My Country, 'Tis of Thee

[question everything]

Just curious about how many Americans who watched Prince Philip funeral wondered why this song was being played during the procession...

[Aristus]

1. Just the stupid ones.

I learned about "God Save The Queen" when I was around seven or eight.

[alphafemale]

4. heh-heh

They probably think the Brits are copying from us.

[Aristus]

5. It's possible I'm being uncharitable. My mother is a music teacher.

I learned about melody-borrowing at an early age.

I remember how delighted I was to learn as a kid that the ABC song, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Baa Baa, Black Sheep, Ah Vous Dirai-Je Maman, and other songs all had the same melody.

[question everything]

14. Of course. There are many classical pieces which have been used by pop artists

I remember more than 20 years ago I was at a record store - when they still existed. And of course they were playing a CD. And all of a sudden I am hearing a song in Italian yet I know it was from Beethoven Symphony no. 7.

Yes, I did purchase the Sarah Brightman La Luna and I found that song Figlio Perduto

Several more tracks in this CD are from classical pieces.

But shouldn't we have some respect to national anthems?

[lapfog_1]

2. You need to listen to the lyrics

the the national anthem of UK... God Save the Queen (or King)

We borrowed the tune and wrote our own lyrics

[question everything]

7. How would we feel had the reverse took place?

[lapfog_1]

8. beats me... we are always appropriating the culture of others

then we splat ours out around the world... like Japanese baseball or a McDonalds in... well just about anywhere.

[Polybius]

11. Pretty sure Japanese baseball wasn't our doing

They just love it and adopted it themselves.

[Polybius]

10. Well, we made it better

[Croney]

3. "Frustrate their knavish tricks" lol

[question everything]

6. Interesting. I wonder how many Brits are even familiar with the full text

And it is nice that it lends to be King or Queen, her or him.

Still easier to sing than the Star-Spangled Banner which spreads over several octaves.

[rsdsharp]

9. When FDR met Churchill on a battleship to discuss WWII strategy

the band played the Star Spangled Banner and God Save the King. At the completion of the latter, Roosevelt turned to Churchill, and with a twinkle in his eye said, “I’ve never heard My Country ‘Tis of Thee played better!”

[question everything]

12. ..

[Deminpenn]

13. LOL!

I had the same thought considering how many Americans can't name their elected representatives or recognize the words of the Declaration of Independence.

Went to Clinton's 1st Inauguration as part of the general crowd on the mall. Heard someone say with wonderment "They (Marine Corps Band)'re playing the theme from Monty Python!" apparently having no idea it's Sousa's famous Liberty Bell March.

[StarlightGold]

15. Hopefully

most of them know that the song is God Save the Queen (or King). Kind of common knowledge. Except for those who are unaware that there’s a world outside of the U.S.