God Save the King
"God Save the King" has been the national anthem of the United Kingdom since 1745. Its also the royal anthem of the Commonwealth realms, played alongside their official national anthems.[1][2] Its composer remains unknown to this date.
 Publication of an early version in The Gentleman's Magazine, October 1745. The title, on the contents page, is given as "God save our lord the king: A new song set for two voices". | |
| National or royal anthem of |
|
|---|---|
| Also known as | "God Save the Queen" (when the monarch is female) |
| Music | unknown |
| Adopted | September 1745 |
| Music sample | |
| | |
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When the ruling monarch is a queen instead of a king, the title of the anthem then becomes "God Save the Queen".
The tune for "God Save the King" was used in many countries as a national anthem. Apart from the German state, many of which were linked to Great Britain by marriage, Liechtenstein and Switzerland used the tune. Switzerland changed to a different tune in the 1960s. Liechtenstein still uses the tune.
The tune is both American and British. In the 1930s the United States chose an official anthem. "The Star-Spangled Banner" was chosen instead of the equally popular "My Country 'tis of Thee" which used the "God Save the King" tune.
Lyrics
Standard version
- God save our gracious King,
- Long live our noble King,
- God save the King:
- Send him victorious,
- Happy and glorious,
- Long to reign over us:
- God save the King.
- O Lord, our God, arise,
- Scatter his 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 him be pleased to pour;
- Long may he reign:
- May he defend our laws,
- And ever give us cause
- To sing with heart and voice
- God save the King.[3]
Original lyrics: "God Save the King"
Latin verse
- O Deus optime
- Salvum nunc facito
- Regem nostrum
- Sic laeta victoria
- Comes et gloria
- Salvum iam facito
- Tu dominum.[5]
French version used in Canada
Que Dieu protège notre gracieux Roi,
Longue vie à notre noble Roi,
Que Dieu protège le Roi !
Rends-le victorieux,
Heureux et glorieux ;
Que soit long son règne sur nous,
Que Dieu protège le Roi !
Māori version used in New Zealand
- Me tohu e t'Atua
- To matou Kuini pai:
- Kia ora ia
- Meinga kia maia ia,
- Kia hari nui, kia koa,
- Kia kuini tonu ia,
- Tau tini noa.[6]
God Save The King Media
The phrase "God Save the King" in use as a rallying cry to the support of the monarch and the UK's forces during the First World War
Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall (built 1767), bearing the painted slogan, "God Save the King".
"God Save the King" performed with each of its three verses
"God Save the Queen" sung by the public at St Giles' Fair, Oxford, 2007
The fourth Hickson verse (with "o'er" misspelled as "o're") on a British-American friendship plaque in St Nicholas' Church, Charlwood, Surrey.
Percival Price performs "O Canada" and "God Save the King" on the Peace Tower Carillon, 1927
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140902162152/http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/NationalAnthem.aspx
- ↑ "Isle of Man – nationalanthems.info".
- ↑ https://www.royal.uk/national-anthem National Anthem. The Royal Family. royal.uk.
- ↑ "God Save the Queen: The History of the National Anthem | History Today".
- ↑ God Save the King, William H. Cummings, Novello and Company Ltd, London 1902.
- ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/imageserver/periodicals/P29pZD1QSVBJV0gxOTAwMDUwMSZnZXRwZGY9dHJ1ZQ== E Ihowa Tohungia Te Kuini. Te Pipiwharauroa.