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Although England does not as yet have an official anthem of its own, the following are widely regarded as English national hymns: "Jerusalem": Words by William Blake, Music by Hubert Parry is the official anthem of English cricket, and widely considered the overwhelming favorite to be confirmed as the English National Anthem at some point in the future. "I Vow to Thee, My Country": Words by Cecil Spring-Rice, Music by Gustav Holst "Land of Hope and Glory": Words by A C Benson, Music by Edward Elgar (although this refers to all of the United Kingdom, not only England) "Nimrod": Music by Edward Elgar To a lesser extent, Heart of Oak, the unofficial Royal Navy anthem has also been proposed. Music by Dr. William Boyce (1711-1779). English words by the famous actor David Garrick (1716-1779) in 1759. "God Save The Queen" (the national anthem for the UK as a whole) is usually played for English sporting events (e.g. football matches) against teams from outside the UK (although "Land of Hope and Glory" has also been used as the English anthem for the Commonwealth Games and the England national rugby league team). "Jerusalem" has been sung before England cricket matches. "Rule Britannia" (Britannia being the Roman name for England and Wales combined but also a personification of the United Kingdom) was often used in the past for the English national football team when they played against another of the home nations but more recently "God Save The Queen" has been used by both the rugby union and football teams. Upon hearing the orchestral version for the first time, King George V said that he preferred that "Jerusalem" replace "God Save The King" as the English National Anthem. |
England Information: Inside
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