Flower of Scotland
Before kickoff — the anthem that replaces the anthem
Lyrics
O Flower of Scotland When will we see your like again That fought and died for Your wee bit hill and glen And stood against him Proud Edward's army And sent him homeward Tae think again The hills are bare now And autumn leaves lie thick and still O'er land that is lost now Which those so dearly held And stood against him Proud Edward's army And sent him homeward Tae think again Those days are past now And in the past they must remain But we can still rise now And be the nation again That stood against him Proud Edward's army And sent him homeward Tae think again
Rhythm Guide
o FLOW-er of SCOT-land / when WILL we SEE your LIKE a-GAIN
Melody: Written by Roy Williamson of The Corries (1967) — Scotland's unofficial anthem
Why It Matters
Scotland's official anthem is "God Save the King," but football fans refuse to sing it. "Flower of Scotland" — about the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn against England — became the sporting anthem through sheer fan willpower. When 30,000 Scots sing it before a match against England, it is not just football — it is 700 years of defiance distilled into four verses. The hair on your neck stands up.