Editing Flower of Scotland

{{short description|Scottish national anthem (unofficial)}}
{{about|the song|the national flower of Scotland|thistle}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title          = Flower of Scotland
| image          = Flag of Scotland.svg
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| prefix         = Unofficial
| type           = national anthem
| country        = [[Scotland]] 
| author         = [[Roy Williamson]]
| lyrics_date    = 1966–1967
| composer       = Roy Williamson
| music_date     = 1966–1967
| published      = 1967
| sound          = Flower of Scotland.mp3
| sound_title    = [[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]] version
}}
"'''Flower of Scotland'''" ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: ''Flùr na h-Alba'', [[Scots language|Scots]]: ''Flouer o Scotland'') is a Scottish patriotic song commonly used as an [[National anthem of Scotland|unofficial national anthem of Scotland]]. Written sometime in the mid-1960s by folk musician [[Roy Williamson]], its lyrics describe the victory of [[Robert the Bruce]], [[King of Scots]], over [[Edward II]], [[King of England]], at the [[Battle of Bannockburn]] in 1314. Owing to its historical basis in the [[Wars of Scottish independence]], the song urges contemporary Scots to rise again as an independent nation and remember the day their ancestors deterred Edward's English invaders.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland’s National Anthem: What is the Scottish National Anthem and why was it chosen? Lyrics and origins |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/scottish-national-anthem-lyrics-and-origins-4280559 |website=The Scotsman |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref> 

Notable for its association with [[Tartan Army|supporters]] of the [[Scottish national football team]] and [[Scottish national rugby union team]], "Flower of Scotland" is one of the most popular sporting anthems in [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=EUROS 2024: Scotland has the most streamed national anthem
 |url=https://nen.press/2024/06/14/euros-2024-scotland-has-the-most-streamed-national-anthem/ |website=North Edinburgh News |access-date=3 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Scotland already have one thing over England: their pre-game anthem |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/02/21/flower-of-scotland-best-six-nations-anthems-england/ |website=the Telegraph |access-date=3 July 2024}}</ref>

==Background==
The song was composed in the mid-1960s by [[Roy Williamson]] of the folk group [[the Corries]]. It was first heard publicly in a 1967 BBC television series, where it did not yet include the third 'we can still rise now' verse.<ref>[http://www.corries.com/news.php The Corries website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829194041/http://www.corries.com/news.php |date=29 August 2010 }} – (visited 28 August 2007)</ref> The words refer to the victory of the [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scots]], led by [[Robert I of Scotland|Robert I]], over [[Edward II]] of [[Kingdom of England|England]] at the [[Battle of Bannockburn]] in 1314. Although there is no official [[national anthem of Scotland]], "Flower of Scotland" is one of a number of songs which are used, along with the older "[[Scotland the Brave]]".<ref>{{cite web|author=Andrew Black|title=Will Scotland ever have a national anthem?
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13520689|date=24 May 2011|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The song was composed and is sung in English, with one Scots word ("Tae" for "To").<ref>The Corries Complete Songbook; 1990, p11.</ref> It has been translated into Scots.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://lyricstranslate.com/en/flower-scotland-flouer-o-scotland.html | title=The Corries - Flower of Scotland lyrics + English (Scots) translation }}</ref>

==Popular use==
===Sporting events===
[[File:2017.06.17.15.04.55-Flower Of Scotland anthem (35240614511).jpg|thumb|right|Flower of Scotland being performed and played prior to the 2017 mid-year rugby union international Australia v Scotland]]
The song has been used as an anthem by the [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland rugby union team]], ever since the winger, [[William Steele (rugby union)|Billy Steele]], encouraged his team-mates to sing it on the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]] tour of South Africa in 1974.<ref>[http://sixnations.sportinglife.com/features/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby/06/02/02/manual_113529.insdat SONGS OF THE SIX NATIONS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716121213/http://sixnations.sportinglife.com/features/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby%2F06%2F02%2F02%2Fmanual_113529.insdat |date=16 July 2011 }}</ref> The song was adopted as the pre-game anthem for the [[1990 Five Nations Championship]], first non-officially for the initial home game against France,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iM2FBmvyPBYC&q=%22Jimmy+McNeil%22+rugby&pg=PA122|title=The Grudge: Two Nations, One Match, No Holds Barred|first=Tom|last=English|date=February 3, 2011|publisher=Penguin Random House|isbn=9780224083218|via=Google Books|page=131}}</ref> then for the deciding match between Scotland and [[England national rugby union team|England]] at Murrayfield, which Scotland won 13–7 to win the [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]].<ref>Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Scotland Rugby Miscellany'' (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 {{ISBN|1-905326-24-6}}), p. 14</ref><ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/02/07/the-perfect-rugby-anthem-flower-of-scotland-91466-22874358/ "The Perfect Rugby Anthem – Flower of Scotland!"] ''WalesOnline'', 7 February 2009 (visited 26 May 2011)</ref> 

