Half in jest, half seriously… I’m not a fan of the SSB, but I don’t expect R&RII will replace it.
Picking a real replacement – I’d go with “This Land is Our Land”. Woodie Guthrie wrote and sang it. For a long time it was denounced as “communist”, maybe it still is for all I know. Great song, though.
Actually it was written by two guys named C. Midnight and D. Hartman. And James Brown has had some scrapes with the law, but this is the first I’ve heard of any pedophilia. **
[/QUOTE]
Whoa, that’s a relief! Seriously, I was all ready to get really upset because I thought you guys were dissin’ my man Francis Scott Key. I had a big crush on him when I was a little kid… okay, I still do. (I saw an engraving of him at my grandmother’s house when I was like six and was smitten forever after, heh.) 
I think “The Maine Stein Song” would make a great national anthem, though it’d need new lyrics.
It’s about halfway down this page:
http://www.laurasmidiheaven.com/Sports-Schools.shtml
Dignified yet peppy, and easy to sing!
As regards existing anthems, I like Italy’s the best.
How about The Clash’s “I’m So Bored With The USA”?
No?
George III was a tyrant and cruel king? He was sort of prudish, and stubborn, and as he got older he started talking to furniture, but I don’t know that he was particularly cruel.
Haven’t you ever read the list of all the mean and nasty things he did in the Declaration of Independence?
What, not an objective enough source?
“To Anacreon in Heav’n” is a lousy tune. (Hee hee, Cornflakes. I nominate something with some funk in the trunk, like “One Nation Under A Groove” by Parliament/Funkadelic.
I like the SSB just fine as the National Anthem. But I must admit that I wouldn’t be disappointed if we all came to an unstated agreement not to actually singit–it works a lot better as an instrumental.
**Jackmannii <<<I like the anthem we’ve got. I just wish we didn’t feature it before every ballgame, to be interpreted/mutilated by various cranks.
If we’ve just gotta have a new one, I nominate “Fanfare For The Common Man” by Aaron Copland. It’s a sensational instrumental work by an authentic American great and even after hearing it plenty of times it still sends chills up my spine.>>>**
Thought you might like to know that Mrs. Heap and I used this as our wedding song. Absolutely beeeeeyyyooootiful.
Also, cornflakes, I thought that was hysterical.
I’m not for dropping The Star-Spangled Banner; I find it stirring, and I like both the words and the music. Yes, it’s a bear to sing, but so many good things are difficult.
If we had to drop it, though, I’d push for Mainstream USA by They Might Be Giants. My favorite part:
Mainstream USA,
I flipped that guy the bird.
Mainstream USA,
That’s all I wanna say.
It’s a brash, obnoxious, and largely incoherent song. Beats the hell out of God Bless America, which I never could stand.
Another favorite national anthem is France’s Les Marseillaise. Like The Star-Spangled Banner, its lyrics and music are both stirring. The bit about the gutters running with the blood of the impure is simply spectacular. Its verses are all brimming with passion and the tune is rousing. On second thought, if we have to change our national anthem, let’s use that one!
>> The bit about the gutters running with the blood of the impure is simply spectacular.
You gotta be kidding. You ever hear of Political correctness? They had to rename the Washington Bullets because the name was too violent.
>> On second thought, if we have to change our national anthem, let’s use that one!
Does it come with the “vin rouge”? Ok then.
If we get a new anthem, I don’t care what it is as long as Lee Greenwood is in no way connected to it.
BTW: Hey Canada, what’s with this “Oh Christmas Tree” stuff anyhow?
Perhaps the theme to “The Dukes of Hazzard” would be appropriate. As a bonus at sporting events, the crowd would have to shout “yeeha!” at the end.