Time to change the national anthem?

[nickyboy]

The Japanese lyrics have a certain poignancy


May your reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss

Clearly whoever wrote this is unfamiliar with basic geology. Any fool knows that erosion will cause boulders to become pebbles, not the other way around

 

[Drago]

Jerusalem. Stirring stuff.

 

[jefmcg]

I have always thought that "I do like to be beside the seaside" nicely reflects our island heritage.

It's quite a jaunty little number as well.

Thanks you for that. I wanted to see how that might work ...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEVQ2Q_ZSzU

 

[raleighnut]

It has been suggested on here before

I'm still with Billy on this ditty

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ&feature=player_detailpage

 

[roadrash]

I dont know what to replace it with but i think a national anthem should be just that... an anthem about the nation not one person ie, king or queen , ..how about land of hope and glory

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I don't think my life would veer off at a tangent if we didn't have a National Anthem at all.

 

[totallyfixed]

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/best-and-worst-national-anthems-time-award-medals

 

[swee'pea99]

I think Waltzing Matilda was rejected because a song about sheep stealing and suicide while fleeing the law wasn't the best thing for state funerals.

Strange. You would have thought that was spot on for the Ockers.

I've bored people any number of times saying that we have the best flag in the world and the worst anthem. It really is the most godawful load of cack - musically and lyrically, just a straight zero out of ten, with no redeeming features whatsoever. Neither Jerusalem nor Land of Hope & Glory would be perfect, but either would be an infinite improvement. The whole thing brings to mind a recent letter in the grauniad:

While in Yugoslavia in 1947, as a member of the Britanska Brigada, helping to construct the Omladinska Pruga (Youth Railway) through the Bosnian mountains from Samac to Sarajevo, we were informed that we were to send a team to Zenica to participate in a sports event with other brigades, almost all from east European countries. As the games were ending (with unfortunately little British prize-winning), we were told to prepare for a “cultural artistic” finale, at which each country would present their national dance in the main arena. We were told that this was the moment we should display our national pride. No one knew Morris dancing but we all knew the hokey cokey (Letters, 25 September). It was received with rapturous applause, followed by many requests to show other nationalities exactly how it was performed, so they could take the dance home with them. The meeting had as its slogan “Death to fascism – freedom for the people”. I like to think that we contributed in some small way.
Bruce Vivash Jones
Cirencester, Gloucestershire

 

[Dayvo]

I was in Fiji in 1990 staying on a small island with a population of about 60 and about 15 backpackers.

The chief invited us all to a large dinner where food and drink (kava) was in abundance.

After the feasting the chief asked us to perform a dance and song representing our countries. None of us wanted to sing our respective national anthems (and how do you dance to those anyway!?) so I and another English fella decided to quickly teach the mostly European backpackers the words and actions to 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot'.

The Fijians loved it and and we had to perform it at least five times, and then had to teach the male Fijians the song and dance.

 

[mjr]

Oooops

Call that an oops? This is an oops. In 2011, the Giro winner's ceremony for Alberto Contador was accompanied by the Spanish anthem with the lyrics used by Franco... here's everyone's favourite steak-eater looking around nervously:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NiPQKQqVE4

 

[Brandane]

I liked this one, which the whole school I went to used to stand and sing every Friday morning at the school assembly:

 

[mjr]

4'33"

I wouldn't want to give the gouging copyright trolls any more money for it, though, so it should get its own special section in copyright law - like Peter Pan, except this one would be to invalidate any copyright for 4'33".

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I liked this one, which the whole school I went to used to stand and sing every Friday morning at the school assembly:

Surprised it's not reggae arranged...........

 

[Brandane]

Surprised it's not reggae arranged...........

I'm sure there will be a reggae version somewhere on YT! I liked it because it's short and sweet and to the point, with some good sentiments. None of this "aren't we great and so much better than everyone else" BS.. Catchy wee tune, too.

 

[User32269]

Given the amount of skunk we consume as a nation, I propose THEN I GOT HIGH by AFROMAN, as a possible replacement.