# Speaking of National Anthems **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411 "2016-11-29T21:32:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/21 "2016-11-30T16:15:40Z")
> [@greenmario](#): > > It might be more appropriate for 4th of July BBQs but God Bless the USA is my go-to when feeling patriotic … Or when you’re on the road in your 18-wheeler a-talkin’ on the CB. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/22 "2016-11-30T16:19:38Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > It’s “Hail, Columbia” (usually with a comma, and different spelling, and no exclamation point) and as it happens, it’s still the official march of the Vice President (as “Hail to the Chief” is for the President). > > [Hail, Columbia - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail,_Columbia) The spelling was a typo that slipped by; thanks for bringing it to my attention. **DUH!** :smack: “Hail” doesn’t necessarily require a comma (cf. “Hail Victory! Hail the Fuehrer!”), and there were few such conventions in Federalist days anyway. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/23 "2016-11-30T16:25:27Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I recommend the theme from _Hawaii 5-0_. I know it doesn’t have lyrics. I don’t care. Don Ho’s version: Sammy Davis's version: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wn06KJNbVEs/hqdefault.jpg "Sammy Davis Jr. Sings the theme from "Hawaii Five-O"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn06KJNbVEs) ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/24 "2016-11-30T16:28:11Z")
I could get behind _America, Fuck Yeah_. Barring that, I’ll nominate Phil Ochs _[Power and Glory.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9a4fFYAFfc)_ ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/25 "2016-11-30T22:42:38Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I grew up right next to SF, on the sunny border, and have never heard this song in my life. . . In 1984 Dianne Feinstein (then mayor of San Francisco) and Quentin Kopp (a supervisor) had a disagreement over what should be the city’s official song. Feinstein wanted it to be “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” while Kopp wanted it to be “San Francisco.” They compromised by making the latter the official song, and the former the official ballad. In 1989 the cast of Beach Blanket Babylon sang “San Francisco” at Game 3 of the World Series between the A’s and Giants. As for a national anthem, how about “Stars and Stripes Forever”? The original version had no lyrics, but does an anthem need lyrics? ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/26 "2016-11-30T23:15:00Z")
I’d vote for [Living in America](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5BL4RNFr58) myself. Yeooow! Good God! ---
**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:** [November 30, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/27 "2016-11-30T23:17:51Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > There was already a perfectly good and representative song that was too unseemly. An anthem to itinerant and suicidal sheep thieves is representative? 😉 ---
**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:** [November 30, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/28 "2016-11-30T23:25:57Z")
For the melody, “America the Beatuiful” without a second thought. Lyrics? Yeah, the “foam” post above mJes a good point. I’ll still take it. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/29 "2016-12-01T00:30:15Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I grew up right next to SF, on the sunny border, and have never heard this song in my life. Why should it be important? From a random 1936 movie? For such a tiny city? The suggestion is not to honor SF specifically, just to take a pretty good sing-able tune and re-write the lyrics to expand the meaning to encompass the entire country, with such sentiments as “the place I love” and “you let no stranger wait outside your door.” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/30 "2016-12-01T01:08:58Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > In 1984 Dianne Feinstein (then mayor of San Francisco) and Quentin Kopp (a supervisor) had a disagreement over what should be the city’s official song. Feinstein wanted it to be “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” while Kopp wanted it to be “San Francisco.” They compromised by making the latter the official song, and the former the official ballad. > > In 1989 the cast of Beach Blanket Babylon sang “San Francisco” at Game 3 of the World Series between the A’s and Giants. Thanks. I’ve seen BBB, don’t remember what they played as I was very sick at the time. > [@](#): > > As for a national anthem, how about “Stars and Stripes Forever”? The original version had no lyrics, but does an anthem need lyrics? [Lisa Simpson would not be happy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddlesore_Galactica). > [@penultima\_thule](#): > > An anthem to itinerant and suicidal sheep thieves is representative? 😉 Of an Australian sense of humo(u)r, sure! > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > The suggestion is not to honor SF specifically, just to take a pretty good sing-able tune and re-write the lyrics to expand the meaning to encompass the entire country, with such sentiments as “the place I love” and “you let no stranger wait outside your door.” We recently went through an election that would seem to belie that. :dubious: ---
