# A new national anthem for the UK (or maybe the US)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531 "2019-12-29T01:59:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/21 "2019-12-29T18:41:15Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Are we speaking of the Emerson, Lake and Palmer version of \*Jerusalem? > \* I trust not. [Parry, orch. Elgar](https://youtu.be/-XfbEOFLqPE) for most of us. I’ve often thought of I Vow To Thee My Country, but it stretches the singing range for unpractised singers, especially since it hits the high notes at the end. And [the words are a bit melodramatic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Vow_to_Thee,_My_Country), reflecting the time of their writing. Jerusalem is much more aspirational, and the England-specific bits can easily be amended. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/22 "2019-12-29T19:07:08Z")
When the Bear Flag Republic is re-established, I’ll go with CALIFORNIA HERE I COME. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/23 "2019-12-29T19:26:19Z")
Flanders and Swann [solved this problem decades ago](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4zyfwtDIHE) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/24 "2019-12-29T21:40:27Z")
In your dreams. When Australia actually went with a new national anthem, we choose, by majority vote, a dreary melody, with frankly un-lyrical lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/25 "2019-12-29T22:14:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But seriously, the song most often suggested for an alternate anthem for the US is “America the Beautiful”: I always change the lyrics when I sing it: “God shed her grace on thee And crown thy good with sisterhood From sea to shining sea.” ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/26 "2019-12-30T00:05:40Z")
People complain about the tune to God save the Queen, but if it’s played at the right tempo, it’s a lot better than some of the dirges one hears at the Olympics. No one could ever reach a consensus about a replacement anyway and there are a lot more important things to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/27 "2019-12-30T00:13:34Z")
“Baby Shark” For either country. No need to change the lyrics either ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/28 "2019-12-30T01:36:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But seriously, the song most often suggested for an alternate anthem for the US is “America the Beautiful”: I’ve often said that, but really I’d go with any patriotic song that didn’t just glorify our military expertise. Granted, the pickings are a little slim… ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/29 "2019-12-30T06:16:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Those are nice, but none of them can holst a candle to “[I Vow to Thee My Country](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHh8isGtB6w)”. “holst”. Heh. But the range is impossible for one normal voice to sing. In that respect, it’s even worse than the SSB. > [@Chronos](#): > > But seriously, the song most often suggested for an alternate anthem for the US is “America the Beautiful”: > > > [@](#): > > > > O beautiful for spacious skies, > > For amber waves of grain, > > For purple mountain majesties > > Above the fruited plain! > > America! America! God shed His grace on thee, > > And crown thy good with brotherhood > > From sea to shining sea! > > > > O Beautiful for patriot dream > > That sees beyond the years > > Thine alabaster cities gleam, > > Undimmed by human tears! > > America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw, > > Confirm thy soul in self-control, > > Thy liberty in law You’ve mixed up the verses. The second one you post begins with the actual fourth verse; but your last 3 lines are from the second verse, and they clash with the rest of the poem. When was the last time any public figure in this country advocated self-control for all citizens? ATB gets my vote, but it probably wouldn’t get in because of that pesky word “God” in it. The usual suspects would be screaming “THEOCRACY!” > [@RioRico](#): > > I’ll go with Phil Ochs’ The Power and the Glory for the US. > > "…Here is a land full of power and glory > Beauty that words cannot recall > Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom > Her glory shall rest on us all > > Yet she’s only as rich as the poorest of her poor > Only as free as the padlocked prison door > Only as strong as our love for this land > Only as tall as we stand…" A national anthem that’s a rebuke will never fly. The left floods us with that almost continuously, and their efforts to remedy it only make things worse (see the West Coast, particularly California). ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/30 "2019-12-30T06:23:14Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > When Australia actually went with a new national anthem, we choose, by majority vote, a dreary melody, with frankly un-lyrical lyrics. You are saying that like it was a bad thing! It’s a true enough assessment but on the other hand we didn’t go with a stirring upbeat ditty about shooting other people, or charming old melody with lyrics of a suicidal sheep rustler caught red handed in a class war. :eek: Next you’ll want us to start wearing hats again so we can take them off and stand for the national anthem. And that’d be just plain unAustralian. 😃 I have a couple of Old Dart colleagues who think, barring the strong association with an organised group of east London hooligans, that “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” has all the right credentials for an English national anthem. