Britons never, Never, NEVER shall be slaves
BREAKING NEWS: Blair to take on YALE post
- Watch video of ‘Rule Britannia’
- Watch video of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’
- Watch video of ‘Jerusalem’
- Bob & Hoot to the ‘Sailor’s Hornpipe’
RECENT POSTS:
- The Regal Has Landed - Harry’s Home
- ‘Bin London’ Paintballs, er, Screws The Scapegoats - Us (for 13 Years)
- The Sorry Tale of the Archbishop, the Lawyer, and the Blair supporter
- UK Barrister Urges Al Qaeda to “Assassinate Tony Blair”
- Geek Lawyer’s Offending, PossiblyIllegal Post
Comment at end
4th March, 2008
LAND OF HOPE AND ….
It seems Margaret Hodge, the Culture Minister, is doing an Archbishop so to speak. She thinks the Last Night of The Proms is no longer quite the thing. Not pc enough; too old Empire. She says our cultural events should “enhance a sense of shared identity”. Silly remark. The woman just does NOT get it. The Royal Albert Hall’s Last Night of the Proms attracts thousands and is watched by millions all over the world, including many who were not born here nor have ever lived in Britain. And people from any country can bring ANY flag into the Albert Hall and wave it all the way through - without anyone batting an eyelid. We are (thus far) still sufficiently secure in our identity not to feel threatened by others’ flags.
Shame on Ms Hodge for being embarrassed by our history and/or our patriotism. Most of the time, in my humble opinion, we are not patriotic enough. And I, like most of my readers I imagine, was not alive in the last world war, so I’m not bubbling over with painful, personal memories.
There are already hundreds of shared culture events around the country every year. I would not attend many of them given a free front row ticket! But they have their place. And a little lesson, Ms Hodge - you cannot impose a culture on a people. Not unless you are ready for trouble. To knock the Last Night of The Proms shows just how far some of our politicians have slipped off the mark in their once sure common touch.
In my humble opinion, a nation that forgets its past, forfeits its future.
This video is just a little reminder of what the Last Night of The Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall, is all about, Ms Hodge. I enjoyed it, although there are many more professional examples on YouTube. This was filmed by an ordinary prommer, who felt the atmosphere and thought “gotta get this”. A few years ago I’d have thought all of this a bit passé. A bit too Victorian, old-fashioned, revelling in our empirical past. Today, I appreciate it a lot more. Don’t ask me why.
But the opening words of another traditional stalwart of the Last Night … “Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free, How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee” … make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck: (see video here, below lyrics of “Rule Britannia”)
RULE BRITANNIA
[See below for pronunciation / singing guide]
When Britain first, at heaven’s command,
Arose from out the azure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:Rule Britania!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.The nations, not so blest as thee,
Must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
(Chorus)
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Brittons never, never, never shall be slaves.Rule Britannia (with pronunciation singing guide)
When Britain first, at heaven’s command,
Aro-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-zure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian A-a-angels sang this strain:Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.The nations, no-o-o-o-ot so blest as thee,
Must i-i-i-i-in their turn, to ty-y–yrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to ty-y-rants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and e-e-e-e-nvy of them all.
(Chorus)
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Click here to hear it sung by Jill Daniels
If that’s got you in the mood - how’s about Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance March - in other words “Land of Hope & Glory”
Land of Hope and Glory
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still, and wider, shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet!
Truth and Right and Freedom, each a holy gem,
Stars of solemn brightness, weave thy diadem.
Tho’ thy way be darkened, still in splendour drest,
As the star that trembles o’er the liquid West.
Throned amid the billows, throned inviolate,
Thou hast reigned victorious, thou has smiled at fate.
Land of Hope and Glory, fortress of the Free,
How may we extol thee, praise thee, honour thee?
Hark, a mighty nation maketh glad reply;
Lo, our lips are thankful, lo, our hearts are high!
