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God Save the King/Queen is a patriotic hymn, and the National Anthem and Royal Anthem of the United Kingdom. It is also one of the two national anthems of New Zealand, and the royal anthem of Canada, Australia and other Commonwealth Realms, as well as the anthem of the British Royal Family. When the monarch is male, it is "God Save The King", when the monarch is female it is "God Save The Queen". "God Save The King" (or "... Queen") is also the royal anthem (but not the national anthem) of Norway, sung there in Norwegian. Its use at state events in Great Britain was one of the first examples of a nation adopting a hymn as a national anthem.

There is no single authorised version of the song: since its first publication, different verses have been added and taken away and, even today, different publications include various selections of verses in various orders.^[1] Indeed, the anthem has never been officially adopted by Royal Proclamation or Act of Parliament, but has become entrenched by tradition alone. In general only one or two verses are sung, but on rare occasions three.^[2]

Contents 1 History 1.1 History of the tune 1.2 History of the words 2 Use in the Commonwealth 3 Use elsewhere 4 Other UK anthems 5 Performance 5.1 Titanic (1943) 5.2 In the movie "Gandhi" 5.3 In the movie "Bridge on the River Kwai" 5.4 Isle of Wight Festival 1970 5.5 Queen cover 6 Lyrics 6.1 "Standard" British version 6.2 William Hixton's alternative version 6.3 Version sung in Canada 6.4 New Zealand version 6.5 Official peace version 6.6 Unofficial peace version 7 Footnote 8 See also 9 External links 10 References

[edit] History

[edit] History of the tune

The origin of the tune is surrounded by uncertainty, myth and speculation. In The Oxford Companion to Music, Percy Scholes devotes about four pages to this subject.^[3] He points out the similarities to an early plainsong melody, although the rhythm is very distinctly that of a galliard, and he gives examples of several such dance tunes that bear a striking resemblance to "God Save The King". He quotes a keyboard piece by Dr. John Bull (1619) which has some strong similarities to the modern tune, depending on the placing of accidentals that at that time were unwritten in certain cases and left to the discretion of the player; see musica ficta. He also points to several pieces by Henry Purcell, one of which includes the opening notes of the modern tune, set to the words "God Save The King".

The first definitive published version of the present tune appeared in 1744 in Thesaurus Musicus as a setting of the familiar first verse. Undoubtedly, the song was popularized in the following year (with the landing of Charles Edward Stuart). It was certainly sung in London theatres in 1745 with, for example, Thomas Arne writing a setting of the tune for the Drury Lane Theatre.

Scholes' analysis includes mention of 'untenable' and 'doubtful' claims, as well as 'an American misattribution'. Some of these are:

• A tale, widely believed in France, that the tune ("Grand Dieu Sauve Le Roi"), was written by Jean-Baptiste Lully to celebrate the healing of Louis XIV's anal fistula.^[4] Lully set words by the Duchess of Brinon to music, and the tune was pirated by Handel. Translated in Latin under the name "Domine, Salvum Fac Regem", it became the French anthem until 1792 (see the sheet music^[5]). After the battle of Culloden, the Hanover dynasty would have adopted this melody as the British anthem. Scholes points out gross errors of date which render these claims untenable, and they have been ascribed to a 19th-century forgery, the Souvenirs of the Marquise de Créquy.
• James Oswald. He is a possible author of the Thesaurus Musicus so may certainly have played a part in this story, but is not a strong enough candidate to be cited as the composer of the tune.
• Dr. Henry Carey. Scholes refutes this attribution, firstly, on the grounds that Carey himself never made such a claim. Secondly, when the claim was made by Carey's son (as late as in 1795), it was accompanied by a request for a pension from the British Government on that score. Thirdly, the younger Carey claimed that his father had written parts of it in 1745, even though the older Carey had died in 1743! It has also been claimed that the work was first publicly performed by Carey during a dinner in 1740 in honour of Admiral Edward Vernon, who had captured the Spanish harbour of Porto Bello (then in Colombia, now Panama) during the War of Jenkins' Ear.

Scholes recommends the attribution "traditional" or "traditional; earliest known version by John Bull (1562–1628)." The English Hymnal (musical editor Ralph Vaughan Williams) gives no attribution, stating merely "17th or 18th cent."^[6]

Johann Christian Bach composed a set of variations on "God Save the King" for the finale to his sixth keyboard concerto (Op. 1) written c. 1763.