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/31 "2019-12-30T15:11:15Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > ATB gets my vote, but it probably wouldn’t get in because of that pesky word “God” in it. The usual suspects would be screaming “THEOCRACY!” How about George Carlin’s reworked version? _O famous for her smoggy skies Insecticided grain The stripmined mountains’ majesties Above the asphalt plain America! America! Man sheds his waste on thee And hides thy pines with billboard signs From sea to oily sea!_ ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/32 "2019-12-30T15:23:25Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Or [Billy Connolly](https://youtu.be/i9nnnM-__JQ). > > If this were to become a serious issue, our problem in the UK is words, not music. There are hundreds of rousing and singable melodies, but we’d have trouble finding words the vast majority of us would be comfortable with, if we really thought about it. Just stick with the current anthem, drop the first verse and skip to the second: Ner ner ner nurrrrr ner-ner, nur nur ner ner ner-ner, god save the queen. Might have to do something about the last line though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/33 "2019-12-30T19:11:19Z")
Yeah, **rowrrbazzle** , I think those verses are a bit muddled, now that you mention it. I copy-pasted from what Google told me, and who knows where Google got it from. I just wanted to include lyrics because I don’t know how familiar foreigners are with American patriotic songs, and the OP is a Brit, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/34 "2019-12-30T19:11:03Z")
Yeah, **rowrrbazzle** , I think those verses are a bit muddled, now that you mention it. I copy-pasted from what Google told me, and who knows where Google got it from. I just wanted to include lyrics because I don’t know how familiar foreigners are with American patriotic songs, and the OP is a Brit, after all. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/35 "2019-12-30T19:33:09Z")
Of course the UK will change the anthem as soon as Elizabeth dies by replacing “Queen” with “King”, unless of course everyone on the succession list between her and Charlotte predeceases her. For the US, our anthem sucks. Unsingable by most, too militaristic, honoring a war in which was not exactly a victory. America the Beautiful is a much better tune. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/36 "2019-12-31T02:21:07Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > In your dreams. > > When Australia actually went with a new national anthem, we choose, by majority vote, a dreary melody, with frankly un-lyrical lyrics. Oh well - could have been worse. We could have gone with the suicidal sheep-stealer. (Nice tune, though). ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/37 "2019-12-31T03:12:20Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > Oh well - could have been worse. We could have gone with the suicidal sheep-stealer. (Nice tune, though). If someone came up with a Aussie version of 4’33", I would have voted for that. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/38 "2019-12-31T03:41:30Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > A national anthem that’s a rebuke will never fly. The left floods us with that almost continuously, and their efforts to remedy it only make things worse (see the West Coast, particularly California). Phil Ochs, no relation to the NYT Ochs AFAIK, was from Ohio. Damn those rust belters! If we’re going with AMERICA (same tune as Gawd Save The [monarch]) I like the version from the fellow who became America’s top insurance salesman, [Charles Ives](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGroxhoDfnA). Yes, I know that won’t gain widespread popularity. But what is a buoyant alternative? “U-S-A, U-S-A, Kill kill kill! Bomb bomb bomb! U-S-A, U-S-A, Number one! Number one!” That should do. BTW it was governator Schwarzenegger who oversaw the transition of California from an (R) to a (D) state, swamping the (R) legacies of Nixon, Reagan, Wilson, and Deukmajian. Maybe if Arnie had better writers, things would be different now. California desperately needs a better [state anthem than this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acUdOGZkaig) old fogy. An anthem should proclaim that its jurisdiction KICKS ASS, right? [Rule Brittania!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbzRuZmqVM) does that for the UK, such as it was. [Over There!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=921z4LAHvak) showed the US spirit of a century ago. What would work now? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/39 "2019-12-31T03:52:37Z")
OK. The US needs two. “This Land is Your Land” for the liberals. “God Bless the USA” for the conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531/40 "2019-12-31T06:38:36Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > I have a couple of Old Dart colleagues who think, barring the strong association with an organised group of east London hooligans, that “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” has all the right credentials for an English national anthem. Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next novels imagine an English Republic whose president is an ageless George Formby, and the national anthem is “When I’m Cleaning Windows”. (And instead of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the door-to-door evangelists are Baconians, denying Shakespeare’s authorship). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-national-anthem-for-the-uk-or-maybe-the-us/845531.md?page=3)