The [[Scottish Football Association]] adopted "Flower of Scotland" as its pre-game national anthem in 1997<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/rugby_union/features/newsid_2650000/2650581.stm |title=BBC Sport Academy – The Flower of Scotland |date=23 January 2003 |access-date=16 December 2009 |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] }}</ref> although it was first used by them in 1993.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12776640.Why_SFA_president_wants_to_scrap_Flower_of_Scotland__apos_dirge_apos_/ |date=3 June 2007|title=Why SFA president wants to scrap Flower of Scotland 'dirge'|newspaper=[[The Herald (Scotland)]] }}</ref>

===Commonwealth Games===
The song was used as the victory anthem of [[Scotland at the Commonwealth Games|Team Scotland]] at the [[Commonwealth Games]] in [[2010 Commonwealth Games|2010]], replacing "Scotland the Brave". This trend continued to the [[Commonwealth Games]] in [[2014 Commonwealth Games|2014]] where it was again Team Scotland's anthem and was sung following a Scottish gold medal. It was sung four times when Team Scotland won four gold medals on the first day of competition.<ref>{{cite news|title=Glasgow 2014: Scotland open Games by winning four golds |work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/28473003}}</ref>

===Olympics===
At the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]], the song was sung at [[Edinburgh Castle]] by 53 Scottish children selected from schools across Scotland.<ref>{{cite news|title=London 2012: Scottish choir sings for opening ceremony|work=BBC News|date=11 July 2012|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18791762|access-date=12 December 2012}}</ref>

==Official anthem==
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/flower-of-scotland-is-first-choice-in-rsno-anthem-poll-1.15847|title=Flower of Scotland is first choice in RSNO anthem poll|work=The Herald|location=Glasgow|date=2006-07-03|access-date=5 February 2011}}</ref> 10,000 people took part in the poll, in which "Flower of Scotland" came out the winner with 41% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Background Info |url=http://external.parliament.scot/gettinginvolved/petitions/PE01500-PE01599/PE01541_BackgroundInfo.aspx |website=The Scottish Parliament |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=11 May 2014}}</ref>

On 13 January 2015, the Scottish Parliament heard evidence from a member of the public, Chris Cromar, who had brought forward a petition to the parliament for consideration on an agreed national anthem for Scotland. Cromar had, through the petition, called for the Scottish Government to formally recognise and adopt "Flower of Scotland" as the Scottish national anthem. 

The [[Scottish Football Association]] (SFA) responded to a written request from the Scottish Parliament regarding the petition, whereby they stated that they believed the matter of agreeing a national anthem for Scotland would be "more appropriate for the 35,000 members of the Scotland Supporter's Club members". The SFA conducted a poll amongst its members and audiences on its [[social media]] platforms, with "Flower of Scotland" achieving a narrow victory. Despite this, the SFA alluded to the matter that the narrowing victory suggested "some food for thought" over what the national anthem should be, with "Scotland the Brave" retaining an affinity amongst Scotland's football supporters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Response to Petition |url=https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S4_PublicPetitionsCommittee/General%20Documents/PE1541_G_SFA_13.02.15.pdf |website=www.parliament.scot |publisher=Scottish Football Association |access-date=18 February 2024}}</ref> 

On 17 March 2015, the Scottish Parliament officially closed the consideration of the petition under Rule 15.7, claiming that "this is not something that should be led by the Scottish Government but is likely to be determined informally over time". MSP [[Angus MacDonald (SNP politician)|Angus MacDonald]] said in a speech to the Scottish Parliament about the petition that "given the position of the Scottish Government, and given that there is still a considerable amount of debate outside as to what the national anthem should be, we should close the petition reluctantly and allow that debate to continue".<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Report |url=https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=9870&i=90394#ScotParlOR |website=www.archive2021.parliament.scot |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=18 February 2024 |date=24 January 2014}}</ref>

==Other uses==
[[Paris Saint-Germain F.C. supporters|Paris Saint-Germain fans]] sing the chant "Ô Ville Lumière" ("O City of Light") to the tune of "Flower of Scotland".<ref>{{Cite web|title=VIDÉOS - Les chants les plus emblématiques des supporters dans les stades de foot en France|url=https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/football/videos-les-plus-beaux-meilleurs-chants-hymnes-ambiances-des-supporters-dans-les-stades-de-foot-en-1517311777|website=France Bleu|date=20 April 2018|language=fr|access-date=27 May 2020}}</ref> The song was featured on the 1983 album '[[A Sense of Freedom (album)|A Sense  of Freedom]]' by [[the Wolfe Tones]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Maley |first1=Wily |title=Scotland and the Easter Rising Fresh Perspectives on 1916 |date=2016 |publisher=Luath Press Limited}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of British anthems]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/9_3_1.html The Flower of Scotland] – Translation of lyrics into Scots Gaelic
* [http://www.nationalanthem.scot Page with eight National Anthem candidate songs, with lyrics and comments]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiyLuv3GSs4 Video of first TV broadcast performance of the song, still in its two-verse form, by The Corries]

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{{Scotland national rugby union team}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Flower Of Scotland}}
[[Category:Scottish patriotic songs|Flower of Scotland, The]]
[[Category:National symbols of Scotland]]
[[Category:Scotland national rugby union team]]
[[Category:Scotland national football team songs]]
[[Category:Robert the Bruce]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]
[[Category:British patriotic songs]]
[[Category:British anthems]]