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The BBC's decision to drop the lyrics of "Rule, Britannia!" at the Last Night Of The Proms has become the latest controversy in the year of the #BlackLivesMatter 
protests.
But how much do you know about this patriotic song? Test your knowledge!
protests. But how much do you know about this patriotic song? Test your knowledge!
Which historical event inspired "Rule, Britannia!"?
"Rule, Britannia!" was composed by Thomas Arne in 1744 for a patriotic Masque on the subject of King Alfred, who fought off the Viking threat by building up the English navy.
Who are the “haughty tyrants” in verse two?
The “haughty tyrants” are the absolutist monarchs of France. Britain was constantly at loggerheads with the country.
The original first line of the song (“Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!”) means: if you don’t rule the waves, and fast, France will crush you.
The original first line of the song (“Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!”) means: if you don’t rule the waves, and fast, France will crush you.
When did the song become a Proms fixture?
The song was included in the Proms programme by Malcolm Sargent, who used his own arrangement of the original music after becoming chief conductor in 1948
The origins of Proms staples such as "Rule, Britannia!", "Jerusalem" and "Land of Hope and Glory" are more nuanced than you might think
Here’s a brief guide to the real meaning of the songs, their original purpose, and history https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/classical-music/surprising-stories-behind-last-night-proms-bombast/
Here’s a brief guide to the real meaning of the songs, their original purpose, and history https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/classical-music/surprising-stories-behind-last-night-proms-bombast/
