United Kingdom
God Save the King
1745
1745
Unknown (traditionally attributed to Henry Carey)
Unknown
👑 Monarchy ✝ God / Faith 🏛 Identity |
Context
Nobody knows who wrote it. The authorship of both the words and melody is disputed, with claims ranging from Henry Carey in 1744 to John Bull in 1619. It was never formally adopted by an act of Parliament; it simply became the anthem through long custom and tradition. The melody has been borrowed by over 20 countries for their own anthems at various points in history.
Lyrics
God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King!
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Interesting facts
- • The melody has been used by over 20 countries for their anthems, including Germany (before 'Deutschlandlied'), Russia (under the Tsars), and the United States ('My Country, 'Tis of Thee')
- • There is a rarely performed verse that calls for crushing rebellious Scots, which is diplomatically omitted at official events
- • After Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, the lyrics changed from 'Queen' to 'King' for the first time in over 70 years, requiring updated recordings across the Commonwealth