OPINION: Time to change the National Anthem

Today's ruling that councils cannot have prayers as part of their official business has seen a number of rabid dog loonies defending Christian's "right" to pray when and where they want and bleating on about the oppression of their "faith" (mental illness).

One particular Christian on BBC Radio Five said that if the ruling is applied it would mean that councils wouldn't be able to ever sing the national anthem. Hurrah! Oh wouldn't it be good to get rid of this deeply offensive, divisive dirge which, quite likely, isn't even of British origin (it's more than likely an adaptation of a French folk hymn!).

God save the Queen isn't suitable as the national anthem of a democracy in the 21st century - even if we do carry on paying £200+ million per year to allow the Windsors to be the biggest benefit scroungers in the country.

God save our gracious Quuen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen.
Send her victorious,
Happy and Glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.

What a load of absolute bollocks!

This verse, if you're Scottish things get worse and much more offensive in later verses (it says that "rebellious Scots" should be crushed), isn't a national anthem at all - it's a paean to a fictional superbeing to look after one person. What has that got to do with national identity?

I have no problem with a national anthem - if we HAVE to have nationalities (something I've often questioned), then there's nothing wrong with a song but it should be inclusive, positive and be about the nation, not just the parasite with privileges at the top.

I disagree that our current monarch is "gracious" or "noble" = she is the head of a business which, in order to operate, restricts the freedoms and rights of the vast bulk of the rest of the people who live in the same country, and who is propped up through pointless, outdated titles and baubles and other bribery.

And why do we want her to be "victorious" - I'd rather we lived in a peaceful world, not one that had wars to be won and battles and victories.

And why, even if we wanted a song about the nation's figurehead, should we be praying to a "god" - which god? Why any god at all? The vast majority don't attend church regularly and aren't "religious" in any meaningful way. Although many still put "C of E' on the census or on forms in hospital they are cultural Christians, or social Christians, whose only links to the church are for weddings, funerals, attending the odd Christening and, of course, a carol service at Christmas.

It is time the "national anthem" was abandoned and replaced with something which has words that are inclusive, non-denominational, non-sectarian, positive and, come on, with a good rousing tune.

There are some fantastic national anthem melodies around the world - the French and American ones are particularly rousing, but our one is just snoresville. Maybe we look at other, existing melodies and songs and see if there is something that could be adopted as a new anthem, or maybe we hold a competition for a new anthem.

Whatever we do, we need a new national anthem - and soon!

RETROSPECTIVE: Never mind the Bollocks by The Sex Pistols

 It was 34 years ago today, 27th October 1977, that The Sex Pistols, the godfathers of British Punk Rock,  released their only studio album: Never Mind the Bollocks... Here's The Sex Pistols.

The Sex Pistols had been around for just over a year, under the careful control of Malcolm McLaren. McLaren knew what to do to gain publicity, to manipulate the media and to, consequently, make money.

At the time The Sex Pistols were seen by many as a close relative of the Antichrist (or, by some, as the Antichrist himself). This was exactly the type of publicity that McLaren's was trying to generate. He wanted to have his band appeal to a generation that felt disenfranchised from the society that was busy celebrating the Queen's Silver Jubilee with old-fashioned street parties and from a music industry that either released very dull middle of the road music or pompous OTT Prog Rock a la Yes and Genesis (in the early Peter Gabriel days).



Never Mind the Bollocks... hits you in the face with its iconic sleeve artwork before taking the listener on a lively, fun and faux angry musical rant of musical miniatures. The album cover, and it';s use of the word "bollocks" lead to Richard Branson's Virgin record label having a day in court - they got off.

By the end of 1977 The Sex Pistols had been playing for a while, they could, now, actually play their instruments - unlike some of their earlier live performances that helped to bring their notoriety to the public's attention.

The album contains three punk masterpieces: God Save the Queen, Anarchy in the UK and Pretty Vacant with it's fantastic and memorable vocal performance. Today there is nothing shoclking here - it's rock and roll in the best traditions of that genre. Only one track goes beyond three and a half minutes - and then only just!

These days John Lydon, the scourge of the Mary Whitehouse and her brand of Moral Majority at the time, is more often to be seen in the Celebrity Jungle or dressed up in waistcoat selling butter! He's now an eccentric National Treasure - he's no longer going to undermine decent society.

It's a great album - of it's time but, if I'm honest, in it's simplicity, of any time when youth want to rebel against society.

It's worth having a listen again. It's probably better than you remember!