Lyrics As Sung
Although the lyrics are usually set out as above, the lines as set to the music are sung in contemporary time according to either of the following variants:
Traditionally rendered,
- When Britain fi-i-irst, at heaven's command,
- Aro-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-zure main,
- Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
- This was the charter, the charter of the land,
- And guardian a-a-angels sang this strain:
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- The nations, no-o-o-o-ot so blest as thee,
- Must i-i-i-i-in their turn, to ty-y--yrants fall,
- Must in their turn, to ty-y-rants fall,
- While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
- The dread and e-e-e-e-nvy of them all.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
And now commonly rendered in alternate form:
- When Britain fi-i-irst, at heaven's command,
- Aro-o-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-zure main,
- Arose, arose from out the azure main,
- This was the charter, the charter of the land,
- And guardian a-a-angels sang this strain:
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- Still more maje-e-estic shalt thou rise,
- More dre-e-e-e-eadful from each foreign stroke,
- More dreadful, dreadful from each foreign stroke,
- Loud blast above us, loud blast that tears the skies
- Serves but to ro-o-o-ot thy native oak.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
- Rule Britannia!
- Britannia rule the waves.
- Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Variations: Never, never, never is sometimes sung as a single "never" over the same melodic phrase (an example of a melisma); this being the original arrangement by Arne.
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