...It seemed to fit with the general feel of things in these Kitchen Sink topics.

As a native of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (which an increasingly number of irritating people are referring to as 'UK' - not 'the UK', but 'UK', as in 'I come from UK', it makes it sound as though the name of the country is Yookay - anyway) I find this an interesting topic. In Britain we have many excellent patriotic songs which would be perfect national anthems.

Unfortunately, we use 'God Save the Queen/King' instead.

To quote Billy Connolly, 'Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing with the lyrics...I mean, I think the Queen should be saved! I think it's a great idea! And if anyone's gonna do the saving - God's the very chap, sure!'

But it's dreadfully slow and plodding. And of course no-one knows anything except the first verse (just going 'hner hner hner' for the rest then singing 'God Save the Queen' very loudly at thend), and most of the rest is apparently offensive to Scottish people.

So, what are the alternatives?

My choices would be:

Jerusalem - Very stirring and patriotic, even though it (a) begins with the word 'And' and (b) was originally intended as a sarcastic treatment of the Jesus-comes-to-Britain theory. Funny how these things happen...I seem to recall that parts of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' were also intended as at least half-jokes originally but are now taken seriously. Anyway...

Rule Britannia - Some people say it's xenophobic, but I like it: it stirs the blood and is less plodding than GStQ. I recall one of the American posters here saying even they found it stirring (now THAT'S what I call a national anthem!)

Land of Hope and Glory - Lyrics sound a bit of a rip-off of some of the American ones, but you haven't lived until you've heard the "Indian" version from 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum'. Strangely, the 'bit at the end' (technical music term ) always makes me want to segue into the Star Wars theme...which would be quite interesting.

What do other people think? Are you happy with your country's national anthem, or would you prefer a different song? If so, what?

I've always thought that America the Beautiful or the Battle Hymn of the Republic would make better anthems than The Star Spangled Banner.

Exactly how does that Battle Hymn go? I've probably heard it before, but never with lyrics, so I can't tell...

I'm not sure that Battle Hymn would work, at least nowadays.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the Coming of the Lord...

http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/bathymn.html

Yeah, the only real connection to any kind of national anthem that the Battle Hymn has is its title.

"Hail Freedonia!" Now, there's a snazzy little tune!

This thread sets me to wondering just how many people these days are familiar with the entire Star-Spangled Banner, since all we ever seem to hear is the first verse. And if more people knew the last verse, would they complain and try to get the anthem changed? I sure wouldn't, for one, as it's my favorite verse, but judge for yourselves:


O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Yes, I've heard that the latter parts of the Star-Spangled Banner is offensive to British people. Now I see why. Still, at least it doesn't mention us by name, the way 'God Save the Queen' does the Scots.

Hope this isn't too political, but if you were going to adopt a war poem as a national anthem, wouldn't it be one from a war that you actually won?*

The last I heard, the British and Canadians claimed victory in the War of 1812 and the Americans claimed it was a draw...given that Washington DC was burned to the ground, it was certainly a very eventful draw.

Win, lose, or draw, the US survived, didn't it?

Of course, but the War of 1812 wasn't about the US surviving or not. It was about the US trying to annex Canada. Or, at least that's the way I heard it - I'm fully aware the truth may lie in between the way the two sides tell it.

My point is that it would have made more sense to use a song from a war that the US won unreservedly, such as the Revolutionary War.

You know, where is it written we can't change our natioanl anthem every generation or so? I thinkit would make America more interesting if we did. I suggest that every, oh, let's say 18 years, we drop whatever anthem we're using at the time (at least until the next cycle comes around, just in case people really liked that one and want to bring it back someday), and randomly select 10 songs, all written and sung by U.S. born artists and let the American public vote on them. My pick for next anthem of the United States? You and I are Gonna be Friends by The White Stripes.

You really want the national anthem to be a Britney Spears song?

No, but it might be fun to force the countries hosting the Olympics to play it when an American wins.

Funny you should mention the Olympics. The story I heard was that the reason that The Star-Spangled Banner became the anthem was that at the first modern Olympics, when the first American took the Gold, it was then realized that there was no American anthem. And the only sheet music of American "patriotic" music available for the band to play was the S-SB. Then before the next Olypics, Congress passed the law making it official. Does anyone know the truth of this story?

>You know, where is it written we can't change our natioanl anthem every generation or so? >

Who would host this contest? Simon Cowell (The Host of American Idol)?

I vote for the Britney Spears song. Imagine what we could do to the Olympics. (Or perhaps Shubear's Unfinished Symphony. At least it's short.)

PS Why does AMERICAN IDOL have a BRIT for a judge?

Isn't he (Cowell) something like the co-creator or producer of the show? I know he's got some sort of stake in the series, godawful as it is.

Yes, that's true, insofar as much as I'm aware of that trash. And can we please stop mentioning the 'BS' word(s)? It's not something that should appear on a family-friendly web site.

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The last I heard, the British and Canadians claimed victory in the War of 1812 and the Americans claimed it was a draw...given that Washington DC was burned to the ground, it was certainly a very eventful draw.
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Well, the Americans did apparently burn down Toronto first

As for a new national anthem, based on the rubbish that's chosen for the eurovision vote rigging, whoops sorry, song contest (americans, be very, very glad there's 4000 miles of ocean between you and this "event" ) the last thing we should have is a vote on it.

Simon Cowell on American Idol - I think he's the executive producer for the worldwide concept, and he's there to poach the contestants for the labels (he was an A&R man before showing the world just how long his trousers are - basically a talent spotter).
With Pop/American Idol he doesn't have to travel around, and the artists he signs up are almost certain to have decent sales - you mean you hadn't noticed that at least the top five will all have albums out within a year, before fading into obscurity?

Fair enough. But I must have one parting shot that Toronto was not the capital of Canada whereas Washington was the capital of the USA. (Actually, I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake quite recently and the tour guides hinted that the whole march-to-Washington-DC-and-burn-it-to-the-ground thing was started when the Americans rather unwisely destroyed a famous Niagara pub... )

The war of 1812 had one major outcome, "Don't Tread on me" was given some real force, and British-American relations improved from that point onward. Other than that, no one gained territory, and the war didn't turn out the way the Americans wanted, but it did send a clear message.

As for the National Anthem, I'm not fond of changing a tradition without a good reason.

Although, "Courtesy of the Red, White and blue" is open.

(Continued)
Also, the Star Spangled Banner is about a important period in American history, when our existance was still not secured. It was a time when we had to fight, the Indians, the French, the Barbary Pirates, the Spainards and even the most powerful country on earth, just to show we weren't weak and about to be pushed around. By contrast, America the Beautiful is a nice song, but mostly about crop yield for goodness sake. Live Free or die trying is theme more central to the American experiance than "Oh that land we brought from the French is really pretty, and it produces much grain,"