Joseph Haydn was impressed by the use of "God Save the King" as a national anthem during his visit to London in 1794, and on his return to Austria wrote a tune to the national anthem, the "God Save Emperor Franz" (Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser), for the birthday of the Emperor Franz of Austria. The tune of "God Save the King" was later adopted for the Prussian national anthem Heil Dir im Siegerkranz.

Ludwig van Beethoven composed a set of seven piano variations in the key of C major to the theme of "God Save the King", catalogued as WoO.78 (1802–1803).

Muzio Clementi, another composer who used the theme to "God Save the King", placed this theme into his 3rd symphony in B major. This work is dubbed the "Great National" and is catalogued as WoO. 34.

[edit] History of the words

The phrase "God save the King" is much older than the song and appears, for example, several times in the King James Bible.^[7] Scholes says that as early as 1545 "God save the King" was a watchword of the Royal Navy, with the response being "Long to reign over us". He also notes that the prayer read in churches on anniversaries of the Gunpowder Plot includes words which might have formed part of the basis for the second verse "Scatter our enemies...assuage their malice and confound their devices".

In 1745, The Gentleman's Magazine published "God save our lord the king: A new song set for two voices", describing it as "As sung at both Playhouses".^[8] This version includes the first three verses shown in the Lyrics section below (with minor variations). Traditionally, the first performance was thought to have been in 1745, when it was sung in support of George II after the defeat of his army at the Battle of Prestonpans by the Jacobite claimant to the English and Scottish thrones, Charles Edward Stuart, whose forces were mostly Scottish. It is sometimes claimed that, ironically, the song was originally sung in support of the Jacobite cause: the word "send" in the line "Send him victorious" could imply that the king was absent. Also there are examples of early eighteenth century Jacobean drinking glasses which are inscribed with a version of the words and were apparently intended for drinking the health of James II. Scholes acknowledges these possibilities but argues that the same words were probably being used by both Jacobite and Hanoverian supporters and directed at their respective kings.^[9]

Around 1745, the anti-Jacobean sentiment was captured in a fourth verse, with a prayer for the success of George Wade's army then assembling at Newcastle. These words attained some short-term popularity, although they did not appear in the published version in Gentleman's Magazine:

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.

This verse was abandoned soon after and certainly before the song became accepted as the british national anthem in the 1780s and 1790s.^[10][11] Despite the short-lived currency of this verse, it is still cited as a reason for the anthem causing great offence when sung in most parts of Scotland. Various other attempts were made during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to add verses to commemorate particular royal or national events. For example, when Jacobite forces bypassed Wade's force and reached Derby, but then retreated and when their garrison at Carlisle surrendered to a second government army led by King George's son the Duke of Cumberland another verse was added, according to Fitzroy Maclean:^[12] Other short-lived verses were notably anti-French^[13] However, none of these survived into the twentieth century.^[14]

There have been several attempts to improve the song by rewriting the words. In the nineteenth century there was some lively debate about the national anthem and, even then, verse two was considered to be slightly offensive. Notably, the question arose over the phrase "scatter her enemies". Some thought it placed better emphasis on the respective power of Parliament and the Crown to change "her" to "our"; others pointed out that the theology was somewhat dubious and substituted "thine" instead. Sydney G. R. Coles wrote a completely new version, as did Canon F. K. Harford.^[15] In 1836, William Edward Hickson wrote four alternative verses. The first, third, and fourth of these verses are appended to the National Anthem in the English Hymnal (which only includes verses one and three of the original lyrics).

[edit] Use in the Commonwealth

It was formerly used as a national anthem by most of the Commonwealth Realms, including Australia, Canada, and Jamaica. It was replaced by Advance Australia Fair, O Canada, and Jamaica, Land We Love respectively, though it remains those countries' royal anthem and is played during formal ceremonies involving the Royalty or viceroyalty (Governors-General, Governors, and Lieutenant-Governors - see Vice Regal Salute).

In Canada God Save the Queen has not been adopted as the Royal Anthem by statute or proclamation, however it has come to be used as such through convention, and is sometimes sung together with O Canada at public events.^[16] The song, in Australia has standing through a Royal Proclamation issued by Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen on 19 April 1984.^[17] It continues to be recognised as the national anthem of New Zealand, together with God Defend New Zealand, although it is almost never performed as such.