Hearts in hope uplifted, loyal lips that sing;
Strong in faith and freedom, we have crowned our King!
It might also be worth noting that the Last Night of the Proms is the ONLY night we get a little patriotic. The rest of the Proms season is taken up with artists, musicians and dancers from all over the world. No wonder the Culture Minister was nowhere to be found for her pre-booked radio 4 interview today! Silly woman.
(As sung at the Last Night of The Proms)
Walk upon England’s mountains green
And was the holy lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills
Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire
Bring me my spears o’clouds unfold
Bring me my chariot of fire
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
‘Til we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land
‘Til we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land
What? Not English?
Now tell me you haven’t got a smile on your face!
THAT’S what the Last Night of the Proms is all about, Ms Hodge.
And if you’re not sure what The Sailor’s Hornpipe looks like, here’s a clip below from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo at the annual Edinburgh festival. Now I DO hope you haven’t got THAT particular festival in your time for cultural change sights, Minister.
Tags: culture minister, Government, jerusalem, land of hope and glory, last night of the proms, margaret hodge, royal albert hall, rule britannia, shared culture, the proms
March 5, 2008 at 7:31 pm
A quote from one of America’s Founding Fathers is apropos to both our countries:
“A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.”
- Samuel Adams(letter to James Warren, 12 February,1779)
March 5, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Sounds very sensible, Arlene. But I don’t think it would fit in our societies today, unless we were invaded from outer space!
It’s a flag of honour - or convenience - that we question those who make the decisions on our behalf. Probably the lack of a recent world war means we never really gel together under a common purpose!
Wearing my devil’s advocate’s hat - I suppose the argument would be - where does the REAL virtue lie? The ruler or the ruled?
There’s a Radio 4 programme on at the moment - The Moral Maze. It’s often interesting, and not always too far out for my liking. I usually agree with at least half of the panel!
They’re discussing the rights of people to take direct action, and thus to challenge/ignore the law.
I can see another post coming up here when I get time!
March 6, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Hello there,
I researched the history of the Proms. (now I know what you are referring to). I watched all the videos you have here and went to the Home of the Proms. A rich history. You know you are a true patriot when a tear wells up in the eye every time you hear Rule Britannia and in my case whenever I hear the Star Spangled Banner. It does the heart good.
Remember when I told you about the moonies and geekies we have over here? Well, they are after the military and now have gone as far as bombing the Marine Recruiting bldg. in NYC.
You know it’s one thing to be stupid, but it’s a whole other thing to be stupid AND mean. This type of action proves the point you were making to the Geek. There is no “safe” rhetoric when it comes to wishing Blair dead. There is no “irony”, no “sarcasm”. It’s just the beginning of speech that leads to murderous actions. All his words were very dangerous and you know what? I blieve he knows it.
So, we fight the invaders from within….the press, the people that would do harm to our leaders, our military and most importantly to the future of our children. I AM a patriot and I AM proud of it.
The day we stop proudly singing our countries’ songs is a day we dare not allow. For our children’s sake.
God Bless you and while I’m at it, God Bless England, too!
Arlene
March 6, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Re the tear in the eye business, Arlene - well, I don’t quite shed a tear - BUT I do feel the hairs standing up on my arms when the opening words of Land of Hope & Glory are sung: ” … Mother of the Free, How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?”
Some of the rest of the words belong to a different age, as with ‘Rule Britannia’, and I don’t long for that kind of empirical status again. It’s in the past. And all peoples deserve their own independence. Stirring music though!
But I am proud of our ‘Mother of Parliaments’, (the Houses of Parliament or England itself, whichever), having been the basis for so many other democracies in the world.
I suppose I feel that we are an example for others, though many here, Geekites and Moonies, now think our selfish personal “rights” are more important than our responsibilities.
