[SOC] Empire State

Mon, 3 Jun 2002 18:46:12 +0100

Aw shucks.....
Well, there were thousands of Americans trapped in London for a while after
9/11, and I suppose Her Maj thought it would sort of make them feel a bit
less 'cut off'. I know that Bill Clinton mentioned that it had gone down
well, but he is more 'anglophile' than many Americans and we though he was
maybe exaggerating a bit.
We are all familiar with your anthem of course, although we do usually hum
along to the words between "......early light", and "....does that star
spangled banner still wave". but as we can no longer even get the Scottish
to play OUR anthem, I suppose it's the thought that counts!.
We Brits are not as fanatical about our anthem. It is a bit slow, and its
lyrics are not rooted in our history like yours are. Some people think we
should change it for something a bit more blood-curdling, such as Elgar's
'Land of Hope and Glory', 'Jerusalem' or one of our other national
'tub-thumpers', maybe keeping the present anthem for when the Queen is
present in person.
By the way, I have heard Americans sometimes sing a hymn to the same tune as
our anthem, but with different words (I think it's called 'Sweet Land of
Liberty'). What are the words to this hymn, and what significance does it
hold in Americans 'hearts'?.

Chris GQ4PDJ
----- Original Message -----
From: John Birkett <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 1:50 PM
Subject: Re: [SOC] Empire State

> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > To USA SOCs
> >
> > The Empire State Building is to be floodlit in Royal
> > Purple and Gold on Tuesday night in celebration of
> > Her Maj's Jubilee.
> >
> > Given that 1) she is (from your viewpoint) the
> > figurehead of a small, distant, foreign country, and
> > 2) there are still tears left to be shed in
> > Manhattan, can I just pass on how much this gesture
> > is appreciated.
> >
> > Chris GQ4PDJ
> >
> Speaking of gestures being appreciated, it would be
> awfully hard to top your playing of our national
> anthem (for the first time ever) at the changing of
> the guard a day so after 9/11.
>
> John KC2HTP
>
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