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The words and tune of God Save the King are anonymous. They may date back to the seventeenth century. The lyrics and tune are sometimes credit to Henry Carey (1740). The tune first appeared in this form in 1744. It became popular in 1745, the second year of the Jacobite Uprising. After the Battle of Prestonpans, the bandleader of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane arranged the tune and played it at the end of the night - which other theatres picked up and which became customary. The tune became a rallying cry for the House of Hanover. It came to be referred to as the National Anthem at the beginning of the nineteenth century.
The tune is also sung in America as America (My Country Tis of Thee) and was also sung in the German Reich as Heil Dir in Seigerkranz. It should now, of course, be sung as God Save the Queen, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. |
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 Queen. O Lord and God arise, Scatter his enemies, And make them fall. Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks, On Thee our hopes we fix God Save the Queen. Thy choicest gifts in store On him 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. Additional Verse added in 1946 - meant to replace the third stanza. The verse was written by Rev. W. E. Hickson (1803-1870). Nor on this land alone, But be God's mercies known From shore to shore. Lord, make the nation see That men should brothers be, And form one family The wide world o'er. |
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Some information and lyrics From
Fireside Book of Folk Songs See Bibliography for full information. |
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