When The Flower of Scotland is played before a rugby match, I often hear on TV that the crowd are chanting something right after the line "...that stood against him". What are they actually chanting?
The Flower of Scotland lyrics?
The song was written in 1967 by the late Roy Williamson of The Corries.
The line you are referring to is the "against who" - this started being added at football and rugby matches and has stuck!
Reply:As the first answer stated, it is written to commemorate the victory of the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce over Edward's ll in 1314!
The last 2 lines are sung louder, especially before an English match, as the "sent him homewards to think again"!
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 passed 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
Reply:that stood against him, proud edward's army, and sent him homeward, tae think again.
Reply:Its all about how they beat the English under Edward II in a battle a long long time ago. (Not difficult as Edward wasn't a very strong or successful king - in fact he was killed in the end by the English themselves in a very brutal and painful way)
being about an ancient and forgotten battle you might therefore imagine it's an old traditional song but it isn't - it was written in 1970's.
Now why would anyone in the 1970's bother to write a jingoistic nationalistic song about a 600 year old battle? You'd have to be Scottish and with a giant chip on your shoulder and a racist attitude towards anyone from south of their border to imagine why.
Not also sure why they chose to describe Scots soldiers as 'flowers' but it gives everyone else a laugh.
As for what they are chanting - it's all out there in Google but if they can't manage to chant it clearly so that others can hear it should we really care?
Monday, January 30, 2012
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