Beth is doing a project on national anthems.

She started with Majulah Singapura, and it gave me a lovely twang in the heart when I sang it out to her. Almost couldn't finish singing properly, haha. What a sook.

Then she copied out the English national anthem lyrics, and we had a good discussion about the political zeal and aspirations of the British Empire and its citizens, and how different stanzas mention the Queen first then the King later.

According to Wikipedia, England has no official national anthem. God Save The Queen is just one of several national songs sung at national events e.g. sporting events. It is however used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown dependencies and there have been calls for a unique national anthem to be adopted specifically for England.

I've never had a good look at the lyrics before, and made such delightful discoveries as this one.

O Lord our God arise
Scatter her enemies and make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.

On to the German national anthem and the American one.

I'm learning as much as Beth, or maybe more, since I have the benefit of a larger perspective.