Flower of Scotland
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Flower of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Flùr na h-Alba) is an unofficial national anthem of Scotland, a role for which it competes against the older Scotland the Brave. In common with England among the Home Nations, Scotland has no official national anthem. Flower of Scotland was written by Roy Williamson of the folk group The Corries and presented in 1967[1]. The song refers to the victory of the Scots, led by King Robert the Bruce over the King of England, Edward II, at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
The song is a particular favourite of Scottish national rugby union team fans, who first adopted it for the Lions tour of South Africa in 1974. The last two lines of each verse are generally sung with particular ferocity, especially before games against England. The Scottish Football Association adopted Flower of Scotland as its official pre-game anthem in 1997 although it was first used by them in 1993, following the Scottish Rugby Union's example. Usually only the first and third verses are sung.
The introduction of Flower of Scotland was partly due to hostility amongst rugby and football fans toward the British national anthem God Save the Queen being used to represent Scotland, there being no other suitable anthem at the time. The song was popular amongst rugby supporters and was finally brought in as an unofficial anthem in response to God Save the Queen being continually drowned out by the ferocious booing and whistling of some of the Scotland supporters.
A public petition was presented to the Scottish Parliament in 2004 calling for another song to be selected instead. [2].
The song is often sung during concerts in Glasgow. Notably during Machine Head concerts.[3] [4]
One snag with Flower of Scotland is that it is difficult to play on the bagpipes. The third last note is a flattened seventh, which is not considered to be part of the standard pipe scale. In order to hit the correct note, a 'forked fingering' must be used which less experienced players are unlikely to be familiar with. The tune was originally composed on the Northumbrian smallpipes, which play in F and have the benefit of keys on the chanter to achieve a greater range of notes.
In July 2006, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted an online poll (publicised by Reporting Scotland) in which voters could choose a national anthem from one of five candidates. 10,000 people took part in the poll in which Flower of Scotland came out a clear winner. The results were as follows:
| Tune | Votes (%) |
|---|---|
| Flower of Scotland | 41% |
| Scotland the Brave | 29% |
| Highland Cathedral | 16% |
| A Man's a Man for A' That | 7% |
| Scots Wha Hae | 7% |
The tune Highland Cathedral is composed by a German, and there are several sets of lyrics to it, including one from a second generation Scot, Terry Mechan in 1998.[5]
In 2008, the Scottish folk metal band Alestorm recorded a version of Flower of Scotland as the closing track on their debut album Captain Morgan's Revenge.
Contents |
[edit] Lyrics
[edit] Original
O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see,
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.
The hills are bare now,
And autumn leaves lie thick and still,
O'er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.
Those days are past now,
And in the past
They must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.
[edit] Scottish Gaelic version
O Fhlùir na h-Alba,
cuin a chì sinn
an seòrsa laoich
a sheas gu bàs 'son
am bileag feòir is fraoich,
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaidh
air chaochladh smaoin?
Na cnuic tha lomnochd
's tha duilleach Foghair
mar bhrat air làr,
am fearann caillte
dan tug na seòid ud gràdh,
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaigh
air chaochladh smaoin.
Tha 'n eachdraidh dùinte
ach air dìochuimhne
chan fheum i bhith,
is faodaidh sinn èirigh
gu bhith nar Rìoghachd a-rìs
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaidh
air chaochladh smaoin.
O Fhlùir na h-Alba,
cuin a chì sinn
an seòrsa laoich
a sheas gu bàs 'son
am bileag feòir is fraoich,
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaidh
air chaochladh smaoin?
[edit] See also
[edit] Other Rugby Match Songs
- Cwm Rhondda
- Sosban Fach
- Ireland's Call
- The Fields of Athenry
- Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
- La Marseillaise
- Waltzing Matilda
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
[edit] References
- ^ The Corries website - (visited 28.08.2007)
- ^ Scotsman.com: Executive to study call for new anthem, 25.11.2004 - (visited 26.05.2007)
- ^ [1]Flower Of Scotland during Machine Head. 07/06/07
- ^ [2] Flower Of Scotland during The Black Crusade
- ^ Morgle.com: Highland Cathedral - (visited 26.05.2007)
[edit] External links
- MP3 file and lyrics
- MP3 file, instrumental
- MIDI sound file
- Modern History Sourcebook: The Flower of Scotland
- Video of SCOCHA performing Flower of Scotland(including bagpipes)
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