[edit] Use elsewhere

"God Save the King" was the very first song to be used as a national anthem, although the Netherlands' national anthem, the Wilhelmus, is older. Its success prompted a number of imitations, notably in France and, later, Germany. Both commissioned their own songs to help construct a concrete national(ist) identity. The first German national anthem was a copy of "God Save the King" with the words changed to Heil dir im Siegerkranz and sung to the same tune as the British version. The tune was either used or officially adopted as the national anthem for several other countries, including those of Russia (until 1833), Sweden, and Switzerland.

It is also the melody to the United States patriotic hymn "Let Freedom Ring" (better known by its first line, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"), and was played during the Presidential Inauguration parade of President George W. Bush on 20 January, 2001. In Iceland it is called Eldgamla Ísafold. The tune is also used as Norway's Royal anthem entitled Kongesangen. The rock band Queen plays "God Save the Queen" at the end of all of their concerts.

The tune is still used as the national anthem of Liechtenstein, Oben am jungen Rhein. When England met Liechtenstein in a Euro 2004 qualifier, the same tune was therefore played twice, causing some minor confusion.

The melody of "God Save the King" has been and continues to be used as a hymn tune by Christian churches in various countries. The United Methodists of the southern United States, Mexico, and Latin America, among other denominations (usually Protestant), play the same melody as a hymn. The Christian hymn "Glory to God on High"^[18] is frequently sung to the same tune, as well as an alternate tune that fits both lyrics.

[edit] Other UK anthems

Frequently, when an anthem is needed for one of the component countries of the UK—at an international sporting event, for instance—an alternative song is used:

• Wales has its own official anthem in "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau".
• England generally uses "God Save the Queen", but has used "Jerusalem" or "Land of Hope and Glory".
• Northern Ireland generally uses "God Save the Queen" at events associated with the British tradition, and the Irish national anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann (The Soldiers' Song)" at events associated with the Irish tradition. Additionally, "Londonderry Air" (Danny Boy) is a popular cross-community anthem.
• Scotland uses either "Flower of Scotland" or "Scotland the Brave", depending on the occasion.
• At international football matches, England and Northern Ireland both use "God Save the Queen", while Scotland uses "Flower of Scotland", and Wales uses "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". There has been some debate about replacing "God Save the Queen" with "Land of Hope and Glory" for England matches.
• At international Test cricket matches, England has, since 2004, used "Jerusalem" as their anthem.
• At international rugby league matches, England have used "Land of Hope and Glory" but in their 2005 internationals, changed to "God Save the Queen". Scotland uses "Flower of Scotland" and Wales uses "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". At Great Britain matches, "God Save the Queen" is played.
• In international rugby union, England uses "God Save the Queen", Scotland "Flower of Scotland" and Wales "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". Ireland (a team representing both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) sing "Ireland's Call", a song which attempts to unite the two traditions on the island. The song is sung at Ireland's home and away games. At home games, when the venue is in the Republic of Ireland, it is also accompanied by that country's national anthem, "Amhrán na bhFiann".
• Recently the British and Irish Lions rugby union tour used the song "The Power of Four" but this anthem was especially designed for the tour and will likely not be used again, perhaps because most of the players did not know the anthem. There is of course no collective anthem for the British Isles, since the Republic of Ireland has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1922.
• "The Song of the Western Men" (otherwise known as "Trelawny") has popularly been considered to be the Cornish anthem and is sung at Cornish rugby matches and events such as Saint Piran's day and other Cornish gatherings. However some Cornish nationalists argue that "Bro Goth Agan Tasow" which is in Cornish rather than English should be adopted. This is the anthem used by the Gorsedh Kernow for the last 75 plus years ("The Land of My Fathers", but literally, "Old Country of my Fathers") and has a similar tune to the Welsh National anthem ("Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau") and the Breton anthem. "Bro Goth Agan Tasow" is not heard so often as it is sung in Cornish). Those who prefer an anthem in English also sometimes use "Hail to the Homeland".

