# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1810

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**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1810 "2021-04-17T20:13:40Z")

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Something occurred to me as an interesting item for the [Dustbin Of Our Cultural History](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/877) thread - but when I checked it out, it remains something which is still very much alive (to my great surprise). Therefore I think it qualifies as an interesting random fact (if you see what I mean.)

I haven’t been in the habit of watching the (English) FA Cup final or the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final for quite a few decades\*. _Way_ back in the day, the crowd would be entertained before the match by community singing, culminating with the hymn **Abide With Me**. The community singing is gone (kinda, see below) - but the hymn remains (!). Here’s Emily Sande singing it from the roof of an empty Wembley Stadium before the 2020 FA Cup final

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0ibDJupkKxU/hqdefault.jpg "Emeli Sandé - Abide With Me (FA Cup Final 2020)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ibDJupkKxU)

I say that community singing is gone - but the spirit lingers on. This is the 2016 Rugby League Challenge Cup Final, with some of the crowd (remember them?) joining in.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/m61UfJ7nJSg/maxresdefault.jpg "Hull FC Challenge Cup Winners 2016 Abide With Me") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m61UfJ7nJSg)

j

\* - to those still in the habit of watching - of course you knew. Sorry. This is for the rest of us.

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