Jersey anthem hits the wrong note, claims Senator
Saturday 12th June 2010, 2:57PM BST.
Gerard Le Feuvre in action during the recording of the anthem.
THE song currently being referred to as Jersey’s anthem is ‘miserable and uninspiring’ and ‘hits the wrong note’ according to one Jersey Senator.
Senator Jim Perchard believes that people should stop referring to Island Home as the ‘official anthem’ because the tune has never been formally approved by the States.
Senator Perchard said that in 2007 former Chief Minister Frank Walker promised that once an anthem was selected it would be brought back to the Assembly for approval.
However, he said that because this never happened he does not believe Island Home has any official status.
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Too right….it’s almost as drab as that beautiful Jersey song!!
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For once I am in total agreement with Senator Jim Perchard. An anthem is naturally uplifting, Island Home, whatever you may want to call it, misses the mark by a mile and is better forgotten.
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Must be near election time here comes Senator Perchard with another earth shattering problem to be solved by him.It will take a lot more than an anthem to forget your outbursts the last couple of years Senator.
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Tony – what is the matter with you ? Why twist the anthem debate to attack Perchard?
It is perfectly legitimate for him to highlight the choice of this drab anthem.
I guess you are probably one of the few malcontents who hates anyone who is not interested the revolution !
Perchard is right the proposed anthem is miserable.
Perchard was right benefit spongers should get a job or at least should be looking for one.
Perchard was right to defend those who were attacked and abused on the vile blog.
You are simply wrong Tony.
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I was in the audience at the Opera House the evening the anthem was chosen.
I got the distinct impression that the audience did not favour Island Home. Can you believe it the whole audience only had one vote the same as Mike Vibert and Frank Walker. The selection process for the anthem was a stitch up.
I don’t like the choice of anthem either it is to hymn like
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Tony it’s not near election time.
Jimmy is spot on this anthem is dreary, depressing and dull
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Absolutely correct Senator. Start the process again and please choose something more appropriate for our anthem
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I love Island home and was part of the choir who recorded it. I think we all enjoyed working with Gerard, learning and singing it. However, I have to agree with the widely expressed opinion that it is not suited to be the Jersey Anthem. Beautiful though it is.
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I am in total agreement with Senator Jim Perchard
Beautiful Jersey is far better, And I have done my research at the Market.
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“Miserable and uninspiring”!!! This can of course be used to describe all States Senators.
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As we are all so fond of explaining that “La Reine (is) Notre Duc”, how about adopting “Ma Normandie” as our anthem. It is a beatiful song and Sadie sings it equally well, so she would still be in demand on Liberation Day.
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I can’t understand why he hates Island Home so much; I really quite like it. He says he wants an anthem that him and the guys can sing at the Muratti; I suggest he should stick to “Come and ‘ave a go if you think you’re hard enough!” and leave our anthem alone.
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Rozel Aubin (11) how about adopting “Ma Normandie”
Yes Rozel, a traditional Norman anthem for a Norman island. A simple, uncontroversial and ready made solution. OUR ANTHEM and heritage.
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I suggest Chumbawamba Tubthumping as our anthem.
Failing that, then “These boots were made for walking”, the CLASSIC Jessica Simpson version though, not Nancy Sinatra!
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Oohh, just thought of another, how about Banarama`s version of “Help”, it was the Comic Relief anthem with French & Saunders and Kathy Burke!
If its a good enough anthem for Comic Relief, then i think we can ALL agree, its certainly good enough for Jersey!……………
Ha, gotta laugh!!!
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God save the queen is horrendous death march .written by a Scot hehe.SCOTLAND HAS Flower of Scotland which is another boring tune.highland cathedral is much more stirring.
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In the immortal dialgue of Billy Connolly, why not the theme from The Archers…dum de dum de dum de dum….dum de dum de darr darrr…..
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Hedley Le Maistre has written some classic pieces which sum Jersey up. Has his work been considered?
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Abazan Amsalak – Hedley may have done FUN songs but having one of those songs as our anthem would be plain embarassing.
Baz has clearly lost his mind
My vote – Metallica’s version of whiskey in the jar!
Yeah boy!
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My biggest apologies you must accept Kage.
I had listened to a Mr Hedley Le Maistre CD when I first come to your beautiful island and I had understood his words to mean profound message of social comment. I though it be local urban poetry like Bob Dylan perhaps.
