Articles by Dartes Swimmers Past and Present

Thorpedo's Challenge

Introduction

Well Ian Thorpe is no doubt safely airborne and flying away from the controversy as I type, but this morning on the BBC he raised the challenge and we're very happy to take him up on it.

What should be England's anthem for the Commonwealth Games?

I was going to do this anyway, even before Ian raised the point, because quite frankly Jerusalem doesn't cut the mustard for a medal presentation. It's a nice enough hymn, but it isn't bouncy enough for this use. The athletes interviewed by the BBC were all very polite on the subject, so thank God himself (that's Thorpey, not the other one) for stating what everyone was thinking.

I've tried to be impartial (yeah, right) all the options below are taken from the BBC's 2009 coverage of Last Night of the Proms - I haven't picked and chosen poor renditions of the ones I don't particularly care for. Listen to them all, watch the audience's reaction, and picture yourself on that medal dias as the flags rise up the pole.

Which would you like to celebrate with?
I've even added the lyrics for each so you can annoy the neighbours.

Author: Dave Cuthbert
Date: 6 Oct 2010

Jerusalem - The so called public's choice

According to the Guardian's website, a whopping 2,000 members of the British public voted on the YouGov website in the poll that decided on the anthem to be used. Actually it was a little less, and around 900 of them voted for this. That's a lot of power to a very small number of people. The Guardian are in the process of running their own poll, and last time I checked the leader was, errr, not this one!

I'm told this features heavily in some sport called Cricket or Rugby or something. I can't say as I've ever heard it round a swimming pool.

All I can say is, check out the guy on the front row at 2:25.

The lyrics, just in case you want to sing along next time you go to church:

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 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

Land of Hope and Glory - The Traditional CWG Anthem

Since 1930 Team England has been presented with their Gold medals accompanied by the stereotypically English sounding 'Land of Hope and Glory', until some meddling fool decided to hold a public vote.

For those who don't know (surely there is no such person) it's part of Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. Pomp and Circumstance being exactly what a medal presentation is, it's clearly the perfect choice.

Still not sure? Just wait until 2:50 when the chorus kicks in (softly), 4:50 when it kicks in (loudly), and then again after 7:00 for the fabulous encore.

Now that's what a medal presentation should sound like, and what the stands should look like (minus the Gold trim perhaps)! And just for the Loud and Proud, it's even complete with an occasional air horn!

Here are the lyrics, in case you want to sing the house down:

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!

God Save The Queen

Widely regarded as the most recognisable National Anthem in the World (probably because it's been the anthem for more nations than any other - including America for a while) God Save the Queen probably can't be used at Commonwealth Games because it would confuse everyone. Shame really, it's the perfect length and everyone knows the words.

Lots of people clearly forget that this was England's anthem before the union was formed. We're perfectly within our rights to use this for Team England (maybe).

Not that you'll need them, because you should all know them, here's the words:

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.

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.

Rule, Britannia! - For the Quirky

If British Swimming were ever looking for their own Anthem to use during Swimming Championships around the world, why would they look beyond 'Rule, Britannia!' It's practically written for them. A celebration of our all conquering heroes of the water.

It's a pity this will never be used for medal presentations. It can't be used for Commonwealth Games because it refers to Great Britain, and it can't be used for Olympic Games because we really should use God Save the Queen. But just think, European Championships, World Championships, wouldn't it be great to see Fran or Becky singing along to this as the flag flies up the pole.

Sing along at home, smiles and patriotic fervour guaranteed:

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)

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful, from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.

(Chorus)

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame:
All their attempts to bend thee down,
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.

(Chorus)

So which would you choose?

My choice would just be so, so wrong for many different reasons. But it would sound utterly brilliant at a London Olympics. If YouGov is going to hold a two-bit national poll and not tell anyone about it, they could at least have fixed it to give us 'Rule, Britannia!'

Just in case you wanted to hear it again, here it is being performed at the 2008 Proms - just after the Beijing Olympics - you'll see the reference!