Flower of Scotland ¹ (Flùir na h-Alba in Gaelic) is the unofficial national anthem of Scotland, a role for which it competes against the older Scotland the Brave and Scots Wha Hae. In common with other UK nations, Scotland has no official national anthem. Flower of Scotland was written by Roy Williamson of the folk group The Corries in 1966. The song refers to the victory of the Scots, led by King Robert the Bruce over the English King Edward II, at Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Scotland the Brave is, along with Flower of Scotland and Scots Wha Hae, an unofficial national anthem of Scotland. ... Scots Wha Hae ( a calque on the English Scots who have *) is a patriotic song of Scotland which served for a long time as an unofficial National anthem of the country, but has lately been largely supplanted by Scotland the Brave and The Flower of Scotland. ... Roy Williamson (25 June 1936, Edinburgh - 12 August 1990, Forres) was a Scottish songwriter and folk musician, most notably with The Corries. ... The Corries were a Scottish folk group which emerged from the Scottish folk revival of the early 1960s. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Robert I, (Roibert a Briuis in medieval Gaelic, Raibeart Bruis in modern Scottish Gaelic and Robert de Brus in Norman French), usually known in modern English today as Robert the Bruce (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), was King of Scotland (1306 – 1329). ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid... This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders Robert Bruce Edward II of England Strength About 9,000 25,000 Casualties 4,000 10,000 The Battle of Bannockburn (June 23, 1314 – June 24, 1314) was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... Events June 24 - Battle of Bannockburn. ...

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. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. ... The official 2005 Lions logo The British and Irish Lions (formerly British Isles and then the British Lions; commonly the Lions) is a Rugby Union side comprising a pick of the best players from the British Isles international teams - ( England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales). ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. ... The Scottish Football Association (SFA) was formed in 1873 making it the second oldest national football association in the world (after The English Football Association). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Registered logo of Scottish Rugby Union - used with permission The Scottish Rugby Union plc is the official title of the governing body of rugby union in Scotland, usually referred to as the Scottish Rugby Union (often abbreviated to SRU) or just as Scottish Rugby. Phil Anderton was the Chief Executive...

Many supporters of Glasgow Rangers F.C. still favour the use of God Save the Queen as the national anthem, there are also others (very few) who are uncomfortable with the use of Flower of Scotland, seeing it as being too backward looking and too aggressively anti-English. A public petition was presented to the Scottish Parliament in 2004 calling for another song to be selected instead [1]. However, one counter-argument is that Flower of Scotland is not backward looking at all, more an acceptance that those times are in the past, where they must remain, and that Scotland can go forth and develop into a forward-thinking, successful country in its own right. Rangers Football Club is among the worlds most successful football clubs. ... God Save the King/Queen is a patriotic song whose origin remains a matter of speculation. ... Anglophobia is a fear or hatred of England, its inhabitants or anything of its origin. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The argument that the song is nationalist (in the political sense) also has little weight as there is no evidence that the Scottish National Party has capitalised on its popularity. Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ...

A more practical snag is that Flower of Scotland cannot accurately be played by bagpipes. The third last note is a flattened seventh, unplayable by bagpipes as the note is not within the bagpipe scale. In order to hit the correct note, a hole on the chanter has to be half-covered which is technically very difficult to achieve accurately and not within the normal conventions of bagpipe fingering. The tune was originally composed on the Northumbrian smallpipes which are nominally in F and have the benefit of keys on the chanter to achieve a greater range of notes. A piper playing the Great Highland Bagpipe. ... In music, see the intervals: seventh, musical group Major seventh minor seventh diminished seventh The note of a chord forming any of the above intervals with the chords root. ... A bagpipe performer in Amsterdam. ...

The tune Highland Cathedral is seen by some, particularly within the sport of rugby, as a possible alternative[2]. However, this tune lacks lyrics and was composed by a German, not a Scot, so to many would not be an ideal choice. For the present, the vast majority of Scots are happy with Flower of Scotland - which after all, has captured the hearts of many Scots and would be a hard tune to replace.

Lyrics

Notes

• Note 1: The technically correct, but rarely used, title of the song is The Flower of Scotland.

See also

• Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
• Ireland's Call
• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (pronounced //, usually translated as The Land of My Fathers, but literally old country of my fathers) is by tradition the national anthem of Wales. ... Irelands Call is a song used in international rugby union matches, and is played when the Irish rugby union team is playing. ... Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is a United States spiritual folk song. ...

External links

• MIDI sound file
• Modern History Sourcebook: The Flower of Scotland