On Accession Day, I thought I’d give a little hand to all the Ulstermen and women who seem to have some confusion about the words of the National Anthem.
Far too often, we hear it almost screamed:
God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save OUR Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save OUR Queen
Well trained Scouts and Guides and others will notice that this is not quite right. Only the first time do we sing ‘our gracious Queen’. Thereafter it ought to be ‘God save the Queen’.
So just for anyone who gets totally confused – here’s the words most generally sung.
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 QueenThy 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
Of course the first line could be translated into Irish and would still work to the tune.
Dia leis an Bhanríon.
As said by Ian Malcolm, in An Chultúrlann, Thursday 29 April, 2010, as a language of itself is not political.
Gyronny Herald 