**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 1, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/31 "2016-12-01T02:20:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **greenmario** : > > It might be more appropriate for 4th of July BBQs but God Bless the USA is my go-to when feeling patriotic That song is actually even more anti-patriotic than “Born in the USA”, though I doubt that the singer realizes it. “If tomorrow all the things were gone I’ve fought for all my life, and I had to start all over with my children and my wife…” OK, so your children and your wife aren’t the things you’ve fought for? “still I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today, 'cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away” And the flag standing for freedom isn’t something you’ve fought for, either? What the heck _have_ you been fighting for all your life, anyway? And of course the flag standing for freedom can be taken away. The flag only has whatever meaning it’s given by us people. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/32 "2016-12-01T02:35:41Z")
My friend Rev Peyton played a pretty awesome version of the \*Star Spangled Banner \*on a National resonator with a slide at a Butler basketball game. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1JClFcW0L98/maxresdefault.jpg "National Anthem on Slide Guitar, by Rev. Peyton") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JClFcW0L98) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/33 "2016-12-01T03:02:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That song is actually even more anti-patriotic than “Born in the USA”, though I doubt that the singer realizes it. Heck, Mr. Greenwood’s piece of unbearable maudlin schmaltz must have been created by enemy agents trying to make people hate America. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/34 "2016-12-02T04:38:44Z")
I am\* not _a great fan of the lyrics, but I like that the USA’s anthem is_ musically \*distinctive. Not a march, not a dirge, but a drinking song. Makes it recognizable. Also, I agree that Australia missed a bet not officially going with ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ I know some Aussies who don’t like the song, but they already thought the rest of the country were ridiculous sinners, and really, nothing would have been lost. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/35 "2016-12-02T04:53:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > How about “This Land is Your Land”? It’s usually brought up in these threads, and I’ve always thought it was a good choice. Yeah, and let’s bring back _ **Hootenanny** _ and _ **Sing along with Mitch** _ while we’re at it! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411/36 "2016-12-02T19:09:14Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > I’ve always wanted to start a thread on this. _America the Beautiful_ is the stupidest song ever. I’m fine with the traditionally martial, sentimental, bombastic form of the tune. I call into question the structure of the lyrics as deployed in the melody. There is a rising, uplifting, most important phrasing to make the point of the beauty of the country, but right as it reaches it’s crescendo… well, just sing it with me children: > > _From the mountains, > to the valleys, > to the ocean, > white with > FOAM._ > > Seriously, the most important aspect of America is foam? Reaching for a rhyme is one thing. Mangling your verse to totally fuck up the song is quite something else. > [@pulykamell](#): > > For the melody, “America the Beatuiful” without a second thought. Lyrics? Yeah, the “foam” post above mJes a good point. I’ll still take it. Ummm, hate to break it to you guys, but “foam” does not appear in the lyrics of “America the Beautiful.” You’ve mixed it up with “God Bless America.” But I see your point. I may be in the minority here, but I have always loved the poetry of the verses of “America the Beautiful” that no one ever sings. (It was written in 1913, so is in the public domain.) > [@](#): > > O beautiful for pilgrim feet, > Whose stern impassion’d stress > A thoroughfare for freedom beat > Across the wilderness! > America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw, > Confirm thy soul in self-control, > Thy liberty in law! > > O beautiful for heroes proved > In liberating strife, > Who more than self their country loved, > And mercy more than life! > America! America! May God thy gold refine > Till all success be nobleness, > And ev’ry gain divine! > > O Beautiful for patriot dream > That sees beyond the years > Thine alabaster cities gleam, > Undimmed by human tears! > America! America! God shed His grace on thee, > And crown thy good with brotherhood > From sea to shining sea! Yes, the words are rather stilted and formal, and the syntax may be hard for some to grasp, but I think the poetry is powerful, elegant, and (except for the references to God, which would be out of place in the anthem of a country founded on the separation of church and state) expresses many appropriate American ideals. For instance, the “alabaster cities…undimmed by human tears” (a phrase I have always loved) obviously do not exist now, but are a patriot’s dream of an ideal future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-national-anthems/773411.md?page=1)