Rule Britannia to be sung at the Last Night of the Proms. Alternative words from 1793
In a U-Turn one must suspect is influenced by the new BBC Director General, Rule Britannia will now be sung at the Last Night of the Proms.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53998584
I wont be watching or singing but if you will be a reminder that there is a long radical tradition of singing alternative words to the tune.
The words below, which are about the French Revolution and liberty, are written by the radical Thomas Spence (1750-1814) and appear in his journal Pigs Meat:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Spence
I don’t think the tradition of alternative words to Rule Britannia included getting them to scan to the original tune btw
THE PROGRESS OF LIBERTY.
Tune—”Britannia rule the Waves.”
HARK! hark! on yonder distant shore,
The noisy din of war I hear;
The sword’s unsheath’d—the cannons roar,
And Gallia’s sons in arms appear,
‘Tis France, ’tis France, the people cry,
Fighting for sacred Liberty.
Though num’rous armies her invade;
Of warlike slaves a barb’rous host;
Of Despots crown’d, a grand crusade,
To crush her Liberty they boast.
But France like Britain will be free,
Or bravely die for Liberty.
No more the grinding hand of Power,
The op’ning bud of Reason blights;
On eagle’s wings fair Truth shall tower,
For Man begins to know his Rights.
The iron yoke we crumbling see,
Beneath the Cap of Liberty.
Go on, great souls, no dangers fear,
Your glorious Standard high erect;
Then Freemen to it will repair,
And Providence your cause protect.
Go, plant on distant shores the Tree,
Sacred to god-like Liberty.
No dreams of conquest you inspire,
Great Nature’s Cause depends on thee;
Europe will catch the sacred fire,
And bid adieu to Slavery.
Then raise your warlike banners high,
And rally under Liberty.
No longer war, of Kings the spoil,
Usurping nations shall divide;
Nor stain with blood each fruitful soil,
By Nature form’d to be allied.
But Britons hope the world to see
Unite in Peace and Liberty.
You could try this one for God Save the Queen instead; it fits a little better with the tune we still use. You have to be a Spensonian for it to make sense, and Spence never had a beard so it won’t suit some.
HARK! how the trumpet’s sound,
Proclaims the land around
The Jubilee!
Welcome, the Day is come,
Blessed Millenium,
That gives to all their Sum,
of Property.
The Rents of all our Land,
Now they are come to Hand,
make us rejoice;
Each one receives their Share,
Earth’s rightful Lords we are,
The tuneful Notes prepare,
lift up the Voice.
Sing to the Lord of Hosts,
And pass around the Toasts,
to Tommy Spence,
Who through great Peril ran,
Having devis’d this Plan,
The perfect Rights of Man,
true Common Sense.
Now hath the Oppressor ceas’d, And all the World releas’d from Misery.
From this Time evermore, Lo! Spence’s Plan will pour Plenty, till it run o’er, with Liberty.