Thread: What the hell ARE the words to our National Anthem

Hmmm.....

Interesting

seems as though we've struck a nerve here. you appear to feel pretty strongly about this flag thing.
now before you chuck another wobbly, i'm not saying you're wrong, alright?
in my opinion, the pommy flag in the corner of ours symbolises the the founding of our country in it's current form. the system by which our government runs and the ancestory of our (some of our) forefathers. it really doesn't bother me that it is there and for that reason i think our flag is fine the way it is. of course, this may not be ok for anyone whose ancestors were not directly associated with the settlement of this country by the poms and the subsequent establishment of a penal colony. for example, the chinese gold miners of the 1800's and the immigrants throughout the 20th century (yes i know there's more).
as for the inclusion of the aboriginal flag in the australian flag, i really don't mind either. lets face it, the aboriginals are a bigger part of australia than the poms will ever be. ive never really asked an aboriginal of their opinion, but they may not want their flag included, they may want hang on to their own identity the way it is.
as far as i'm concerned, the queen is just an old lady that pops over every now and then for a cup of tea, and waves to people. and it seems that a lot of people like that, because they wave back.
all she really does, is keep an eye on out government via the GG, and let's face it, apart from 11/11/75, there hasn't really been a lot to do.

yea--
not bad barney

[quote="FenianEel"]

Originally Posted by barney

here's the whole box and dice. knock yourself out

The OFFICIAL Australian National Anthem has only TWO verses.

it seems that 2 are to many. most people are lucky to remember one.
and you are right, the official australian national anthem has two verses.
but, Advance Australia Fair is a song which has five verses.
i'd be ****ed off if i wrote it, they chose it for a national anthem, then chopped three verses. what an insult.

Barney,

No dramas here mate. No offence taken and hopefully none given.
I may not agree with some peoples opinions, but like you and most of the people here, respect freedom of speech and opinion, and can generally accept them without violence , or resorting to personal attacks.










You bunch of $)%)^^)* wkrs!!
(just kidding folks)

no, that's ok. you just seemd a bit cranky and i didn't be antagonistic in an already heated discussion.
let's face it, this one comes up as one of those subjects to be avoided in polite conversation, like religion and politics.
and to that point, i would never presume to force my views on someone who votes for the obviously wrong party or relies on an imaginary friend to guide them through life and show them right from wrong.......

..i am now ducking for cover 8O

now here's a politically incorrect song, pay particular attention to the last verse:-
first publicly performed in London, 1745


1. 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!

2. 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 us all!

3. 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,
God save the Queen!

4. Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world over.

5. From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!

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!

a history lesson;-
Marshal Wade was in fact the British Field Marshal, George Wade. George was born in 1673, the son of Jerome Wade of Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland and he entered the British Army in 1690.
In July 1724 General Wade was sent to Scotland on a military mission for George I. In the uncertainty following the 1689 and 1715 Jacobite Risings, he was tasked to 'inspect the present situation of the Highlanders' and to 'make strict inquiry into the last law for disarming the Highlanders'.
Wade reported back that the majority of Highland men able to bear arms were ready to do so against the Crown. George I immediately appointed Wade Commander-in-Chief, North Britain and he began to organise Crown garrisons in the Highlands.

Wade's plan was to mobilize his soldiers throughout the Highlands, quelling, disarming and forming allegiances with the clans as he went. To do this he needed to move his troops about quickly, and by the summer 1725 the first military road was being constructed.

In the course of this engineering work Wade had supervised the construction of no less than 240 miles of roads and 40 stone bridges. At the same time as the building work had progressed, slowly and with the tact and experience of a seasoned campaigner, he had disarmed the clans. By 1739 Wade's Highland militia had become the Black Watch, a regular regiment of the British Army which is commemorated by a memorial beside Wade's fine Tay Bridge.
Wade returned to England where George II made him Commander-in-Chief to England, and it was in this role that he had to deal with the Jacobite ‘Forty-Five’ rebellion. After failing to anticipate Charles Edward Stuart’s invading army arriving via Carlisle rather than Newcastle he retired in favour of Cumberland, or as the Highlanders would remember him ‘Butcher’ Cumberland. Charles Edward Stuart

And so perhaps understandably the Scots prefer to remember an earlier battle, one remembered in the words of Flower of Scotland, written by Roy Williamson of "The Corries", but that is another story …

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.


sorry, that was a bit longer than i anticipated