[edit] Performance

The style most commonly heard in official performances was proposed as the "proper interpretation" by King George V, who considered himself something of an expert (in view of the number of times he had heard it). An Army Order was duly issued, in 1933, which laid down regulations for tempo, dynamics and orchestration. This included instructions such as that the opening "six bars will be played quietly by the reed band with horns and basses in a single phrase. Cornets and side-drum are to be added at the little scale-passage leading into the second half of the tune, and the full brass enters for the last eight bars". The official tempo for the opening section is a metronome setting of 60, with the second part played in a broader manner, at a metronome setting of 52.^[19] In recent years the prescribed sombre-paced introduction is often played at a faster and livelier tempo.

Until the latter part of the 20th century, theatre and concert goers were expected to stand to attention while the anthem was played after the conclusion of a show. In cinemas this brought a tendency for audiences to rush out while the end credits played to avoid this formality.

The anthem was traditionally played at closedown on the BBC and with the introduction of commercial television to the UK this practice was adopted by some ITV regions. BBC Two never played the anthem at closedown, and ITV dropped the practice in the late 1980s, but it continued on BBC One until 8 November 1997 (thereafter BBC1 began to simulcast with News 24 after end of programmes). The tradition is carried on, however, by BBC Radio 4. The anthem always prefaces the The Queen's Christmas Message.

The Broadway musical West Side Story (1957) features the Sharks (a street gang of Puerto Ricans) whistling the first six bars of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", which has the same tune as "God Save the Queen".

[edit] Titanic (1943)

In the Nazi propaganda film Titanic (1943), there is one scene in the first class dining room (which also has the Grand Staircase in this movie) where first officer von Petersen approaches the band, and in that moment, the band stops playing the tune they're playing, and we see the dining room from above, and everyone standing up, as the band starts playing "God Save the King". It was probably done as a device of the film's recurring anti-British and anti-American propaganda.

[edit] In the movie "Gandhi"

Mahatma Gandhi leads a group of Indian migrants in singing "God Save the King" at a rally in Cape Colony (South Africa). This was probably done in order to show solidarity and their citizenship within the British Empire.

[edit] In the movie "Bridge on the River Kwai"

During World War II some British prisoners of war in a Japanese labour camp, sing the anthem to celebrate their success on finishing the bridge across the river Kwai.

[edit] Isle of Wight Festival 1970

Jimi Hendrix of the The Jimi Hendrix Experience played an impromptu version of "God Save the Queen" to open his set at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Just before walking onto the stage, he can be seen (on the DVD) and heard to ask "How does it go again?" in reference to the said National Anthem. He was able just to hear it mimicked by voice and then perform it. His relatively accurate lead-guitar rendition of 'God Save the Queen' can be viewed in stark contrast to his performance of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Woodstock Festival, 1969.

[edit] Queen cover

Queen - A Night at the Opera
"Bohemian Rhapsody" (Track 11)	"God Save the Queen" (Track 12)	(end of album)

The rock band Queen recorded an instrumental version of "God Save the Queen" on their 1975 album A Night at the Opera. It was arranged by guitarist Brian May and features his distinctive layers of overdubbed electric guitars. A tape of this version would be played at the end of almost every concert, with Freddie Mercury walking around the stage wearing a crown and a cloak on their Magic Tour in 1986.

On 3 June 2002, during the Queen's Golden Jubilee, Brian May performed the anthem on his Red Special electric guitar for Party at the Palace, performing from the roof of Buckingham Palace.

[edit] Lyrics

[edit] "Standard" British version

There is no definitive version of the lyrics. However, the version consisting of the following three verses has the best claim to be regarded as the "standard" British version. It appears, for example, not only in the 1745 Gentleman's Magazine but also in publications such as The Book of English Songs: From the Sixteenth to the Ninteenth Century (1851) ^[20], National Hymns: How They are Written and how They are Not Written (1861),^[21] Household Book of Poetry (1882),^[22] and Hymns Ancient and Modern, revised version (1982)^[23].

The same version with verse two omitted appears in publications including Scouting for boys (1908)^[24] and on the UK Government's "Monarchy Today" website.^[25]

1

God save our gracious Queen,¹

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.

In the United Kingdom, the first verse is the only verse typically sung, even at official occasions, although the third verse is sung in addition on rare occasions.

[edit] William Hixton's alternative version

William Hixton's alternative (1836) version includes the following verses, of which the first, third, and fourth have some currency as they are appended to the National Anthem in the English Hymnal .

1

God bless our native land!

