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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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national anthem
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(God save the Queen or King)
The origin of both words and tune is obscure. The words, evidently already traditional, are first recorded as being sung at *Drury Lane theatre on 28 Sept. 1745 as part of the patriotic fervour provoked by the *'45 Rebellion. The music on that occasion was by Thomas *Arne, but the now familiar melody is probably a folk tune; variants of it feature in several early 17C works, most notably a keyboard piece by the aptly named John Bull (c.1562–1628). By 1861 words and tune featured as a three-verse hymn in *Hymns Ancient and Modern.
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When sung as the national anthem, the first verse alone is used. In the present reign the words are: 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.
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Modern hymn books, in keeping with modern sensibilities, either omit the second verse or add an asterisk meaning 'May be omitted'. Its words are more appropriate to the partisan certainties of the 18C: O Lord our God, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks;
On Thee our hopes we fix;
God save us all.
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