UPDATE - I performed the England Anthem at a musical function of The Odd Socks last night for the first time - 28th Dec 2023. I am hoping to get mobile phone footage which I will upload here.

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POST

Dear Robin,

I'm writing/have written an original poem/song inspired by your request for an England Anthem. I wrote the tune some time ago, but decided to adapt it to a poem about England.

       C                         Em               F           G

*She gives us our morning and our afternoon C Em F G
The days when we're joyful - the years as we grow. Dm G C Am As we become wiser, our motherland knows. Dm G E Am She gives the foundation for everything that grows. F G We never ever should be surprised G C when England is the joy in our eyes.

Dm G C

C Em F G We can be forgetful, and lose our way. C Em G We must build the future or see disarray. Dm G C Am England is waiting - for us to awake Dm G E Am To realise we need her, not our country forsake F G We never ever should be surprised when G C England is the joy in our eyes.

F G

G F C England is the joy in our eyes.*

I've written the song in an informal ripple picking style with a few unexpected lifts in the chord sequence. There's nothing stopping an arrangement with a more formal national anthem approach from a professional composer. I've sent it to Lee Taylor who says he'll take a look at arranging it.

I'll record the simple version when I'm ready and put it up on here via Youtube. Performed 28th December 2023 with The Odd Socks in Kinnerley near Shrewsbury.