Last Night of the Proms - Rule, Britannia!

The stirring British anthem Rule, Britannia! as performed at the annual Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Though the lyrics are older, the song appeared in Britain in the 1740s and has been performed, with modifications, ever since. It is still sung by patriotic British crowds at sporting events and the like.

There are elements of patriotic fervour, optimism and gloating in the lyrics of Rule, Britannia! It emerged at a time when the British empire was increasing in size, its naval power was in ascension, and military campaigns against its arch-rival France were more successful than not. Britons - or at least their middle- and upper-classes - also considered themselves the freest people in Europe, sentiments that are echoed in the stirring crescendo "Britons never never never will be slaves!" By implication it mocks the absolutist monarchies of France, Spain, Austria and Russia, whose kings and emperors were not constrained by parliaments and whose citizens enjoyed no voting rights. The great freedom of Britons in the 1700s was, of course, only comparative: voting rights and political representation were still based on land and wealth.

When Britain first at Heaven's command
Arose from out the azure main.
This was the charter of the land
And guardian angels sang this strain.

Rule, Britannia! rule the waves!
Britons never never never will be slaves!

The nations not so blest as thee,
Must in their turn to tyrants fall,
While thou shalt flourish great and free
The dread and envy of them all.

Rule, Britannia! rule the waves!
Britons never never never will be slaves!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Britain
• patriotism
• 1700s
• Rule Britannia
• Last Night of the Proms

[lamarjlp914]

I'm American and I loved this song. Iplay it over and over while jogging. It sturs of imagines of ships on the seas. I find the British to be so interesting, however, I don't know why they love tea so much.

[gangstarliam]

dont get more british than this.

[POTCMarc101]

RULE BRITANNIA!

[Icefrontier76]

I love this. So beautiful in itself and so beautiful to see ppl love their flag and country. Makes me wish i was a brit!

[Vasileski88]

This should be the UK anthem!!!! God save the queen is boring imo....

[fuelforwar3]

@tourkolkata England basically is India now

[2010DarkDevilUK]

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!

[Chibup]

@lamarjlp914 Becuase it's Tasty :3

[wovaapeli]

@lilmaibe

You should check their present status.

[lilmaibe]

@wovaapeli I live in germany. Last time i checked they were prohibited

[wovaapeli]

@lilmaibe

The first and second verses of "Das Lied der Deutschen" or "Deutschlandlied", the national anthem of Germany, are not prohibited in Germany. In official occasions the third verse is usually supposed to be sang.

[lilmaibe]

@toftmf On a sidenote here: Could I hereby ask the world to FINALLY get it's fudging facts straight? It's either -deutschland lied- or german national anthem AND in both cases the first and second verse are prohibited, plainly FORBIDDEN to be performed in germany.