I tell you something, though Arlene, I love “America, America” too. And feel the same sensation when I’m in the states and it’s sung. (And I don’t actually feel any fondness for “God Save the Queen” which I think is a bit of a dirge, to be honest). And the words don’t really get me. America’s words to “the people” are more my thing. Like with your constitution … “we, the people…”
Yes, I heard about the New York bomb. Haven’t heard much more about it though. No-one injured and not too serious as I heard it earlier today. But outside a military recruitment office. Very courageous, eh?
Just spotted this -
Postman charged with terror offences after - wait for it - FOUR YEAR TERROR CAMPAIGN - against politicians including Tony Blair.
How long does it take them to get enough evidence to charge someone? I tell you, Arlene, someone’s going to have to die before the Police and courts get a grip of this!
March 6, 2008 at 11:22 pm
I agree with you completely. It is only after something terrible happens that the same questions are asked; “Why?” “How long have we known about this?” “Why wasn’t something done sooner?”
DAH!!!!!
Well, at least the detectives HAVE been investigating this postman for several years, but he has been RELEASED?!
Bloody Hell!
March 6, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Yes, we aways release on bail people who have been charged unless they are seen as a threat or are likely to try to escape abroad. Obviously Mr Nice Letterman is neither of these!
I just don’t see why it takes so MUCH proof to charge someone. If they knew about the source of the first letter after it had been sent, why didn’t they get him on the strength of THAT? Any of the next letters could have done the intended business. We seem to set far too high a standard of proof here in this country. I think the rules they work by must say “never mind the evidence, where’s the body?”
Article pasted here:
……………………………………………………………….
A postman has been accused of leading a four-year terror campaign against politicians and various organisations by sending letters containing white powder or racist threats.
Jefferson Azevedo, from Portsmouth, has been charged with nine offences under the Anti-Terrorism Act. His alleged victims included Tony Blair and the office of the Attorney-General. Tests on the powder showed it to be virtually harmless in the amounts sent.
Mr Azevedo, 45, has also been charged with sending a further nine racist letters. He is also alleged to have planted a hoax bomb and a swastika flag on a bridge over the A27 in Havant, Hampshire, in February last year.
Police have been investigating more than 150 letters sent to prominent people and organisations between 2003 and 2007. Mr Azevedo has been released on police bail and is due to appear at the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on March 13.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said: “The charges follow a long-term investigation into more than 150 letters that were sent between 2003 and 2007.”
Detective Inspector John Geden added: “The charges laid are the result of extensive inquiries by Hampshire detectives spanning several years and across the whole country.”
……………………………………………………………….
He’ll probably turn out to be a BNP (right wing British National Party) member or former member. There was another one like that a few years ago whose diary stating he was going to kill Blair & John Prescott was found and handed to the police by his own wife. He also had a cache of explosives in his house. I believe he got off in the end!
March 7, 2008 at 12:31 am
I don’t know what the answer is. All I know is that every free country on the face of the planet is in danger. Too many people do not understand the threat of terrorism. It has been festering for many years. It is sad indeed to think that the bombings will spread and grow, not because “Bush and Blair made the world less safe” but because the general public did not grasp the evilness of the thing. If every country in Europe, the US, et al would be on the same page, we could easily wipe them out, but “popular opinion” will not allow for it. That damn “popular opinion” is going to get us killed.
Ok, I’m going off to have some tea and pick up my spirits. I am very upset about this recruiting station being bombed. The press has down-played it. The attacks are going to get worse. They actually started a few weeks ago in Berkeley CA. Idiots.
In Tea and Prayer,
Arlene
March 10, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Tony Blair teaching at Yale next year? Maybe we’ll just keep him!!! He is very well liked and admired here in the states. Perhaps I may get the chance to attend a class. If I do, I will tell him about your little blog.
When I was looking on the web for verification of the Yale thing, I accidentally came upon another of those “hate Blair” sites. I’ll put the address here, but you might want to delete it. It’s so very ugly, but I would like to see you “out” them like you did with the others. Here it is:
http://wonkette.com
Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Maybe I could put up a website that read: Keep Tony Blair in the US
Cheerio
Arlene
March 11, 2008 at 12:28 am
Professor Blair? Yes, I know he’s appreciated there in the states more than over here. So he might be tempted to stay there.
