Britain is to officially leave the European Union on January 31st, 2020. It’ll continue to observe EU rules and regulations for the rest of the year while an agreement on future relations with that body is hammered out, and will become fully free of their encumbrance at the end of this year (at least, that’s the current plan).
To honor Britain and its people as they regain some of their independence, and in the hope that the island nation may be restored to at least some of its former glory, here’s a quintessentially English anthem. It’s “Jerusalem”, a poem by William Blake set to music by Sir Hubert Parry. The text may be found here. This rendition is from the Last Night of the Proms concert in 2009; the annual “Last Night” traditionally features the song in its conclusion.
May formerly great Britain indeed shake off the tangled snares of bureaucratic obfuscation and political correctness, and regain at least something of the Churchillian spirit that inspired it to win two World Wars.
Peter
I will now quote from the Ode to Kratman (edited to be slightly less NSFW):
F the European Union!
F the Hague and ICC!
F their rules and regulations;
F the whole bureaucracy!
Asshats, Bastards, Cowards, Dimwits,
Excrement-Feeding, Gallows-bait.
Hang the swine Higher than Haman,
Ignorant Jackasses, Knaves.
Watch them purge the bent banana.
See your taxes rise and rise.
See your nations fall to ruin.
Watch as every freedom dies.
Lick-ass Morons, Nincompoops, Oh,
Pity the Quagmire these Reds made.
Sycophants and Thieves, the whole crew,
Underworked and overpaid.
Friday Mornings EUnuchs sign in
To ensure their holidays
Are paid for by lesser beings.
Others call those people, "slaves."
To the lampposts, Europeans.
Tie the knots and toss the ropes.
Fit the nooses, haul the free ends
Stand back; let the bastards choke.
Peter, thank you for your kind wishes. Now it's time to really start pi55ing off the Eurocrats
Perhaps one day they will also advance to the 18th century notion that a "royal family" is a real thing.
I thought Real Americans put that fairy tale to rest. Heh.
Milton, you simply replaced the Royal Family with politicians, sports persons and alleged entertainers.
BadFrog, spot on. For the most part the athletes and alleged entertainers earn their living by providing something of value from those who pay them. (I don't pay them.)
For the politicians, (our Ruling Class) …we are working on a way to rid ourselves of them.
And despite the harsh tone that I noticed in rereading my comment above, I have been cheering for y'all to be free of the European Union the whole time. Secession is the answer. Peace.
A nice choice, however, a better one would have 'Rule Britannia' also a standard part of the Last Night set, performed in the most recent one the splendid American mezzo soprano Jamie Barton. One of the most amazing performers we've ever seen for the Last Night, she radiates joy. Watch and be thrilled!!
https://youtu.be/sDtyJyidhlc
I forgot to say that there were a large number of diehard remainders wearing EU berets and waving EU flags even at that most British of events in the Albert hall. Thank God democracy had prevailed. It won't be easy but the reason for most of us Brexiteers was nothing to do with economics, it was about sovereignty and autonomy and being ruled by people we elected. I will raising a glass of fine English sparkling wine at 11 pm on the 31st.
And it seems that there is a battle on in the UK for which song should be #1 on this week of Brexit. Either the EU's anthem (Ode to joy) or 17M F Offs. I've done my part by buying the latter.
More details here:-
https://order-order.com/2020/01/27/get-17-million-f-os-number-1-time-brexit/
Last time I looked 17M FOs was #1 on Amazon UK so it looks like Leave is winning again