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REX/ZUMA
UK News

Christian hymns in Queen's top 10 favourite songs

by Hannah Tooley

'Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven' and 'The Lord is My Shepherd' have graced the list of Her Majesty's favourite music, which also features 'Anything You Can Do' from the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

Oklahoma - Howard Keel

Anything You Can Do (Annie Get Your Gun) - Dolores Gray and Bill Johnson

Sing - Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band featuring the Military Wives

Cheek To Cheek- Fred Astaire

The White Cliffs Of Dover - Vera Lynn

Leaning On A Lamppost - George Formby

Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Lester Lanin Medley

Regimental March "Milanollo"

A special programme featuring Queen Elizabeth's favourite music, 'Our Queen: 90 Musical Years', will be broadcast on Sunday June 12th at 7pm on BBC Radio 2.

The feature spoke to the longest reigning monarch's friends and relatives, who revealed the sovereign enjoys a rousing sing-song and has got great rhythm.

According to the presenter Eve Pollard the Queen's taste is "mainstream, no airs and graces."

Eve Pollard also said that those closest to her said she has a "lovely voice".

It has been reported that the monarch's correspondence secretary once asked whether, as head of the Armed Forces and head of the Church of England, it was appropriate for her to say yes to becoming President of the George Formby Appreciation Society.

The Queen was said to have replied, "Well, I do see that, but you see I love George Formby... I know all his songs and I can sing them."

Formby's Leaning on a Lamppost features the lyrics: "I'm leaning on a lamp-post at the corner of the street, in case a certain little lady comes by. Oh me, oh my."

The Queen's cousin Lady Elizabeth Anson told the programme: "We did a lot of singing at Kensington Palace.

"Nobody thought it was odd after dinner if we put on a record and all sang Doing The Lambeth Walk, so music has always been part of her life.

"The Queen loves the theatre and musicals like Showboat, Oklahoma! and Annie Get Your Gun... The Queen is a fantastic dancer. She's got great rhythm."

Queen Elizabeth learnt to dance at an early age and was taught the waltz, the foxtrot, and samba amongst others.

 

A song made especially for the Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee also made the list, called Sing.

It was performed by Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band featuring the Military Wives for Elizabeth II at her jubilee concert.

Noel Tredinnick, a Christian and Conductor of All Souls Orchestra, told Premier that her choices reflect her beliefs.

Speaking about her choice 'The Lord is my Shepard', he said: "With its soaring melody, it just epitomises its sense of trust and hope in the Lord, and I'm not at all surprised to know it's one of the Queen's favourite.

"We know what a strong Christian faith she has, we know that she leans on God, and that psalm expresses that more than ever."

He went on: "The Lord being with us in green places - in other words when things are going well... but also the Lord being with us even though 'I walk in the valley of the shadow of death', so even in the most difficult of circumstances the Lord never lets go of us."

Noel Tredinnick added that choosing some fun songs show Queen Elizabeth has varied taste: "Leanin' on a lamppost on the corner of the street until a certain little lady goes by - and all that stuff - I think it shows she's a Queen of all Londoners - even cockney Londoners, or south Londoners - and there's the song leaning on a lamppost.

"It just shows, I think, that she's a down-to-earth queen, also it's a lovely song."

Listen to Premier's Hannah Tooley speak to Noel Tredinnick here:

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