Shirley Bassey - Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers) (1976 Show #4)

1976 (Shirley Bassey performs the beautiful Welsh Anthem titled, 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' on location at Harlech Castle in Wales. Shirley is accompanied by the Wales Brython Male Voice Choir. Although the majority of the people of Wales speak only English, this Welsh National Anthem has never been Re-Written with English lyrics. No need....why fool around with perfection. Although the audio quality was not the best back in 1976, Shirley's beautiful, yet powerful vocals deliver the inspiration this song is intended to deliver.)

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Welsh pronunciation: [heːn wlɑːd və ˈn̥adai]) is the national anthem of Wales. The title -- taken from the first words of the song -- means "Old Land of My Fathers", usually rendered in English as simply "Land of My Fathers". The words were written by Evan James and the tune composed by his son, James James, both residents of Pontypridd, Glamorgan, in January 1856. The earliest written copy survives and is part of the collections of the National Library of Wales. Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is the Welsh National Anthem. It has been established by tradition over a hundred years; and although in common with other British anthems, it has not been established as such by law, it has been used in the context of a national anthem at official governmental ceremonies including the opening of the Welsh Assembly and at receptions of the British monarchy. It is recognised and used as an anthem at both national and local events in Wales. Usually this will be the only anthem sung, such as at national sporting events, and it will be sung only in Welsh using the first stanza and refrain. On most official occasions, especially those with royal connections, it is used in conjunction with the national anthem of the United Kingdom, God Save the Queen. Before the main terrestrial channels began 24-hour broadcasting in 1997, BBC Wales played the Chorus of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau at the closedown, followed by the first three lines of God Save the Queen. Whereas HTV Wales played the full version of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and then God Save the Queen.

The existence of a separate national anthem for Wales has not always been apparent to those from outside the country. In 1993 the newly-appointed Secretary of State for Wales John Redwood was embarrassingly videotaped opening and closing his mouth during a communal singing of the national anthem, clearly ignorant of the words but unable to mime convincingly; the pictures were frequently cited as evidence of his unsuitability for the post. According to John Major's autobiography, the first thing Redwood's successor William Hague said, on being appointed, was that he had better find someone to teach him the words. He found Ffion Jenkins, and later married her.

LYRICS:
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

(Chorus)
Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad. Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau, O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.

(Repeat Chorus)

Portion of song not sung by Shirley:
Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,
Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i'm golwg sydd hardd;
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si
Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.

(Chorus)

(Trydydd Pennill - Third stanza)

Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed,
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,
Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

[petabrown]

How great to hear Dame Shirley sing this! She’s been a wonderful ambassadress for Wales! She’s from Tiger Bay.

[fabiopaolobarbieri]

This anthem is magnificent in itself, but Shirley adds a sense of soul and of things past that actually makes it even more beautiful.

[Paulol]

I'm originally from Yorkshire but this is my Favourite National Anthem. It makes me cry every time...Ann in Canada

[mrmikecrocodile]

It is a very moving anthem and we who have Celtic ancestry should be proud of it.

[harkeb]

hauntingly beautiful....It evokes so much emotion

[FrankMcCloud]

For me it's the best rendition of this beautiful anthem.

[anitatanner]

I met Shirley's Mam when I was a little girl. I came home from school and a lady was in my kitchen talking to my Nanna Ruby, my nanna introduced her to me as Shirley Bassey's mam she looked so normal to me and was so sweet I pictured her covered in diamonds and she laughed when I told her so. Turned out her and my nanna were friends. 

[chalkychoochoo]

Lovely to hear Shirley singing in Welsh, and as an Irish person I wouldn't have a clue if the pronunciation is wrong, so I can just enjoy it :P

[TravisLoneWolfWalsh]

Anthem gives me chills makes me emotional and I'm irish not welsh

[karltokislaterphysique]

What a voice - if she sang the telephone directory it would still sound magnificent.

[duodontousp]

*Beautiful anthem. Greetings from Brazil.*

[sas]

This was Shirley's Dog named, Emma. Emma was a regular part of the Shirley's 1976 year TV Variety Series, and she is seen quite a bit from the mid-1970's through the early 1980's.

[BANKO]

Shirley was a once in a millennium superstar. Not even Kathryn Jenkins could quite match this.

[stevenfowler]

This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom

Chorus:
Land! Land! I am true to my land!
As long as the sea serves as a wall for this pure, dear land
May the language endure for ever.

Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets,
Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards;
Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be
Her streams and rivers to me.

Chorus

Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot,
The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat,
The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand
Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land.

Chorus

[highmyope-psby]

There is an English version by Paul Robeson, who allied himself with Welsh miners.

[herasmarket]

I thought Dame Shirley was Welsh -- I had a pen pal once back in the 60s who I wrote to quite frequently and she said they did not like England taking them over. They would prefer to be independent. I wish I had gotten to know her.

[matelot]

Shirley's mam was from Middlesbrough

[DESMOND]

I am almost CERTAIN that there was an English lingo version written but I am not certain.  maybe someone else can verify it for me. 
I love this anthem and, together with the german one, are my two favourite euro-pean anthems.  in some churches in England, they sing the german one as HAIL TO THEE, O GREAT CREATOR, HAIL TO THEE, O SPIRIT DIVINE.  and it is beautiful.   now, could we have some churches singing the welsh one?  just change the lyrics to something spiritual. 

[garethifan]

Though I like her rendition in some ways, she doesn't sing it with Welsh passion, it's like she's just singing another of her 'songs'. She ends the lines too soon and her voice is very untypical of a Welsh voice. Her pronunciation also leaves quite a lot to be desired.
 Still I enjoyed it just for its difference.

[Isochest]

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