Part of the openDemocracy Network

Power2010

Breaking the monopoly of the professional politician: Guy Aitchison's idea for popular forums in Parliament
 

When you're in a hole, stop digging: Pam Giddy's advice to MPs who still don't get it
 

Ending the divine right of political parties: Steve Hawkins makes a radical suggestion
 

Les Miserables and Power 2010: John Jackson diagnoses the political class's selective crisis-mongering
 

A call to oD readers: Helena Kennedy calls on oD readers to support Power2010
 

More in this series

Submit your idea for the Power 2010 pledge.

The British Crisis

Do the public really want to change ‘the system’?: Stuart Wilks-Heeg presents polling evidence
 

Don't trust MPs' constitutional poker: Guy Aitchison supports the call for a citizens' convention
 

Brown's 'National Council for Democratic Renewal': Anthony Barnett on the Prime Minister's desperate proposal
 

More in this series

Navigation

delicious | digg | reddit | newsvine | furl | google | yahoo | technorati | diigolet

Syndicate content

Ouch for England "to my core"

Anthony Barnett, 24 - 04 - 2009
delicious | digg | reddit | newsvine | furl | google | yahoo | technorati | diigolet

Cranmer reports that the BBC the Arts Council of England have commissioned a  new national anthem for England by one Sam Dunkley. Is he pulling our leg? It seems not, you can hear it here! Here it is:


I am England, England is inside of me.
I am England, England is what I want her to be,
I am England, I am English, I am England to my core,
And wherever you may find me, you'll find England.
England Forever More!
England, my England, she never lets me down,
Hustle bustle, urban tussle, dancing through the crowds,
Or out in the country, a fresh place for me to breathe,
England my England is always home to me!
Fish and chips in paper, with mushy peas,
Balti chicken, naan bread and onion bhajis,
A cup of tea and toast, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,
Tastes of our culture, tastes like England to me!
Swing low sweet chariot, God Save The Queen!
Land of hope and glory and of pleasant mountains green,
England's future, past and today live in our minds on St George's Day,
England, England, my country!

This article adheres to the openDemocracy.net principles.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

English Bloke (not verified) said:

Mon, 2009-04-27 17:43

To the Cornish nationalist...

England is a nation - Cornwall is a county - what do you expect?

You and possibly your mate are delusional!

srheywood said:

Mon, 2009-04-27 15:42

Bizarre!!

Delderfield said:

Sun, 2009-04-26 18:22

I expected it to be awful but it's not bad. One slight problem, the UK is about to be broken up into regions and "England" isn't one of them.

I have made a few changes. What do you think?

"I am the North West EU Region, I am the North West EU Region, I am the North West EU Region to my core,
And wherever you may find me, you'll find the North West EU Region. The North West EU Region Forever More!"

Not logged in (not verified) said:

Fri, 2009-04-24 22:52

Cornish Democrat, St George's Day events in England are payed for by Councils on behalf of the ratepayers and not the british government.
There is nothing to stop the new unitary in Cornwall for doing like wise for St Pirhans Day.
you're a bloody whinger.

Toque said:

Fri, 2009-04-24 14:10

Shocking!  I wonder how much time and money was wasted on that abomination.

Hendre (not verified) said:

Fri, 2009-04-24 13:15

Cornish Democrat, I think you’re being a little harsh. Coverage of St George’s Day is a bit of a new departure for the BBC.

The anthem will no doubt be as equally cherished as the poet laureate’s tribute to the England World Cup rugby team:

O Jonny the power of your boot
And the accurate heart-stopping route
Of your goal as it ghosts
Through Australian posts
Is a triumph we gladly salute.

O Martin the height of your leap
And the gritty possession you keep
Of the slippery ball
In the ruck and the maul
Is enough to make patriots weep.

O Jason the speed of your feet
And their side-stepping hop-scotching beat
As you touch down and score
While the terraces roar
Is the thing that makes chariots sweet.

O forwards and backs you have all
Shown us wonderful ways to walk tall
And together with Clive
You will help us survive
Our losses with other-shaped balls.

The Cornish Democrat said:

Fri, 2009-04-24 12:44
So for the 'British' Broadcasting  Corp:
 
English nationalism and St Georges day  =  Good, healthy, patriotic and to be funded.
 
Cornish nationalism and St Pirans day  =  Worth the odd story but not to be encouraged and certainly not to be funded.
 
Double standards from an establisment still sick with English cultural supremacism. 
 
Happily the song is awful.
 

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd><b> <i> <br> <p> <div> <img> <map>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may quote other posts using [quote] tags.
More information about formatting options

Books from Amazon

They say about OK

"the ever-stimulating OpenDemocracy"
Ekklesia

"See OurKingdom to keep up"
South Belfast Diary

"...an essential guide to understanding the dynamic constitutional situation..."
Peter Oborne

"...becoming a daily read for me."
Iain Dale

"To make sense of it all, check out OurKingdom..."
Matthew d'Ancona

"Worth a look...it is, however, recommended by Matthew d'Ancona."
The Wardman Wire

"Fast becoming the best political website around"
Tom Waterhouse, CEP

"...attracting energy from a range of contributors."
thenextwave

"...looks very promising..."
The England Project

"The excellent new OurKingdom blog from OpenDemocracy..."
The Green Ribbon

"On the internet, I keep in touch with openDemocracy, a website on global current affairs, and its useful offshoot, OurKingdom"
Andreas Whittam-Smith

"thanks to the fine folk at OurKingdom, (who manage to communicate a variety of perspectives in the way that only a decent group blog can)"
Nostalgia For the Future