and inappropriate when England are playing the other ‘home nations’.
Greg has also suggesting that fans could be given the chance to vote for an anthem for the England team, this could be done by way of an online poll on the Rugby Football League website.
Commenting on the proposal Greg said:
“When England is competing separately from the other home nations, it is quite wrong to use the British National Anthem. The Scotland and Wales teams will fly out to Australia with their own anthems and England needs one too.”
“Rugby League has always been a progressive sport, always prepared to be bold, and here is a chance for it to lead the way and set an example other sports can follow. I am confident that in a few years, all English teams will have an English anthem, the way all Scottish and Welsh teams now do, and do so very proudly.
“I am sure that England Rugby League fans would love the chance to have their say about what the English anthem should be, and I hope the Rugby Footabll League will take this suggestion seriously.
“I am very excited about the Rugby League World Cup in October and as an Englishman, I want the England rugby league team to head off to Australia ready to sing an England national anthem. I look forward to them doing very well out there and doing England proud.”
ENDS
To support Greg’s initiative please write to the RFL in support of the plan to give the fans a say:
Richard Lewis
Chief Executive
Rugby Football League
Red Hall
Red Hall Lane
Leeds
LS17 8NB
Notes for Editors.
Greg’s letter follows.
22nd April 2008 Our ref: GM/JT
Dear Richard
National Anthem for the England Rugby League Team
I wanted to write to you with St George’s Day tomorrow, to raise the matter of the anthem for the England team who will be competing in the Rugby League World Cup in Australia in October.
With the ‘home nations’ competing as separate nations, each team needs to have their own national anthem to be played before each match.
England’s de facto anthem is of course God Save the Queen, however this is the anthem for the United Kingdom, not England alone, and though it is absolutely right that this should be played when a Great Britain Rugby League team plays, but it is quite wrong and inappropriate for it to be used by England. As you know, the Scotland and Wales RL sides in the tournament will have their own anthems. It is time that England RL had an appropriate English anthem too.
Rugby League has always been, and continues to be a progressive sport. I think this is a great opportunity for RL to lead the way on this issue and help to end the situation where England teams use the British national anthem. It may have gone on a long time, but it is no less wrong and rugby league has never been a sport to let inappropriate traditions get in the way of sensible progress.
Cleary the choice of anthem would be an important one as I hope, and believe likely, that if the RFL did introduce an anthem for the England RL team, other sports would be encouraged to follow over the coming years. There are clearly existing songs that could be used as well as the possibility of commissioning a new song. I do feel that the key criteria must be that the English anthem must be stirring, something that all English people and players can identify with, and be proud of, and finally and crucially that is must be specifically English and about England. This in my opinion rules out Land of Hope and Glory, which although a fine tune and of course used by the English team in the Commonwealth games, is actually another song about Britain not England!
I hope the RFL may also consider involving rugby league fans in the decision of what should be the new anthem. This could be in the form of an online poll where (English!) fans could suggest an anthem that could be selected for England and played at the Rugby League World Cup. I am sure that England supporters would react enthusiastically to the idea.
I am very excited about the Rugby League World Cup in October and as a big rugby league fan and an Englishman, I want the England rugby league team to head off to Australia ready to sing an England national anthem and I look forward to them doing very well out there and doing England proud.
Voters were able to choose between God Save The Queen, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory – with Jerusalem beating the both the national anthem and the anthem previously used for English athletes competing at Commonwealth Games. The new official anthem of the England Team will be played for English athletes on the podium in Delhi when a Gold medal is won.
Mark Perryman is the editor of Imagined Nation : England after Britain and co-founder of 