It’s difficult as an American watching the English play in the World Cup to not hear My Country, ‘Tis of Thee every time the fans start singing the English national anthem, God Save the Queen:
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.
God Save the Queen, incidentally, is the first song adopted as a national anthem — although it has never been officially adopted by Royal Proclamation or Act of Parliament.
The American lyrics:
My Country, ’tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrim’s pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring.