# Do you like your national anthem? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239 "2018-04-27T20:14:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/61 "2018-04-29T20:51:35Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Spaniard here. Although there’s been a nationalistic push lately to give lyrics to [the anthem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tsFQTgphS0), mostly so it can be sung \*in masse \*before sport events, I kinda like it the way it is. Lyriclessness gives it a bit of class. > > Personally, if I were to change it, I’d go for Isaac Albeniz’ [Asturias](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDAHl54V0CU). It’s a bit more badass. > > I’m also Catalan. A bit ambivalent with the regional anthem, since it’s melodically quite nice, but the lyrics are literally about [murdering enemies with a sickle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aU7HVR6YX0&t=8s). No kidding. > > I would also change it for [something nicer and instrumental](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKoX01170l0), me. Spaniard here as well, and I agree with **Go Arachnid Laser** completely. I like the Spanish national anthem. I think that any push to put lyrics into it is doomed to fail, though. They tried several times (once, under Franco, with lyrics written by José María Pemán, a very good writer -although a complete suck-up to the dictator’s regime). It never caught on, and if not even Franco and a very good and competent poet managed to do it… I don’t think it will ever happen. > [@Alessan](#): > > I’m Israeli, and I actually like my anthem, although it’s not really designed to be “liked”. It’s a lot more emotional and downbeat than most other anthems. I was very surprised when I heard the Israeli anthem and realized that it has the same melody as “Vltava”, by Smetana. Apparently both are based on the same melody. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/62 "2018-04-29T21:00:34Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’d prefer “America the Beautiful” as an anthem. This. “The Star-Spangled Banner” glorifies war too much for me. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/63 "2018-04-29T22:24:51Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I like the Canadian national anthem. It sounds good in both English and French and the “sports game” mashup melange. I like switching back and forth, if I can remember in advance where the switch to French comes in. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/64 "2018-04-30T02:44:27Z")
Although I am fairly progressive, “all thy sons command” sounds a lot better to me than “all of us”. But it’s just a small change and won’t change how I sleep at night. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/65 "2018-04-30T03:20:52Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I’ve never quite understood why people think the Star-Spangled Banner is so hard to sing. Maybe I’ve just got the right range. It’s not. The melody was sung by drunks, fercryin’ out loud. High school kids have no problem singing it correctly. We even sang it in grade school with no trouble. The problem is morons who think they can “improve” it by adding notes that don’t belong, or altering the time signature, or who don’t seem to realize that the first three notes need to be sung at the lower end of their range. It has a slightly wider than average range, but not even close to the level of operatic. ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/66 "2018-04-30T10:15:05Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I’m Australian, and gaaah. Our ‘new’ anthem is the pox. > > Our anthem SHOULD be ‘GOD BLESS AUSTRALIA’ to the tune of Waltzing Matilda, our unofficial national song. Anything else is just bullshit. What the hell is GOD BLESS AUSTRALIA? ---
**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:** [April 30, 2018, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/67 "2018-04-30T10:40:47Z")
The US anthem sucks ass. Too militaristic, too long, awful melody, unsingable by most. We should commission Bob Dylan to come up with a new one. I like O Canada, I still miss Roger Ducet singing it for Canadien games. God Save The Queen is pleasantly short and sounds so majestic. But the winner and all time champion will be Le Marseillaise, though also a bit on the bloody side. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/68 "2018-04-30T12:47:50Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > I thought “Land of Hope and Glory” (tune of Pomp & Circumstance) was used as an alternate national anthem, analogous to “America the Beautiful”. 😕 No. It has, from memory, been used on occasion as an unofficial anthem for England - ie, not the UK as a whole. I think it may have been used at the Commonwealth Games? (one international sporting tournament where the four ‘home nations’ of England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland compete separately). Point being, it’s a stand in anthem for England, but doesn’t represent the whole of the UK (and would therefore upset everyone except the English). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/69 "2018-04-30T13:01:29Z")
But upsetting everyone except the English is a British tradition! ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/70 "2018-04-30T19:13:10Z")
I like the Star-Spangled Banner (my national anthem), but for a really stirring anthem, the classic rendition of [La Marseillaise](https://youtu.be/HM-E2H1ChJM) from _Casablanca_ can’t be beat. ---
**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 30, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/71 "2018-04-30T20:12:50Z")
There’s been some commentary on the unsavoury warlike nature of some anthems, but here’s a thing. I don’t think anyone has pointed out that the full version of the British anthem revels in the slaughter of - well - Britons. _Lord grant that Marshal Wade May by thy mighty aid Victory bring. May he sedition hush, And like a torrent rush, Rebellious Scots to crush. God save the King!_ Unique in this respect? (And not much talked about these days). That aside, it’s awful. Dreadful, spirit-sapping dirge. I’m with **jerseymule** (above) on the Marseillaise. j ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/72 "2018-04-30T20:19:12Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’d prefer “America the Beautiful” as an anthem. “God Shed His Grace on Thee”? Along with shoehorning “Under God” into the pledge of allegiance, and the unauthorized/unratified addition of “In God We Trust” on our currency, I think that would make a Hat Trick of offenses that would send Jefferson and Franklin spinning in their graves. As \*\*AHunter \*\*noted, the current Anthem celebrates war a bit too much but it’s still preferable to Irving Berlin’s tune. It’s a nice enough tune, but if we had adopted it as the national Anthem, the Tea-Partiers would have pointed to it as the _damning_ proof that the United States was founded as an exclusively Christian nation. When I was a kid, I used to listen to a lot of military music (marches and such). The National Emblem is a nice ditty – kinda reminds me of the closing tune for Hogans Heroes, actually. I’d prefer it, but I don’t remember it having lyrics. I agree with Dr. Alvin Cooks, one of my Japanese Anthropology professors: The Japanese national anthem was their first grand attempt when they were first introduced to Western music and instruments. Rather than a proud anthem, it sounds like a depressing dirge. –G! Perhaps the modern replacement should be You’ve got to fight For your right To PARTY! …–Beastie Boys ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/73 "2018-05-01T03:36:33Z")
Yeah, I like the _Star-spangled Banner_. I like it today much more than a year or so ago when I found out that it has several verses. I’m not proposing that the additional verses are sung. But specifically what I found out is that the first verse is essentially a question and the following verses respond to the question: Is our flag still waving? ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/74 "2018-05-01T04:44:28Z")
I like the New Zealand anthem best. I'd replace the US one with America the Beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/75 "2018-05-01T05:35:11Z")
I do have a fondness for “The Star-Spangled Banner.” ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/76 "2018-05-01T08:08:35Z")
Regarding Canada’s: We still haven’t changed the fifth word, making it “on” instead of “and”. You’d hardly notice unless you were looking for it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/77 "2018-05-01T10:55:03Z")
I find the English version of “O Canada” kind of mushy; all the talk about “glowing hearts” and “see thee rise” makes me think of the movie “E.T.”. I really like the French version, though. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/78 "2018-05-01T12:23:26Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > But upsetting everyone except the English is a British tradition! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/79 "2018-05-01T22:29:45Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > …Perhaps the modern replacement should be > > You’ve got to fight > For your right > To PARTY!.. No, too violent. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Haldurson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Haldurson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haldurson)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239/80 "2019-06-30T15:40:01Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’d prefer “America the Beautiful” as an anthem. I prefer Woodie Guthrie’s response to that song, ‘This Land is Your Land’. It’s much more in the spirit of what America ought to aspire to (obviously, IMHO). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmiUloNblaY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmiUloNblaY) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-national-anthem/813239.md?page=5)