I did not know Mr Hedley was joking!
Abazan
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Unfortunately the musical meaning of the word ‘anthem’ hasn’t really changed over the years but semantically the term has been changed to include any song used to represent a group of some sort. Sadly Island Home does not meet the musical ‘criteria’ of what was traditionally called an anthem.
Most people can naturally recognise a genuine anthemic piece because of the feelings it arouses in them, these feelings won’t be present when listening to Island Home.
Think of the French, German or USA national anthem, or songs like ‘We Are The Champions’… these are true anthems, anything which fails to arouse the emotion that these feelings can arouse (purely on a musical level) is simply not an anthem and should just be referred to as a ‘national song’ if officially adopted.
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#16 Eric, are you for real? Flower of Scotland is truly an anthem, Highland Cathedral is not truly an anthem (in musical terms). I like it as a piece of modern classical music but that’s all it is.
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#16 Eric, I forgot to say, if you know for a fact that God Save the Queen/King was written by a Scot, you’d better contact historians and let them know.
The origins of the piece are actually unknown, and that’s just the tune, the origin of the lyrics is even more in question!
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Eric 16.
The authorship of ‘God Save the Queen’ is unknown, but many scholars believe that the earliest known version was by John Bull (1562–1628)…a name which is the very symbol of England and the English.
However, the kilt, the Scotsman’s pride and joy, was invented by an Englishman, Thomas Rawlinson, around 1727…so just remember that, the next time you admire the swirl of pleated tartan kilts!
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Wow, Born Warrior, an englishman invented the kilt? How on earth did he sell the skirt to the scots? I do like thistles, though. Who invented those, do we know?
Back to topic, how about “dance of the sugar plum fairy”? That would lift the occasion when the bailiff, chief minister or any other of our dignataries make an entrance
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What about:
Jersey, an Island just off France,
Its full of millionaires and men wearing red pants.
the government are a funny lot,
they waste public money, and don’t give a toss.
If your a foreigner and come to this land,
Be prepared to get walked all over,
and have money snatched from your hand.
As for freedom of speech, whats that they will shout, if you dont like it theres a boat in the morning – no doubt,
so we sing this song because noone in the world really cares,
We’re all completely mad and some of us have too much hair.
Jersey, Jersey the land of the weird, we’l rob your money and hide it in our beards…
Thats my suggestion!
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Festive Road 25.
Yes, you are right! I’m ashamed of myself for making such a stupid comment, but I do have an excuse…I had a terrible attack of patriotism last night…I got carried away by thoughts of the World Cup!
P.S. That kilt thing is true…heehee
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Toochin Cloff
I like it! ha ha ha!
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Both Beautiful Jersey and Island Home..nice semtiments but real durge of a sound….an anthem should rouse and stir emotion…these do not…Why not pay the royalties and adopt the theme from “Rocky”
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#25
‘how about “dance of the sugar plum fairy”? That would lift the occasion when the bailiff, chief minister or any other of our dignataries make an entrance’
Intentionally subtle, or accidentally apposite?
Aren’t the words to it “Everyone’s a fruit and nut case”?
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For crying out loud. We have a national anthem and that’s god save the queen.
I’m sick to the back teeth of those of you who think we should have our own anthem.
get a life.
There are far more pressing issues on jersey that need addressing. For instance senators like Perchard who wastes our time and money .
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Why do we need an anthem?
What a load of jumped up old prats. We are not a nation, we are an Island, and a small one at that. If we need to sing something at the Island Games why not the classic Millwall number “No-one likes us, we don’t care?”
The idea that his musically inept dirge should be foisted upon us is wholly offensive.
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Having been to several Island Games its obvious our anthem is one of the least inspiring, in fact the elation of winning a gold medal for some was almost countered by the impending boredom/embarrassment of the anthem, made bearable only through our bobbing up and down randomly throughout in subtle mockery which im sure was lost on most of the other islands. An anthem isnt essential but why not celebrate Gold medals and hard earned success with a rousing anthem rather than a dreary uninspiring song?! The Isle of Wight have Land of Hope and Glory, a tad better i think!
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I thought our anthem was Money,Money,Money written famously by ABBA…..But seriously i have lived here all my life and did not know we even had one let alone to sing the words to it!
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Do we really need an anthem at this moment in time.
The way things are going, a dirge would be far more appropriate.
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