Vanishing fast

A London advertising firm proposed upgrading the image of the United Kingdom. “UK” must go, they said: it sounds like a radio station. What about Great Britain? “Too chauvinistic,” along with the Union Flag (“stodgy and captured now as a symbol of the radical right”). They proposed the word “Britain” on “a simple red and blue banner.”  The national anthem also has to go: “It’s all very nice and emotional, but of course obsolete.”

There’s always been something faintly concerning to important or fancy people about national anthems. Early on, the disenchantment was relatively trivial.

During Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1897, Lady Randolph Churchill arranged for a young man with a music box to play God Save the Queen whenever Her Majesty sat down in her Jubilee dress. When she rose, the song stopped, only to recommence when she sat down again. (In mid-verse? One wonders….)

In the Age of Woke, anthems were subject to political theater. Athletes made wealthy by the society they deplore began “taking a knee” when the anthem was played. A diminishing number of public events omitted what was once the standard opening: “Ladies and gentlemen, our national anthem.” Anthems used to be sung in schools. Are they still?

Francis Scott Key’s American hymn 

Americans “of a certain age” were taught national anthems in school. We learned how Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner in 1814. Key was detained on a British warship in Baltimore Harbor during the shelling of Fort McHenry, in what Americans call the War of 1812.

Growing up in the Middle Ages, most of us kids sang at least two of Key’s four stanzas, although the obscure third stanza was unknown to us. Possibly its bloodthirsty sentiments were considered too violent for our youthful ears.

The journalist Bill Kristol noted that the first stanza alone is insufficient: “I looked up the anthem recently and was struck by the interesting differences between the four stanzas. One problem of singing only the first is that it ends in a question that’s answered in the next three.”⁹

Right. When the Star-Spangled Banner is sung at all, one hears only the first stanza, which is fashionably non-judgmental and inconclusive. (A few bombs burst but the flag still waves.) Possibly not one child in a thousand has ever heard the great coda of stanza four (“O thus be it ever…”), which we youngsters often sang.

On occasion we summoned up the eerie and mystical stanza two (“On the shore dimly seen…”). As for stanza three (“Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution…”)—that shocking sentiment was confined to almanacs even when this writer went to school.

Inadequate substitutes

The single-stanza Star-Spangled Banner is under threat from alternate anthems. One proposed replacement is that Chamber of Commerce production America the Beautiful—widely admired because everyone can sing it. Vanished already are other noble anthems schoolchildren once lustily sang: God Bless America, Rodger Young, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean.

Britons tell of similar experiences and contrasts obfuscating the anthems of their schooldays. The blurring of national distinctions, eccentricities and quirks that make nations interesting or quaint or unique, is far advanced. In Cool Britannia, display of the Union Flag is considered by some the act of a fanatic. On my first visit in 1974, God Save the Queen closed out the evening news. Not anymore. Yet Britain’s right-thinkers might welcome verses that remind everyone that the monarch reigns but does not rule.

“Wolfe the dauntless…”

O Canada, the Canadian national anthem, has the advantage of being frequently sung in two different languages. A few lines have been changed to bring O Canada in line with modern concepts of sexual equality, which made good sense.

But another fine old Canadian song, The Maple Leaf Forever, containing such robust sentiments as “Wolfe the dauntless” planting “Britannia’s flag on Canada’s fair domain,” had to be rewritten. The toned-down winning entry was full of “blue unending skies” and “mountains strong and sparkling snow.” Ah, well.

“And he sang as he stowed him away into his tucker bag…”

Down Under, God Defend New Zealand seems to have survived intact, while Australians occasionally suggest replacing their resolute Advance Australia Fair with the whimsical but unmoving Waltzing Matilda. But Matilda will probably never be adopted, an Aussie friend says: “Apparently the music is some Gaelic tune. Nor would it be stylish to have an anthem whose words describe the activities of a sheep-stealer.”

