It’s patriotic without being jingoistic, calls for national defense without being belligerent (like the boot in your ass song) and it’s not too long.
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
For the U.S. I’d vote for America the Beautiful. I’d veto “God Bless America” or “God Bless the U.S.A.”
I second standingwave’s admiration for “O Canada”. That is a beautiful and stirring song.
For Australia I’d recommend “Waltzing Matilda”.
On behalf of my adopted homeland, thank you. I would also not mess with Canada’s excellent national anthem.
As a Brit I totally loathe and despise God save the Queen, the biggest pile of rhino shit ever put over as a work of music.
As an Englishman the anthem for England should be either Jerusalem, or I vow to thee my country, though in a poll done in recent years Land of Hope and Glory was the most popular choice, which personally I think is dire.
Its quite obvious that the aggressor in World War II were the Axis powers but World War I was a far more morally greyer conflict.
“Deutschlandlied” is already the national anthem albeit just the third stanza and the song does not mention war or battle at all (ironically the Nazis also only used the first stanza because they didn’t like the calls for freedom in the third). And “Die Wacht Am Rhein” is no more militaristic then the “Marseillae” or our own national anthem.
Anyways this thread is tongue-in-cheek. And I’m not telling Germans this, I’m just stating my preferences.
You can’t think of a replacement? 'Cos I think your old unofficial song, “Waltzing Matilda,” is instantly recognizable as Aussie.
But if we’re nominating prog-pop songs, you could try something like Midnight Oil’s “Bullroarer”–'cos their “One Country”, while I love it, is probably too complex or particular or something.
“I’m So Bored with the USA” — Clash
O Canada!
Land of Guy Lapointe!
Like Buffalo without as many plants.
The Eskimo and Quebecois,
Your people are so queer!
Where freezing rain and driving snow
Fall to the ground all year.
Please say, “hello,” to Santa Claus!
O Canada, you have Labatt’s.
O Canada, you have Labatt’s.
The Argentinian National Anathem could be replaced by:
Costumbres Argentinas by Los Abuelos de la Nada.
Anathem from my heart, also from Abuelos de la Nada.
Or by Charly Garcia´s version.
Couldn’t she just sing “God Save Meeeee …”?
Springsteen’s Born in the USA. That or his Born to Run; that’d liven up those Olympics awards ceremonies a bit.
Have you listened to the lyrics of Born in the USA? I don’t think I’d want to use that one. My nomination is Paul Simon’s American Tune. I am posting from an iPod so I can’t link it right now, but it’s easy enough to find on YouTube.
Oh yes, I have indeed listened to the lyrics, hehehe. My nomination stands, thank you very much.