Thanks for the thought on my blog, Arlene, but I have a feeling he already knows about it.
If you want to start a WordPress blog called ‘Keep TB in the USA’ - you can start it right now, while you’re here. There’s a link on my blog somewhere. Warning - it’s time consuming and addictive!
Had a quick click through to the above ‘ugly’ site. It seemed to be all ugly stuff about Americans. Couldn’t see the Blair bit.
March 11, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I must be totally out of the loop here. What in the world makes you think that the Prime Minister (I will always call him that) actually knows about this site? I mean, the man’s busy, right? I didn’t know what a blog was until you and Michael Yon provoked me to become a “sometimes blogger”.
I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut as it were. I haven’t the foggiest idea how to set up a blog. So there’s the truth, now you know. I’ve been outed; I’m blog-illiterate. BUT, I’m so glad that this one exists!
That ugly site, it is definitely there, but maybe just as well that you didn’t see it. Very ugly all the way around.
Happy Tuesday! Things are looking up!
March 11, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Well, Arlene - I’m not comPLETELY useless as far as getting my message out is concerned.
Let’s just say I know he knows about the blog. Whether he gives a damn is another matter.
;0)
March 11, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Oh dear, I didn’t mean that your blog was unimportant or useless. Oh heavens, no! It’s very important!
I’m just wondering if you’re related to the big guy?
There is so very much on the web, so many blogs. In my mind’s eye I think of England as being the same size as the US, but in fact, it IS smaller isn’t it? I mean the chances are much greater that your blog would get more traffic in England isn’t it? (Light bulb just went on!!) Oh, I’m embarrassed.
Well, just in case the PM peeks in here once in awhile:
“How DO you do Mr. Prime Minister?” “May good fortune follow you all your days.”
(Now if I got an answer to that question, I would faint straight-a-way.)
And as for you my Keep Tony Blair friend, please keep blogging. (In fact you seem more like a journalist or a writer than an average ordinary blogger). Definitely NOT ordinary.
I thought your “dream” sequence was very funny. You see you hung in there through the tough stuff and came out smelling like a rose. I’d say it was very hard work but definitely worth it.
God Bless
Arlene
March 11, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Arlene - did anyone ever tell you that you’re a ray of sunshine? Well, I’m telling you. On a stormy night here in the UK you just made me smile.
Er, yes we are a lot smaller than the US! We just TALK big. I suppose it’s handy that we speak English … more or less.
I’m sure Mr Blair will appreciate your message if he ever sees it here. But he won’t reply, sadly. One of his rules since leaving is not to talk or comment on British politics at all. Previous ex PMs have become a pain in the backside for their successors. Blair knows the job is tough enough without him chipping away. Anyway, like everything else that goes wrong in the world, he’d only get blamed by the British press if he interfered or criticised publicly in any way and Gordon came a cropper. Best to say nothing.
Glad you enjoyed the dream page. Have to keep it light now and again.
Btw, the answer to your question - no.
March 13, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Well, thank you ever so much!! I had to copy and paste the sunshine remark and save it. I don’t believe anyone has said that to me for a long time, but it had a familiar ring. Now, whenever I’m feeling a little blue I will refer to it. It will always make me smile.
In fact I have been looking all over your site and decided I would copy some of the more funny and warm parts and will paste them on paper to send to my… er your…..er our troops. There’s a lot of stuff here I know they would enjoy. Whew! You have a LOT of stuff here! How in the world do you DO all this?
March 13, 2008 at 9:43 pm
You’re very welcome, Arlene. Your comments are always fun to read as well as relevant, and NEVER nasty. I don’t like nasty!
I’ve been listening to two BBC Radio 4 programmes in the last hour. Radio 4 is excellent on current affairs. So much more balanced than the dreadful printed press we have here.