The real national anthems

In Churchill Conferences past, up to five national anthems have been sung. So, while we briefly have your attention, here are all the stanzas of five national anthems from countries where Churchill organizations and memorial trusts exist. See that you remember them. There will be a quiz.

The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host, in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
‘Tis the Star-Spangled Banner: O, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!  

***

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war, and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation;
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, “In God is our trust.”
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O Canada

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North, strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
Refrain: God keep our land, glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free! (Refrain)

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies,
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years,
From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free! (Refrain)

Ruler supreme, Who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard. (Refrain)

Advance Australia Fair

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are one and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea.
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts,
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
(Refrain) In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair!

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. (Refrain)

The lyrics have been adjusted over the years, and some stanzas completely unlimited. Recently “Australians all” replaced “Australian sons,” for perfectly sound reasons. But the original stanzas two and three received the order of the boot, starting with one about Captain Cook:

When gallant Cook from Albion came
To trade wide oceans o’er;
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore;
Then here he raised Old England’s flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
Britannia rules the waves. 

God Defend New Zealand

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific’s triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand. 

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand. 

***

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand. 

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country’s spotless name
Crown her with immortal fame
God defend New Zealand.

May our mountains ever be
Freedom’s ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations’ van,
Preaching love and truth to man
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

New Zealand’s national anthem is younger than the others, dating only to 1876, and is apparently non-judgmental enough to survive intact. It has English and Māori lyrics, with slightly different meanings and lately is sung in both languages. When Alan Keyes rehearsed for his presentation of five national anthems at the 1993 Churchill conference, he said this was the one he most liked learning. He did it justice, too.

God Save the King

God save our gracious King
Long live our noble King,
God save the King:
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the King.

O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.

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 o’er.

From every latent foe,
From the assassin’s blow,
God save the King!
O’er him thine arm extend,
For Britain’s sake defend,
Our father, prince, and friend,
God save the King!

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On him be pleased to pour;
Long may he reign:
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the King.

Little survives

Like The Star-Spangled Banner, God Save the King is now much abbreviated. Paul Courtenay, an expert on ceremonial forms, wrote: “Usually verse one alone is sung, although verse five is sometimes added. I don’t think verse two has been sung since the Second World War and I have never heard verses three or four sung.”

Sir Winston’s daughter Mary supported Paul’s impression, writing in her diary just after V-E Day: “I went with my parents to a great service of thanksgiving in St. Paul’s led by the King and Queen. Such was the mood that we were allowed to sing the second verse of the national anthem (usually a real no-no), bidding God arise to scatter the King’s enemies (Confound their politics / Frustrate their knavish tricks…)”¹⁰

That verse was still dubious at a celebration of Lady Soames’s birthday in Alaska in 2000. Soloist Keith Padden sang it anyway, with all the other stanzas. The assembly seemed to enjoy it, although the honoree thought we were going well over the top.

Royal scholar Rafal Heydel-Mankoo notes: “The term ‘anthem’ is a British creation. Between 1760 and 1781 it received only four formal theatre performances, but from 1781 to 1800 it saw over ninety.” It also provided the tune for the national anthems of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and (briefly)  Russia; and the American My Country ’Tis of Thee.

A story, perhaps apocryphal, involves HMS Prince of Wales sailing into Argentia for the Atlantic Charter meeting in August 1941. Aboard USS Augusta, the Marine band struck up God Save the King. President Roosevelt is reported to have cracked: “That’s the best rendition of My Country ’Tis of Thee I’ve heard in years!”

My essay, “Vanishing National Anthems,” was published by the Hillsdale College Churchill Project. For the original article with images and all the lyrics (including those now abandoned) of five National Anthems (Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA), click here. To subscribe to weekly articles from Churchill-Hillsdale, click here, scroll to bottom, and fill in your email in the box entitled “Stay in touch with us.” Your email is never divulged and remains a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

“Frustrate their knavish tricks”