God Save the Queen lyrics: The troubling words of the National Anthem that are being ignored

Some of the lyrics are being conveniently ignored

Mollie Goodfellow
Wednesday 16 September 2015 14:18 BST
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Jeremy Corbyn attends the Battle of Britain 75th anniversary service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday
Jeremy Corbyn attends the Battle of Britain 75th anniversary service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday

Jeremy Corbyn has been at the centre of a media storm after not singing the national anthem.

Much to the horror of the media and Royalists everywhere, Corbyn took a “respectful silence” at the Battle of Britain memorial ceremony on Tuesday rather than belting out the words to God Save the Queen.

But was he so wrong to stick to silence? Beyond the first paragraph, the lyrics do get a little odd - and violent.

As the world watches Cameron’s every move while he negotiates the issue of Syrian refugees attempting to move through Europe, the lyrics of “Lord make the nations see, that men should brothers be, and form one family, the wide world over” say a lot, especially when you consider the PM’s original offer to the refugees.

For those of you that don’t know the words, here’s the song in full:

God Save the Queen

God save our gracious Queen

Long live our noble Queen

God save the Queen

Send her victorious

Happy and glorious

Long to reign over us

God save the Queen

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

Thy choicest gifts in store

On her be pleased to pour

Long may she reign

May she defend our laws

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice

God save the Queen

Not in this land alone

But be God's mercies known

From shore to shore

Lord make the nations see

That men should brothers be

And form one family

The wide world over

From every latent foe,

From the assassins blow,

God save the Queen!

O'er her thine arm extend,

For Britain's sake defend,

Our mother, prince, and friend,

God save the Queen!

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