# Replace your national anthem. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2011, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292 "2011-12-15T11:42:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/41 "2011-12-17T00:01:59Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’ve read that post, especially the part for Germany, and instantly thought: “WTF?”, but then I saw it was \*\*Qin \*\*and was no longer surprised. It’s not the first time I noticed his unhealthy fascination with German nationalistic symbols and attitudes. Could you please tell me what is exactly objectionable about those two songs? Yes its true that the Nazis appropriated those songs for their use but they also did the same for almost all of the rich cultural heritage of Germany. Its not as if I suggested something like the “Horst Wessel Lied”. And I don’t find my fascination “unhealthy” any more than people fascinated by the Japanese samurai. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/42 "2011-12-17T00:30:31Z")
When I was at UCLA, Bill Conti (of _Rocky_ soundtrack fame) bestowed upon us a brand new UCLA Bruins fight song. I thought that with a few little tweaks to the lyrics, it would serve as an alternate U.S. National Anthem that PERFECTLY captured the spirit of The Star Spangled Banner: \*We are the U.S.A. We’ve got more guns than you We’ve got more missiles, and We’ve got more bombs, and Tanks and airplanes too. Don’t daaaaaaare try to oppose us, Don’t tellllllllllllllll us what to dooooooo – If you try, We’ll say “Bye bye!” 'Cause we’ve got more nuclear warheads too!\* ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/43 "2011-12-17T00:33:06Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I agree that the British one is awful. I think it should be replaced by _We Are The Champion_s by Queen. And _We Will Rock You_ in times of war…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/44 "2011-12-17T06:40:45Z")
I’d replace \*SB with “We Won’t Get Fooled Again.” ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/45 "2011-12-17T07:04:42Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > _God Bless the USA_ Ah. That would be the song in which a guy who has never served in the military in any form brags that he would “gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today”? Okay. For the US, I’d go with “America the Beautiful”, because of one of the later verses: _Oh Beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears_ Patriotic songs don’t talk about the future often enough. It’s all very well and good to be proud of the past, but if you don’t have a vision for the future, what’s the point? For Norway, I really don’t see a reason for swapping out the national anthem, although I would like to teach people to sing it more up tempo. This is not a funeral dirge, folks, it’s actually a rather happy song. And of course we should drop verses, what is it?, three through six or something, which are just historical name-dropping, but no one actually remembers those anyway. But if we should ever have to change it, I’d recommend “Norge i rødt, hvitt, og blått” (Norway in red, white, and blue). Not only does it have a snappy tune in a march tempo, but the lyrics were written specifically as a not-very-subtle eff-you to the Nazis, and you gotta love that. Drop the last verse, written after the war, however. I’m sure it sounded great in 1945, but since then it has become unbearably corny. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/46 "2011-12-17T07:48:17Z")
[“This Is My Country.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P9gUi7MzEs) ---
**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:** [December 17, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/47 "2011-12-17T07:48:59Z")
Randy Newman’s “Political Science”. ---
**Author:** ![Teufelblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@Teufelblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teufelblitz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/48 "2011-12-17T10:00:01Z")
There’s an old Bill Bailey sketch about National Anthems. Bits of it are on you tube. The suggestion I would take from that is Henry Mancini’s Pink Panther theme. Except I think Everyone should change to it so that we can all saunter out at the Olympics as a united planet for once. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/49 "2011-12-17T10:11:04Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Could you please tell me what is exactly objectionable about those two songs? Yes its true that the Nazis appropriated those songs for their use but they also did the same for almost all of the rich cultural heritage of Germany. Its not as if I suggested something like the “Horst Wessel Lied”. And I don’t find my fascination “unhealthy” any more than people fascinated by the Japanese samurai. See, **Qin** , the fact alone that you have to ask that question is telling of your lack of perspective in this case. I don’t think I have to teach you about the two great wars of the 20th century and who the baddies were. The drive to fight these wars for Germany was rooted in extremely exaggerated nationalism and militarism, fueled by songs like the ones you want as our current anthem. We, as a nation, have fortunately overcome this absurd nationalism, and we don’t want to sing those songs any more (the ones that still want to are people like the members of the National Socialist Underground you needlessly pitted some time ago). The majority of our people, including me, is proud of that fact, and getting told by a 15 year old American boy to resurrect those loaded songs is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/50 "2011-12-17T10:42:00Z")