May heaven's protecting hand

Still guard our shore:

May peace her power extend,

Foe be transformed to friend,

And Britain's rights depend

On war no more.

2

O Lord, our monarch bless

With strength and righteousness:

Long may she reign:

Her heart inspire and move

With wisdom from above;

And in a nation's love

Her throne maintain

3

May just and righteous laws

Uphold the public cause,

And bless our isle:

Home of the brave and free,

Thou land of liberty,

We pray that still on thee

Kind heaven may smile.

4

Nor on 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 o'er

[edit] Version sung in Canada

Since "God Save the Queen" is the Royal Anthem of Canada, the first verse has been translated into French for use in that country, as shown below.

Dieu protège la reine

De sa main souveraine!

Vive la reine!

Qu'un règne glorieux,

Long et victorieux

Rende son peuple heureux.

Vive la reine!

A bilingual verse is often sung in Canada on Remembrance Day

Dieu sauve notre reine,

Notre glorieuse reine,

Vive la reine!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us,

God Save the Queen!!

As sung in English in Canada, "God Save the Queen" has an additional English verse, sung after the first or second verse, which is also given below. In general use in Canada, however, only the first verse is sung.

Our loved Dominion bless

With peace and happiness

From shore to shore;

And let our Empire be

Loyal, united, free

True to herself and Thee

God save the Queen¹.

[edit] New Zealand version

In New Zealand, the second more militaristic verse is replaced with Hixtons verse "Nor in this land alone..." (often sung as Not in this land alone"), otherwise known as a "Commonwealth verse". However, that verse is primarily used only when the anthem is played past the first verse.

[edit] Official peace version

A less militaristic version of the song, entitled "Official peace version, 1919", was first published in the hymn book Songs of Praise in 1925. This was "official" in the sense that it was approved by the Privy Council in 1919.^[26] However, despite being reproduced in some other hymn books, it is largely unknown today.^[27]

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

One realm of races four

Blest more and ever more

God save our land!

Home of the brave and free

Set in the silver sea

True nurse of chivalry

God save our land!

3

Of many a race and birth

From utmost ends of earth

God save us all!

Bid strife and hatred cease

Bid hope and joy increase

Spread universal peace

God save us all!

[edit] Unofficial peace version

An unofficial peace version was written in 1958 by Henry Young for the first Aldermaston CND march and is taken from his collection of poems From Talk to Action: The fight for peace

1

Please save our lovely land

Gardens and meadows green

Please save our land

Flowers in spring are bold

Fruit in abundance grows

Corn turns the fields to gold

Please save our land

2

Share out the wealth to all

Build houses small and tall

And give us peace

Was not our labours sweat

And let our children get

Safe sleep in their familiar bed

Please give us peace

3

River and lake and stream

Let fish run clear and clean

Please save our land

Keep us from poisoned rain

And let our children gain

Birds, butterflies and bees retain

Please save our land

4

Though life's with danger filled

Give us the strength to build

Freedom and peace

All men and women here

Hold your hands high and fear

No odds: hold hands for freedom dear

And work for peace

[edit] Footnote

1. When the monarch of the time is male, the word Queen is replaced with King and the last line of the third verse is changed —that is, "with heart and voice to sing/ God Save the King". Also, "she", "her", etc. are replaced with "he", and "him", and so on.

[edit] See also

• My Country, 'Tis of Thee, patriotic in the United States, sung to the same music.
• Oben am jungen Rhein, national anthem of Liechtenstein, sung to the same music.
• Heil dir im Siegerkranz, national anthem of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, sung to the same music.
• Molitva russkikh, considered to be the first Russian anthem, sung to the same music
• The King is dead. Long live the King!
• Rule Britannia
• National anthem of Scotland
• God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song)
• UK topics
• Land of Hope and Glory

[edit] External links

• "God Save the Queen" (MIDI)
• Official Royal webpage on the anthem
• Department of Canadian Heritage - Royal anthem page
• :God Save Great George our King: - article discussing different versions of the lyrics
• "Le 'God save the king' à Saint-Cyr"

[edit] References

Patriotic music of the United Kingdom
"God Save the Queen" | "I Vow to Thee, My Country" | "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" | "Jerusalem" | "Land of Hope and Glory" | "The British Grenadiers" | "Rule, Britannia!"