“Warlike lyrics?” Really? Are they as bad as these?
Oh, for a minute I thought you meant this song Power & Glory
How about New World Man?
DARN IT! We invented Rock & Roll! Why don’t we use it?
It’s a bit aggressive, but if everyone learned the words to American Idiot and sang it at the head of every sporting event perhaps we could rescue ourselves from the role of “has-been head clown of the international circus” and focus on kicking our addiction to cerebral novacaine.
No? Oh. Another vote for [America The Beautiful](America the Beautiful) then. Same message, gentler nudge.
That’s “La Marseillaise”, right?
I love this one, too, but every time I hear it since 9/11/01, I mentally change “Undimmed” to “Now dimmed”. Sorry.
I’m well aware of the attempt to annex Canada. I’m even aware that the official casus belli was effectively an excuse to try to annex Canada.
Are you going to claim, however, that having the Royal Navy taking U.S. sailors into effective slavery is not a legitimate casus belli? In order for one side or the other to be bad guys someone has to be the good guys. I can’t make the RN’s behavior fit that image, sorry. ETA: The Canadians may have been “good guys,” but they didn’t exist as a separate entity - they were part of the British Empire. Of which the RN was the naval military arm.
Wrong thread to argue about it.
If we had to change it, I’d vote for America the Beautiful, mostly because America shares the tune with God Save the Queen. I think we could well keep TSSB, but can we please pass a rule outlawing its use as a performance piece for every half-baked singer who wants to get “expressive”? Let’s just go back to an instrumental version with everyone in the place singing along.
For every Roseanne Barr, you get a Jimi Hendrix.
I have to agree with those who want to keep TSSB. Yeah, it’s a weird melody, and doesn’t “flow” as well as a lot of the more popular little ditties mentioned here but . . .
It’s so unique, subtle and different. Every other country’s national anthem is some version of:
“Our country is great!
Long live it!
We stand behind it!
It’s different from other countries!
Yay <insert country name here>”
I LOVE that TSSB is more nuanced and less blatant and insipid and jingoistic. I agree that changing it would contribute to, as one poster said above, “the dumbing down of America.”
Also, Battle Hymn of the Republic? How is that even remotely appropriate?
Gestalt
I just think that a gentle nudge to “confirm thy soul in self-control” and “thy liberty in law” would a lot of us a lot of good. Not that I’ve got a problem with bombs bursting in air and such.
I found this on youtube and thought some of you might find it interesting.
Yep.
Which proves that a truly kick-ass tune can sell just about any lyrics.
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society.
Amen! That’s exactly what I was thinking of and who should sing it.
This is one of the stupidest assertions I’ve ever seen here, and that’s saying something.
On the Russian Front of WWII, which one was the “good guy” – Adolf Hitler or Josef Stalin?
That’s hilarious!
And I submit this~
Actually, I like TSSB just fine & wish we’d sing the whole thing more often. It takes till Verse Four to mention God.
Why do you say that?
This land is our land?
OK how about This Land is Your Land
and this verse they didn’t teach you in grade school
As I was walking
I saw a sign there
and on the sign it said
no tresspassing
and on the other side of the sign
it didn’t say nuttin
THAT side was made for you and me
This land is YOUR Land
This land is MY Land
(it’s a communist song)
It was written as a response to God Bless America and it included the phrase ‘Did God Bless America for me?’
I love this song, in it’s original uncensored form, but it’s a lousy anthem.
Can you imagine standing up on the top step after winning olympic gold and hearing that?
TSBB was written by a lawyer! Perfect for America! It stole, I mean assimulated the tune from somewhere else! Perfect for America!
It is the ultimate one hit wonder.