America is not militaristic or nationalistic? The Fog is greater than I had expected. Ask yousrself what nationalistic cause we put our military into action for over the last 9 years… only disengaged peripherally, yesterday. We wield our nationalism quite effectively into a Land that is thousands of miles away in Eurasia, that has no direct influence on our country except for increasing the Opiate trade… who’s foolin’ who? We are terrified and recouing from the Arab Spring. Our fascist capitals are being capitulated. ---
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/51 "2011-12-17T10:42:04Z")
God Save The Queen is bad for the simple reason the Queen QEII can’t sing it ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/52 "2011-12-17T12:03:32Z")
Not mine, but for England I recommend the previously mentioned “Jerusalem,” but probably more likely, [Oh England, my Lionheart](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1So6ok542jA) by Kate Bush. I dislike Australia’s national anthem (boring and hard to sing tune, and truly stupid lyrics), but I can’t immediately think of a replacement. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/53 "2011-12-17T12:07:21Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > America is not militaristic or nationalistic? The Fog is greater than I had expected. Ask yousrself what nationalistic cause we put our military into action for over the last 9 years… only disengaged peripherally, yesterday. We wield our nationalism quite effectively into a Land that is thousands of miles away in Eurasia, that has no direct influence on our country except for increasing the Opiate trade… who’s foolin’ who? We are terrified and recouing from the Arab Spring. Our fascist capitals are being capitulated. 😕 Was this directed at me? If so, I don’t get it, as I was exclusively talking about Germany. I’m well aware of American nationalism and militarism, but I think that is a different subject for a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/54 "2011-12-17T12:51:05Z")
For Ireland I’d go with [Dearg Doom](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmP9fZNfae8) or going back to the source [Marcshlua Ui Neill](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7G8Wmol6wE). Or maybe [Léimígí Thart](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmIy8VfXPhU), better known in English as Jump Around. I think Jerusalem would make a splendid English anthem but would suggest [The Hard Times Of Old England](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QynGUt-J8c&feature=related). For Scotland I’d go with [Scotland’s Story](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOa64BUV5qU) or the more famous [Letter From America](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDTbNBJJVVI&feature=fvst). For Australia I quite like [I Am Australian](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD3SkTyXzcE). ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/55 "2011-12-17T13:43:01Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > I dislike Australia’s national anthem (boring and hard to sing tune, and truly stupid lyrics), but I can’t immediately think of a replacement. Sun Arise? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/56 "2011-12-17T14:00:31Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > I dislike Australia’s national anthem (boring and hard to sing tune, and truly stupid lyrics), but I can’t immediately think of a replacement. Down Under by Men at Work? It would make the Olympics more entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/57 "2011-12-17T15:36:25Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I like some Woody Guthrie… This Land is your Land, This Land is My Land… or is that too “Godless, Homeless, 54 % Hippy” for your taste? I thought it already was the U.S. national anthem. 😕 If not, I second the nomination. On another matter, I like the idea of _Flower of Scotland_, but the lyrics are mediocre and the melody worse than mediocre. Am I the only one who feels this way, or is this the real reason the idea of Scottish Independence hasn’t taken off? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/58 "2011-12-17T16:36:29Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > On another matter, I like the idea of _Flower of Scotland_, but the lyrics are mediocre and the melody worse than mediocre. Am I the only one who feels this way, or is this the real reason the idea of Scottish Independence hasn’t taken off? I don’t like it either. It seems tricky for pipe bands to play as well, which is less than ideal for something that needs singing at internationals. ---
**Author:** ![roozie1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4da419/32.png) [@roozie1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roozie1)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/59 "2011-12-17T16:39:11Z")
for the usa i think [Billy Connelly : National Anthem - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ) ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292/60 "2011-12-17T17:06:43Z")
No anthem, I say. Just 60 seconds of total silence, John Cage style. That should be enough to unnerve anybody, and it’s a better tune than our current anthem, to boot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replace-your-national-anthem/606292.md?page=4)