# World Government Anthem **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 6, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510 "2010-03-06T05:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/21 "2010-03-06T17:13:04Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > While it is associated with America the song actually never mentions America or American institutions by name. Indeed it can be a metaphor for any struggle for freedom. It’s not exactly friendly to any religion other than Christianity, is it? ---
**Author:** ![TrunkJunk83](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@TrunkJunk83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TrunkJunk83)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/22 "2010-03-06T17:15:53Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > “[Jupiter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B49N46I39Y)”, from Holtz’s \*The Planets. \* (Especially the part beginning at 3:06). > > Either that, or the Star Wars “Imperial March”, because what the hell. [Mars](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I)… those war-mongers. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/23 "2010-03-06T17:23:21Z")
Whee! Twenty years of studying national anthems, running a [website](http://www.nationalanthems.info) on the topic, giving interviews on radio and for newspapers (two interviews yesterday alone), being a consultant for anthems for books and CDs (one set of which was used by the Athens Olympics), and my expertise is **finally** good for something! To answer the OP, you don’t want to have a one-world-government comittee come up with the anthem. Comittees never get anything done right. The closest thing we have to a “one world government” now is the UN, they have an “[unofficial anthem](http://www.nationalanthems.info/uno.htm)”, but it’s way too flowery and such, perfect example of what could go wrong. > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > You’d probably want one without words, because whatever language you write it in, you’re going to make everyone else upset that it’s not originally in THEIR language. I am in complete agreement here. [The anthem of the United Federation of Planets](http://www.nationalanthems.info/ufp.htm) (“the Federation” of Star Trek fame, if I really _have_ to explain it to this group) seems by all appearances to be wordless, and I hypothesize that it’s for that reason alone. > [@E-Sabbath](#): > > God Save The Queen with new words. It’s pretty much everyone’s anthem already. > (For Curtis, yes, even ours. Look up My Country, Tis Of Thee.) You’d be amazed at how many anthems either used it as an anthem, or continue to use it. Besides the UK, off the top of my head I can think of Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Russia, and the US, I’m positive there’s more. > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > While it is associated with America the song actually never mentions America or American institutions by name. Indeed it can be a metaphor for any struggle for freedom. You may be right, Curtis, but it is way too closely tied with the US to be so. And, as someone else pointed out, the imagery may not be overtly American, but it _is_ overtly Christian. I’d ask if you realize that there are others who aren’t Christian (in fact, they outnumber us Christians), but, knowing your posting history, I know what kind of one world government _you’re_ thinking of, and for _your_ one world government, only a Christian imagery hymn will do, I suppose … ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/24 "2010-03-06T18:36:11Z")
As militant as it is, it would be highly inappropriate as the anthem of any world-wide government not built by conquest. A single government covering all people would have no external enemies, and wouldn’t, if they didn’t wish to seem oppressive, want to advertise its ability to militarily crush internal dissent. And, of course, talking about freedom makes it less appropriate for those that are OK with looking oppressive. Now, I CAN see a situation under which it would be appropriate - the US conquering the rest of the world under the guise of ‘freeing them’ from ‘oppressive regimes’…starting, probably, with the actual oppressive regimes in the Middle East, then onto other oppressive nations (China, North Korea, various African republics)…but then expanding into other nations that can be spun as ‘not so free’, even if they’re not oppressive. The conquered nations start as protectorates…but as the invading continues, they begin to treat them like subject states, including conscripting soldiers to defend their ‘freedom’ from all those other countries who object to this campaign of ‘liberation’… And so it goes. An interesting concept for fiction, but not an idea I’d think one would want to promote as an ideal. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/25 "2010-03-06T18:42:16Z")
Come up with a viable plan for a peaceful, harmonious state shared by Jews and Arabs. THEN get back to me about a one-world state. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/26 "2010-03-06T18:46:59Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Why? 😕 Because you are the epitome of the precocious kid, who has facile and predictable opinions and is really, really certain about it. With no experience of life, at all. There’s nothing wrong with that though lad, pretty much everyone here was as certain about _stuff_ when they were your age. You are obviously well read, and I no longer think that you are a troll (or you are the best one I’ve ever encountered 😉 ), but with age comes a certain perspective, if not wisdom. I recommend reading a bit more widely than you seem to be doing at the moment. ETA if you want to start a thread, I’ll contribute stuff you should read Curtis. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/27 "2010-03-06T18:53:43Z")
I’d be willing to accept [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1d2a2JyEdw&feature=related)version, though. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/28 "2010-03-06T19:00:44Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Because you are the epitome of the precocious kid, who has facile and predictable opinions and is really, really certain about it. With no experience of life, at all. > > There’s nothing wrong with that though lad, pretty much everyone here was as certain about _stuff_ when they were your age. You are obviously well read, and I no longer think that you are a troll (or you are the best one I’ve ever encountered 😉 ), but with age comes a certain perspective, if not wisdom. I recommend reading a bit more widely than you seem to be doing at the moment. > > ETA if you want to start a thread, I’ll contribute stuff you should read Curtis. In other words - you’re smart, kid, and you know stuff, but you don’t know enough to know how much you don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/29 "2010-03-06T19:01:29Z")
