During February and March rugby stadiums across England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy will be alive with the action of the Six Nations, a prestigious annual rugby tournament that sees bitter sporting rivalries reignited on the field. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Accompanying the on-field action will be the sound of fans willing their teams on with song. Whether they\u2019re celebrating a try or trying to raise failing spirits, their voices will sing our favourite rugby anthems. Some stem from hymns and tales of war and famine, while others have much more simpler origins \u2013 a desire to win.<\/p>\n

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The best football chants based on classical music<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Pieces of music about sport: eight of the best<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Best rugby songs<\/h2>\n
What the Welsh fans will sing at the Six Nations<\/h3>\n
There\u2019s no doubt the Welsh rugby crowd will be in fine voice come the Six Nations, singing right from the first whistle. As a musical nation it seems fitting that they appear to have more rugby songs than any other nation.<\/p>\n
The Welsh National Anthem<\/h4>\n
First off will be the Welsh National Anthem. The Welsh will sing their hearts out to \u2018Land of My Fathers\u2019 (\u2018Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau\u2019<\/a><\/strong>, beaming with pride when it\u2019s played at the beginning of their matches. Composed in 1856, it first started being played at rugby matches in 1905.<\/p>\n
Delila<\/h4>\n\n<p>Either during the match build-up or once the whistle is blown it is likely we will be treated to a rendition of Tom Jones\u2019s hit song \u2018Delilah\u2019 at some point from the Welsh crowds. That said, there have been many pleas to remove it from the rugby scene because of its controversial lyrics, making light of domestic violence.<\/p>\n<h4>Hymns and Arias<\/h4>\n<p>Written by Welsh comedian and singer Max Boyce in 1973, <em>Hymns and Arias <\/em>celebrates a Wales victory over England at Twickenham and has since become a rugby anthem. Its most famous line, which is repeated throughout the song, is \u2018And we were singing hymns and arias; \u201cLand of my Fathers\u201d, \u201cAr hyd y nos\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-are-the-lyrics-to-guide-me-o-thou-great-redeemer-bread-of-heaven\/"\">Bread of Heaven<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>Perhaps the most famous Welsh hymn of all time, <em>Bread of Heaven<\/em> has also become as staple Welsh rugby song and is considered the country\u2019s second national anthem (behind \u2018\u2019<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-are-the-lyrics-to-the-welsh-national-anthem-land-of-my-fathers-hen-wlad-fy-nhadau\/"\">Land of My Fathers\u2019<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n<h4>As long as we beat the English<\/h4>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t take a genius to work out when the Welsh will sing \u2018As long as we beat the English\u2019, and it is one song that\u2019s bound to make an appearance at one particular match. Written and composed in 1999 by the Stereophonics for a BBC Sport Wales promotion ahead of the Welsh clash against England. It\u2019s a pretty easy tune to learn as, besides the first verse which mentions the other nations, the lyrics are \u2013 rather predictably \u2013 \u2018As long as we beat the English\u2019\u2026.<\/p>\n<h3>What the English will sing at the Six Nations<\/h3>\n<p>The English fans will refuse to be outdone by the Welsh and will definitely be lifting their voices in song during the Six Nations.<\/p>\n<h4>God Save The Queen<\/h4>\n<p>The UK\u2019s national anthem \u2018<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/god-save-the-queen-lyrics\/"\">God Save The Queen<\/a><\/strong>\u2018 will be played at the beginning of the England\u2019s matches. No doubt the English fans will put their best voice forward and give us their best rendition of this familiar tune, but how many of them <em>actually <\/em>know the second verse?<\/p>\n<h4>Swing Low, Sweet Chariot<\/h4>\n<p>\u2018<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/swing-low-sweet-chariot-lyrics\/"\">Swing Low, Sweet Chariot<\/a><\/strong>\u2019 is perhaps England\u2019s most famous rugby song and is likely to be heard at most England matches. Quite how it became a rugby song is unclear but its days as a rugby anthem might be numbered, as its origins are rooted in slavery. The tune to \u2018Swing Low Sweet Chariot\u2019 was written by former slave Wallace Willis in the 19th century and it is believed the lyrics refer to the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves escape in the southern states. Given these links to slavery, it is now thought by many to be an inappropriate song to be a rugby anthem. The sound of this ssong echoing around the stands might soon be assigned to history.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Irish will sing at the Six Nations<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike the other nations, Ireland has two national anthems, both of which will be played before any matches begin, and the ballad \u2018The Fields of Athenry\u2019 can also make an appearance during the game.