The first one was about the Northern Ireland settlement - ‘The Price of Peace’. The second was ‘Analysis’ and about our troops, Iraq & Afghanistan, their funding, Britain’s place in the world militarily and Blair’s “liberal interventionism”.
They were both very good programmes. They gave a fair & balanced insight into those conflict zones and, obliquely, into the thinking of the man this site was set up to support (or as the Americans would say, ‘to honor’).
I DO believe that in time this last ten years of Blair’s rule will be positively re-appraised. Perhaps it’s starting now.
If you want to listen to the Northern Ireland BBC programme, go here. Ian Paisley’s bellows of “Never! Never! Never!” shows that in the end anything is possible :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/priceofpeace/pip/3uvan/
This is the liberal interventionist one, Analysis:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/analysis/
That’s a nice idea of yours to send some bits of the blog to the troops. I don’t know which parts you reckon they’d enjoy. Maybe the Blair Obituary one?!
I might be able to do a whole page on the British troops and the reasons “WHY”. Could do, I suppose, though I am working on a couple of others right now.
As for this site - well, yes, it kind of developed into a bit of an obsession, I freely admit. And much to MY surprise! I didn’t intend it to be, but once I had started and read up so much, I became convinced that so many people were getting Blair wrong through, in the main, press manipulation. I still think that. Not that he is completely blameless or without fault; no-one is. But I learned a lot about the early period I had missed because I wasn’t really into the Labour party to any extent. It was an eye-opener. So I just wrote this page and then that page and suddenly you realise you’ve written the equivalent of a book!
I enjoy writing and politics, so that makes it easy to do. It’s never onerous.
Glad you’ve enjoyed it anyway, Arlene.
Nice to know I have one friend!
March 16, 2008 at 5:52 am
Frankly, I think the British should be very proud of their heritage - especially as the British civilized the world. British ex-colonies like America, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Kuwait and Ireland (oh and yes, Iraq too) all have greatly benefited from British influence.
Of course, I think it’s worth noting that the view of British PM Tony Blair after 9/11 that the attacks of 9/11 were a chance to make the world a better place and not just succumb to events helped not just me but many of my fellow Americans cope with 9/11 (and other tragedies).
March 16, 2008 at 11:23 am
Hi Josef - and thank you for commenting. We seem to suffer from the (intentional) opposite of hubris here in the UK - our political correctness writ large, I suppose. There’s probably a medical name for the collective collection (PressDenialitis or something).
Yes, we Brits should be very proud of our heritage. Balancing that by highlighting the “failures” serves no-one. We should be proud that our form of democracy has been exported worldwide and above all that the world speaks English. Even the Chinese all learn the language of Shakespeare, Milton and Blair.
Your link through to Tony Blair’s “kaleidoscope has been shaken” clip which he made at the October 2001 conference just after 9/11, is much appreciated. I’ve been looking for this for some time. If I ever get the time to make another video on Blair “words” THIS will be included.
I’ve added your video to my blogroll.
May 21, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I am always impressed when the song Jerusalem sounds at the last night,
it is a beautiful piece of both music en lyrics.
I don’t quite understand al the words of the lyrics, but maybe someone can explain
the reason why this song was written.
May 21, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Thanks for your comment, jan-oscar.
This is a good an explanation as any - Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_did_those_feet_in_ancient_time
“And did those feet in ancient time” is a short poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton: a Poem (1804). Today it is best known as the hymn “Jerusalem”, with music written by C. Hubert H. Parry in 1916.
And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon England’s mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On England’s pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor Shall my sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England’s green & pleasant Land.
It’s to do with the idea that Jesus may have come to England.
We could do with him here now!
May 23, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Thank you very much for your information, it is interesting to know
what inspired the writer of the poem.
greetings from Holland and I hope to visit the last night by myself in the near future.
May 23, 2008 at 9:21 pm
You’re very welcome.