How about [The Green Hills Of Earth?](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833933/posts) Non milataristic, and never been translated into a non-Terran language. Bonus for LeMay–the link is the FreeRepublic! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/30 "2010-03-06T19:02:59Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > “[Jupiter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B49N46I39Y)”, from Holtz’s \*The Planets. \* (Especially the part beginning at 3:06). :eek: Would you believe that this is the _exact_ piece I was coming in to suggest? Partially because I had a _similar idea for part of a story setting?_ That part of the song is actually called “[Thaxted](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaxted_%28tune%29),” and Holst later adapted it to use with the poem ["I Vow to Thee, My Country](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Vow_to_Thee,_My_Country). Sung version [here.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MG27BKwjaI&feature=related) Sarah Brightman actually did a song called “[Running](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NObwh3YTk7U)” a couple of years ago that uses the melody at the start and finish—the middle section goes into sort of a techno-bit, which while neat enough, doesn’t really lend itself to an anthem—though with different lyrics. The lyrics of the original, however, would work pretty well as a world anthem with just minor alterations (“Lessie…‘A Vow to Thee, My [del]Country[/del] Planet.’ Yep, woiks for me, boss. Send it to the printers!”), or you could write something new. A beautiful choice, overall. Probably my first pick. …of course, if _I_ were forming a World Government, I’d probably just end up using [this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0TzUNti3rY) Though I’m not sure how well it’d work with a brass band. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/31 "2010-03-06T19:27:16Z")
[One we could never, ever forget.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxvlKp-76io) 😃 Also, if we were ever attacked by Zorklonians from beyond the moon, our soldiers wouldn’t be afraid to die. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/32 "2010-03-06T19:34:42Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > You’d be amazed at how many anthems either used it as an anthem, or continue to use it. Besides the UK, off the top of my head I can think of Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Russia, and the US, I’m positive there’s more. (God Save the Queen) I wouldn’t! I suspect you could pile most of the former Colonies in as well, but the point of the non-British Hegemony using it is worth adding. That’s why it’s got my vote. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/33 "2010-03-06T19:36:19Z")
[Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsFvnL7e1cE) Please excuse the fact that the video is out of sync with the sound. Yes, this piece of music has words, but they’re about happiness achieved through unity. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/34 "2010-03-06T21:10:11Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > [Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsFvnL7e1cE) > > Please excuse the fact that the video is out of sync with the sound. > > Yes, this piece of music has words, but they’re about happiness achieved through unity. [Europe](http://www.nationalanthems.info/eur.htm) already uses that (without words). ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/35 "2010-03-06T21:31:16Z")
2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny” possibly changing it to "We So Horny’ to give it an international flair… ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/36 "2010-03-06T21:47:51Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > You’d be amazed at how many anthems either used it as an anthem, or continue to use it. Besides the UK, off the top of my head I can think of Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Russia, and the US, I’m positive there’s more. Well, to be technical, it’s Norway’s _royal_ anthem, which is quite a different beast than the national anthem. I’ve sung “Ja vi elsker” what feels like a thousand times, but “Kongesangen” only once, at a concert when the King entered the auditorium – and I didn’t feel bad about not remembering the words because no one else could either. Hey, I remembered the tune, and that put me up on at least half the Norwegians present 😛 (Conversation with another American, sitting next to me, after the song was finished: “Psst, flodnak, where’s the King?” “That was him coming in. The tall bald guy.” “He doesn’t look like a king.” “Well, what did you expect a king to look like?” “Almost, but not quite, exactly unlike him.”) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/37 "2010-03-06T21:59:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Battle Hymn of the Republic, while a great tune, a great march and a great hymn, is much too Christian and much, \*much \*too American to be a global anthem. As you obviously know. Assuming everything Curtis LeMay says about himself is true, it seems likely that he is not yet able to appreciate that. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/38 "2010-03-06T23:08:53Z")
I think there is merit to the suggestion of new music, without baggage associated with it, and strictly instrumental. If there are words, I’d like to see words modeled more on “America the Beautiful” rather than “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Words talking about beauty and peace and diversity and looking to the future with hope. Words about God could play a small role, but should be carefully chosen to not too strongly emphasize any one religious tradition. Although, if the reason for the One World Government was a pressing threat from some other world or something, then I would be willing to reconsider something like “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Still not my first choice, but allowable as a fight song (and fun as a hymn–to a point) ---
**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:** [March 6, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/39 "2010-03-06T23:24:43Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > In other words - you’re smart, kid, and you know stuff, but you don’t know enough to know how much you don’t know. Aye, basically. Seems like a good lad though, needs to engage his considerable brain a bit beyond his current scope though. Mind you he’s only 13, and it’ll be girls soon. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/40 "2010-03-07T00:34:13Z")
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