<\/p>\n<h4>Amhr\u00e1n na bhFiann\u2019 (\u2018The Soldier\u2019s Song\u2019)<\/h4>\n<p>The lyrics for \u2018<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/irelands-national-anthem-amhran-na-bhfiann-the-soldiers-song-lyrics\/"\">Amhr\u00e1n na bhFiann\u2019, known in English as \u2018The Soldier\u2019s Song\u2019<\/a><\/strong>, were written by Peadar Kearney in 1909-10 and was published in 1912. In 1926, four years after the Irish Free State was established in 1922, it was formally adopted as Ireland\u2019s anthem.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Ireland\u2019s Call<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The other national anthem is \u2018Ireland\u2019s Call\u2019\u00a0 written by Phil Coulter. The song was commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in 1995 to unify people from all political divides, as Ulster unionists from Northern Ireland thought the \u2018The Soldier\u2019s Song\u2019 was inappropriate.<\/p>\n<h4><b>The Fields of Athenry<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>This Irish ballad was written in 1979 by Pete St. John. He was said to be inspired by a sad tale about a young man getting deported to Australia after he was caught stealing some corn to feed his family during the Irish famine. \u2018The Fields of Athenry \u2018soon became a sporting ballad, particularly among football fans, but it is not a stranger to the rugby crowds either.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Scottish will sing during the Six Nations<\/h3>\n<h4>Flowers of Scotland<\/h4>\n<iframe title=\""Flower\" of=\"\" scotland=\"\" singalong=\"\" at=\"\" home=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W8tNgAIh-TI?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<p>\u2018Flowers of Scotland\u2019 has been Scotland\u2019s rugby anthem ever since 1974 when the Scottish rugby winger Billy Steele persuaded his team-mates to sing it on tour of South Africa. The song was composed by Roy Williamson and, like all good patriotic sporting anthems, celebrates a great victory. The words refer to the Scottish victory over England at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Italians will sing during the Six Nations<\/h3>\n<h4>Italian national anthem<\/h4>\n<p>Given its lyrics call for Italians to rise up and fight, there\u2019s no wonder that the Italian national anthem \u2018Il Canto degli Italiani\u2019 is the rugby song of choice for Italian fans, and one we will hear echoing around the stands in every Italian match. Described by <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/author\/jeremypound\/"\"><em>BBC Music Magazine<\/em>\u2018s Jeremy Pound<\/a><\/strong> as \u2018a <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/giuseppe-verdi\/"\">Verdi<\/a><\/strong> opera in miniature\u2019, it is a rousing anthem that stirs the nation\u2019s pride and has earned its place as one of the<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-national-anthems\/"\"> best national anthems ever<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Composed in 1847, it didn\u2019t become Italy\u2019s official national anthem until 2017. Like the other national anthems it will be officially played at the start of the match, although we will be treated to many more renditions during all Italy\u2019s matches as the Italians are always in fine voice.<\/p>\n<h3>What the French will sing during the Six Nations<\/h3>\n<h4>La Marseillaise<\/h4>\n<p>The French will sing their <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/la-marseillaise-what-are-the-lyrics-to-the-french-national-anthem-and-when-were-they-written\/"\"><strong>national anthem<\/strong> \u2018<strong>La Marseillaise\u2019<\/strong><\/a>, one of the world\u2019s most rousing national anthems. Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792 to inspire French troops against Austria, it was initially called \u2018Chant de guerre pour l\u2019Arm\u00e9e du Rhin\u2019 (War song for the Army of the Rhine) and marches in 4\/4 time with an unmistakable sense of purpose and confidence: \u2018Aux armes, citoyens; Formez vos bataillons, Marchons, marchons!\u2019 Perfect for those rugby battles coming their way\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Top image: Getty Images<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Debbie Graham Published: Wednesday, 02 February 2022 at 12:00 am During February and March rugby stadiums across England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy will be alive with the action of the Six Nations, a prestigious annual rugby tournament that sees bitter sporting rivalries reignited on the field. 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Best rugby songs<\/h2>\n

What the Welsh fans will sing at the Six Nations<\/h3>\nThere\u2019s no doubt the Welsh rugby crowd will be in fine voice come the Six Nations, singing right from the first whistle. As a musical nation it seems fitting that they appear to have more rugby songs than any other nation.<\/p>\n

What the Welsh fans will sing at the Six Nations<\/h3>\n
There\u2019s no doubt the Welsh rugby crowd will be in fine voice come the Six Nations, singing right from the first whistle. As a musical nation it seems fitting that they appear to have more rugby songs than any other nation.<\/p>\n