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Thursday, July 21, 2005
Even if his timing weren't monumentally "off" . . .
A Labourite municipal councillor proposed a ban, reported here, on the playing of Elgar's "Land of Hope and Glory" (audio, here, and words, here) in favour of Rod Stewart's "Sailing" at the English (UK) community's upcoming Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 7th. Following are A. C. Benson's words set to the finale of Elgar's Coronation Ode:
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.
And Rod Stewart's offering:
I am sailing, I am sailing,
I am sailing, stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.
I am flying, I am flying,
like a bird 'cross the sky.
I am flying, passing high clouds,
to be with you, to be free.
Can you hear me, can you hear me
thro' the dark night, far away,
I am dying, forever trying,
to be with you, who can say.
Can you hear me, can you hear me,
thro' the dark night far away.
I am dying, forever trying,
to be with you, who can say.
We are sailing, we are sailing,
home again 'cross the sea.
We are sailing stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.
Oh Lord, to be near you, to be free,
Oh Lord.
Compare. Consider. Take a deep breath. Altogether now, shake your heads.
As for the Labourite councillor, he withdrew the proposal for a ban with abject apology.
AFTERTHOUGHT: Is it possible the hapless councillor confused Rod Stewart's "Sailing" with "Rule Britannia"?
(Cross-posted from Burkean Canuck).
Posted by Russ Kuykendall on July 21, 2005 in International Politics, Music | Permalink
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Comments
I remember when there was some serious consideration being given in New Jersey to making "Born To Run" the state song. Didn't quite make it though; something to do with the lyrics...
"Baby this town rips the bones from your back /it's a death trap / it's a suicide rap / We've got to get out while we're young..."
BTW: if I hear one more person mangling ANY national anthem, I swear I'm going scream until it stops. You're supposed to sing an anthem, not interpret it.
Posted by: EBD | 2005-07-21 11:18:20 PM
Russ:
In this time of rampant Islamophobia, it's oh-so important for the Brits to set the right tone when they remember their dead. Nothing too patriotic, and nothing that might get folks upset. With that in mind, I'd like to suggest an upbeat song the Brits could use that could build bridges and won't generate any sort of "blame game": Big Bird's Sesame Street classic, "Everyone Makes Mistakes":
Everyone makes mistakes,
Oh yes they do,
Your sister and your brother,
And your Dad and Mother too.
Big people, small people,
Matter of fact ALL people
Everyone makes mistakes
So why can't you?
Hey, the song even contains a line for the subway bombers who might not have intended to die in the July 7 blast:
If you make a mistake while counting up to ten,
Well don't get mad, and don't get sad
Just start to count again
And if you should only get to eight or nine
I'm still your friend and I still like you fine.
Posted by: Grumpy Young Crank | 2005-07-22 3:28:12 PM
With gratitude, Poland remembers its friend and ally: Gil Hart. Long live free Poland.
Free Polonia
Victim of London bombings honoured in Poland
Posted by lizol
On 07/22/2005 2:28:46 PM PDT · 4+ views
Radio Polonia ^ | 22.07.2005
Victim of London bombings honoured in Poland 22.07.2005 President Aleksander Kwasniewski has poshumously awarded an order of merit to Gil Hart a British victim of the July 7th attack in London, who was a great supporter of the Solidarity movement in the 1980’s.After martial law was imposed in Poland in 1981 Gil Hart founded the Polish Refugee Rights Group in London, renamed later as the East European Advice Center it was the biggest aid group for Polish refugees. Hart was one of the 13 persons killed in bus number 30 which was blown up by a suicide bomber . Gil...
more at: http://www.freerepublic.com
Posted by: maz2 | 2005-07-22 3:44:43 PM
"The conceptual frozen tundra of the left": Comment by Aristides @ 6:45 am. Belmont Club.
This is where we can see most clearly the conceptual frozen tundra of the Left. If we are to take them at their word, if we are to dismiss politically hackery as the reason behind the words and really take them seriously, then their belated surprise that OIF would upset jihadists is the most astounding example of shallow thinking that I think I have ever seen. In the pantheon of idiocy, it is the 10,000 lbs elephant in the living room.
This proves, more than any other folly or ill chosen words, that the Left is the retarded little brother in the West Family tree. You tolerate his mistakes because you realize he doesn't know better, you protect him because he is incapable of self-defence, and every once in a while you take him to the store to buy him some Ice Cream.
But you never, ever, let him drive.
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12136206&postID=112197314402313666
Posted by: maz2 | 2005-07-22 5:18:25 PM
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