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| Subject: Anthems | |
Author: Ed Harris (Shropshire) | [ Next Thread |
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] Date Posted: 16:51:49 11/09/04 Tue In reply to: David (Australia) 's message, "Anthem" on 13:15:04 11/07/04 Sun Bloke suggested to me an old Pan-Britannic hymn as an anthem. He seemed to think that it was written at the time of the New Imperialism, around 1890, but I rather fancy that the words were written during the 'Old' New Imperialism after 1759 and the music was written before 1870. Still, for what it's worth... Hills of the North, rejoice; River and mountain spring, Hark to the advent voice; Valley and lowland, sing; Though absent long, your Lord is nigh; He judgment brings and victory. Isles of the southern seas, Deep in your coral caves Pent be each warring breeze, Lulled be your restless waves: He comes to reign with boundless sway, And makes your wastes His great highway. Lands of the East, awake, Soon shall your sons be free; The sleep of ages break, And rise to liberty. On your far hills, long cold and gray, Has dawned the everlasting day. Shores of the utmost West, Ye that have waited long, Unvisited, unblest, Break forth to swelling song; High raise the note, that Jesus died, Yet lives and reigns, the Crucified. Shout, while ye journey home; Songs be in every mouth; Lo, from the North we come, From East, and West, and South. City of God, the bond are free, We come to live and reign in thee! It's fairly obvious, reading between the lines, that a lot of this is about the British Empire, especially the last verse: people from all parts of the globe, all races of the human family, 'coming home' to Jesus etc., cunningly worded in imperial cliches ('palm and pine' stuff) so that it can also mean the British administrators and soldiers coming home from all over the world to Blighty. I imagine that this hymn inspired Kipling's "The Flag of England", which in turn inspired the US Marine's battle hymn, which contains almost identical references to the non-geographical nature of their reach and influence - appropriate for the FC, whose concept of nationality is not geographical. Perhaps not appropriate for the US marines, though, who have difficulty subduing a small town occupied by a few hairy ne'er-do-wells armed with water pistols. Anyway, whatever you think of the words, I like the melody! Try and find a midi-file of it on the internet. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |