A Scion Society of The Baker Street Irregulars
God Save The Queen
” … in the Queen’s name …”
– The Sign of The Four (SIGN)
At some time, I am sure that all Sherlockians have heard the music and probably the words to the National Anthem of England: God Save The Queen. But, like our own National Anthem, how many have heard anything beyond the first stanza? Probably no one! So, here is the full text of God Save The Queen:
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, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her 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.
NB. The Star Spangled Banner has 4 verses. We all know the one; the others begin:
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep….
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore…
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand…
This post is copyrighted © 2015 by the author.
William Pavey Meskan, aka “Beau”, is the 12th Garrideb, invested as the Lord High Constable. In addition, he is a member of The Scotland Yarders, Col. Sebastian Moran’s Secret Gun Club, The Sherlockian by Invitation Only Society, The Detectives of Chicago Central, STUD Sherlockian Society, Hugo’s Companions and the Hounds of the Baskervilles.
William, may I respectfully submit for your consideration the following points. This is the National Anthem of the British State i.e., The United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland, and Northern Ireland, not just England only.
The current text of the full official anthem is –
1. 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
2. O Lord our God arise
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all
3. Thy choicest gifts in store
On her 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
4. 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 over
The first two lines of the first verse originally ran, ‘God save great George our king/Long live great George our king’, referring to King George III, in whose reign it was written/composed.
The second verse is never sung, as it is considered to be politically incorrect, and also insulting to foreigners. The remaining three verses are sung in their entirety in the presence of the Queen only. Mostly our National Anthem consists of the first verse only.
In this now poor benighted country it is very rarely played, except at official state/local ceremonies and some sporting finals.
Children are no longer taught it at school as my generation were, and many young British people are ignorant of the words, including the captain of the England soccer team!
Hope this meets with your approval.
Just to make clear, Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland, and with the addition of Northern Ireland it becomes the United Kingdom of . . . .
It does not include the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.