Tickets, Money, Passport?

I'm not sure why but national anthems are the topic of the day and I was delighted to find the excellent Wikipedia has enlightenend me to the politically incorrect never used second verse of the 'standard' God Save the Queen.

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.

It's all wrong of course but damn it if I wouldn't like a national anthem that had 'knavish tricks' in the lyrics.

Still it's nowt so bad as the hysterically inappropriate La Marsellaise see here.

This is an exercise in patriotic sabre rattling that can only end in a lifetime of exploring this website for even better/worse lyrics. The joy.

Australia's own anthem is actually a perfectly nice little number, not terribly offensive though does raise a wry smile for me at the also little know second verse - makes you wonder why they bother really - for whilst We do have 'boundless plains to share' they're actually not very keen on sharing it.

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

And whilst I don't have an anthem (yet) I would like to be buried to this song by the incomparable Dusty Springfield.

Labels: anthems