"God Save the King" (known as "God Save the Queen" when the monarch is female) is the national anthem of the United Kingdom. It is one of the two national anthems of New Zealand and the royal anthem of the Isle of Man, Australia, Canada and some other Commonwealth realms. The author of the song is unknown and it may originate as a plainchant, but an attribution to the composer John Bull has sometimes been made.
Beyond its first verse, which is consistent, "God Save the King" has many historic and extant versions. Since its first publication, different verses have been added and taken away and, even today, different publications include various selections of verses in various orders. In general, only one verse is sung. Sometimes two verses are sung and, on certain occasions, three.
In countries not part of the British Empire, the tune of "God Save the King" has provided the basis for various patriotic songs, ones generally connected with royal ceremony. The melody is used for the national anthem of Liechtenstein, "Oben am jungen Rhein"; the royal anthem of Norway, "Kongesangen"; and the American patriotic song "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (also known as "America"). The melody was also used for the national anthem "Heil dir im Siegerkranz" ("Hail to thee in the Victor's Crown") of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1795 until 1918; as the anthem of the German Emperor from 1871 to 1918; as "The Prayer of Russians", the imperial anthem of the Russian Empire, from 1816 to 1833; and as the national anthem of Switzerland, "Rufst du, mein Vaterland", from the 1840s until 1961.
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