# Found a good american patriotic song that doesn't glorify war **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437 "2009-09-09T16:43:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/21 "2009-09-09T21:29:41Z")
Apart from all of the traditional songs mentioned already in this thread that don’t “glorify war”, the Star-Spangled Banner doesn’t glorify war either, unless maybe in verse 26 that no one ever sings. Like it or not, the U.S. wouldn’t be here if the good guys hadn’t won a war or two. We don’t need any cheesy alternative anthems. If however someone could write good lyrics to Jupiter’s main theme in Holst’s _The Planets_, I’d consider it. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/22 "2009-09-09T21:54:31Z")
**Jacmannii** beat me to it, but the Star-Spangled Banner _as actually sung_ does not glorify war. It’s a song of survival and perseverance. It begins and ends not with a threat or a boast, but with a question. > [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Just listening to him pronounce the country as “a-mer-uh-kuh” drove me nuts. > [@thirdwarning](#): > > “A mer ah kah”? Sorry, it just doesn’t work. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, since those renderings look pretty close to the way most people pronounce “America.” What the singer actually sings is more like "uh-mare-uh _ **KUH** _, uh-mare-uh _ **KUH** _. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/23 "2009-09-09T22:03:54Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > **Jacmannii** beat me to it, but the Star-Spangled Banner _as actually sung_ does not glorify war. It’s a song of survival and perseverance. It begins and ends not with a threat or a boast, but with a question. > I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, since those renderings look pretty close to the way most people pronounce “America.” > > What the singer actually sings is more like "uh-mare-uh _ **KUH** _, uh-mare-uh _ **KUH** _. I thought it was the third syllable people were having problems with. It should be a short “i”, not a schwa/“uh”. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/24 "2009-09-09T22:07:58Z")
That song and video have GOT to be a joke. Id this whole thread a whoosh? [Here’s a song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4-tOqLH94) that I think is very patriotic. And while it is easy to classify it as militaristic, I think that misses the point if you listen to the words. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/25 "2009-09-09T22:10:39Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > That song and video have GOT to be a joke. Id this whole thread a whoosh? I’m reading the OP and his/her followup as being written with tongue-firmly-in-cheek, but odder opinions have been posted here. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/26 "2009-09-09T22:13:13Z")
[This Land is Your Land](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE) - Woody Guthrie. The abomination in the OP was sappy, predictable and nauseating in every way. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/27 "2009-09-09T22:15:30Z")
[One Nation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh8aWCH1TPc) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/28 "2009-09-09T22:18:08Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > [One Nation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh8aWCH1TPc) 🆒 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/29 "2009-09-09T22:21:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I thought it was the third syllable people were having problems with. It should be a short “i”, not a schwa/“uh”. Regardless of how it “should” be pronounced, an unaccented vowel in a polysyllabic word tends to turn into a schwa in actual speech. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/30 "2009-09-09T22:22:13Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Regardless of how it “should” be pronounced, an unaccented vowel in a polysyllabic word tends to turn into a schwa in actual speech. Sure, but it’s not over-enunciated like in the song. At least not that I’ve ever noticed. I say it with a short-i normally, myself. Compare with [the pronunciation in this song.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Wt4XlXUrc&feature=fvw) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/31 "2009-09-09T22:32:58Z")
Glad to see I’m not the only one who thought this (from the comments on the video): “It’s good to know that Alice Cooper can still find work. : p You rock Alice!!” Yeah, but…uh…no. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/32 "2009-09-09T22:52:11Z")
This man, on the other hand, is a true American patriot: [Show 'Em to Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf80jYNg8Og) (warning: tame but NSFW (some boobies)) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/33 "2009-09-09T23:04:10Z")
“This Is My Country” would make a good anthem. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/34 "2009-09-09T23:16:22Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > [One Nation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh8aWCH1TPc) 🆒 Would never work. The U.S. does not use a parliamentary system. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/35 "2009-09-09T23:19:48Z")
I actually think [this would make a great national anthem](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M). (warning: strong language.) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/36 "2009-09-09T23:40:41Z")
You owe me a keyboard, **Quintas**. . . because I just beat myself to death with mine, to make him stop singing. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/37 "2009-09-10T00:38:57Z")
Fuck all of you guys. [Let the Eagle Soar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLQI8X2R6Y) ---
**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:** [September 10, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/38 "2009-09-10T01:35:30Z")
The biggest problem I have with the song in the OP is that it doesn’t have anything to do with the USA. It’s a guy singing about how he’s dead now, but don’t worry, and then out of nowhere a few "America"s that don’t have anything to do with anything. “This Land is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful” describe geographical features of the country; “The Star-Spangled Banner” is about our flag and a significant battle in our history. Heck, even “Yankee Doodle” re-claimed a word that our enemies used derisively for us. This thing, though? You could replace every instance of “America” with “The Czech Republic”, and it would make just as much sense. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/39 "2009-09-10T01:48:37Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Would never work. The U.S. does not use a parliamentary system. That was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437/40 "2009-09-10T10:58:55Z")
We’ve done this before: [Here…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=312431&highlight=Dennis+Madalone) [and here…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=311312&highlight=Terrible+Share) [and here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=311252) I’m always stunned by the sheer awfulness of the song and video, and I never get tired of people’s reactions to it! Hilarious! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-good-american-patriotic-song-that-doesnt-glorify-war/509437.md?page=3)