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EspañolFLOWER OF SCOTLAND
'''Flower of Scotland''' (''Flùir na h-Alba'' in Gaelic) 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 English King 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]. Donnie Munro, the former lead singer of Scottish rock band ''Runrig'', has refused to sing the third verse when leading the audience on a rendition of Flower of Scotland, due to his British unionist views.[3] This led to the third verse being dropped in favour of the second verse. Controversial at the time, it was reinstated later when Ronnie Browne of The Corries led the audience, as he had done many times prior to that.
A more practical snag is that ''Flower of Scotland'' 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:
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.[4]
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,
That 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.
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.
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?
★ Highland Cathedral
★ Scotland the Brave
★ Scots Wha Hae
★ A Man's a Man for A' That
1. The Corries website - (visited 28.08.2007)
2. Scotsman.com: Executive to study call for new anthem, 25.11.2004 - (visited 26.05.2007)
3. Jordanhill School: IEM National Citizenships - (visited 26.05.2007)
4. Morgle.com: Highland Cathedral - (visited 26.05.2007)
★ MP3 file and lyrics
★ MP3 file, instrumental
★ MIDI sound file
★ Modern History Sourcebook: The Flower of Scotland
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]. Donnie Munro, the former lead singer of Scottish rock band ''Runrig'', has refused to sing the third verse when leading the audience on a rendition of Flower of Scotland, due to his British unionist views.[3] This led to the third verse being dropped in favour of the second verse. Controversial at the time, it was reinstated later when Ronnie Browne of The Corries led the audience, as he had done many times prior to that.
A more practical snag is that ''Flower of Scotland'' 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 | 6% |
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.[4]
| Contents |
| Lyrics |
| Original |
| Gaelic |
| See also |
| References |
| External links |
Lyrics
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,
That 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.
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.
Gaelic
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?
See also
★ Highland Cathedral
★ Scotland the Brave
★ Scots Wha Hae
★ A Man's a Man for A' That
References
1. The Corries website - (visited 28.08.2007)
2. Scotsman.com: Executive to study call for new anthem, 25.11.2004 - (visited 26.05.2007)
3. Jordanhill School: IEM National Citizenships - (visited 26.05.2007)
4. Morgle.com: Highland Cathedral - (visited 26.05.2007)
External links
★ MP3 file and lyrics
★ MP3 file, instrumental
★ MIDI sound file
★ Modern History Sourcebook: The Flower of Scotland
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psst.. try this: add to faves
