It is another world cup year and it is time for a new national anthem. Here is my suggestion.
"God save our gracious Queen..." - the opening line to the national anthem. As a non-royalist and an atheist, singing these words at sporting events such as the World Cup, Commonwealth Games or Olympics with passion and pride is next to impossible. I am proud to be English, proud to be British. We have a great country, a great set of countries that should represent fairness and equality, providing a beacon to emerging nations around the world, a modern and advanced society. Our national anthem should represent this nation and be uplifting and inspiring, with lyrics that fill people with pride and awe, not divide the nation along religious/royalist/nationalistic lines by banging on about gods, a ruling monarch and an historical warring past.
The idea of singing about national pride at sporting events seems a little silly in the first place but, if we are going to do so, then we should at least be singing something that all involved can feel connected to. There are even other verses to the English national anthem that seem more appropriate than the one we currently use. ( Same Tune ) Check out the lyrics for the 4th verse:
