# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/81 "2010-03-09T17:11:46Z")
By way of analogy… Does the European Union even HAVE an anthem? If it does, have you ever heard any Europeans singing it? With any enthusiasm? Even in the highly unlikely event that there’s ever some kind of worldwide political authority, it will NEVER command love or loyalty or devotion from anyone anywhere in the world. At best, it will be accepted and respected as an efficient bureaucracy. But just as no Frenchman will ever sing a Europe-wide anthem with the same enthusiasm with which he sings “La Marseillaise,” there will never be a one-world anthem that anybody cares to sing. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/82 "2010-03-09T17:19:22Z")
Das Deutschlandlied. (Deutschland über alles) Or Freebird. That’s always a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/83 "2010-03-09T17:59:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > **Curtis** , would you mind stopping by and telling us what you want in a “World Anthem”? > The “serious” examples you’ve given us so far have been U.S.-centric and very Christian in nature. Are we to assume that this future government is based on some far right Christian idea? I think our young friend needs to read [Job: A Comedy of Justice](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345316509) by Robert A. Heinlein. > [@Sailboat](#): > > \ **“The Consensus of UN Subcommittee 513, Promulgated through Plebiscite”** probably won’t set too many hearts aflutter. Yes, but if you set it to “Freebird”… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/84 "2010-03-09T18:31:05Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > By way of analogy… > > Does the European Union even HAVE an anthem? Yes, “Ode to Joy”. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/85 "2010-03-09T19:57:51Z")
What’s wrong with [God Save the Queen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8fLOJswWtk)? How about NIN’s “Head Like a Hole”. Either that, “Around the World”, by the Chili Peppers. Or wait, I’ve got it: “Joy to the World” (aka Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog)! ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/86 "2010-03-09T20:27:29Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The Olympic anthem – Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” – fits the bill as it has an appropriate title, there are no lyrics, and it’s already internationally known. But it has to be the Emerson, Lake & Palmer version. Or I suppose I could go for “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/87 "2010-03-09T20:43:36Z")
Fat Bottomed Girls, by Queen. Because they make the rockin’ world go 'round, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/88 "2010-03-09T21:17:39Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Suppose a world government was formed, what would you choose for it’s national anthem? (Please be serious) > > “Battle Hymn of the Republic” “Star-Spangled Banner” reworded… that or “America, F\*ck Yeah!” ---
**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 9, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/89 "2010-03-09T22:03:17Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > “Star-Spangled Banner” reworded… Perhaps you mean [To Anacreon in Heaven](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/624/was-the-melody-of-the-star-spangled-banner-taken-from-an-old-drinking-song). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/90 "2010-03-09T22:54:03Z")
Another suggestion: “[Yakko’s World](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/tv/Animaniacs/Nations.html),” from Animaniacs. Everybody gets a mention, except for Andorra, Burkina, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Cote d’Iviore, Equatorial Guinea, The Holy See, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, and Eritrea. But I’m sure somebody can write verses for them too. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/91 "2010-03-09T22:54:11Z")
The anthem of the USSR. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/92 "2010-03-10T00:03:51Z")
How about the “Empire March” from _The Empire Strikes Back?_😉 ---
**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 10, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/93 "2010-03-10T00:07:50Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Copland’s (note spelling) _Fanfare for the Common Man_ has never been associated with the Olympics as far as I know. The two main themes for the Olympics are the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” by John Williams (1984) and “Bugler’s Dream” composed by Leo Arnaud (1958). There actually _is_ an [Olympic Hymn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xio0TcKhRUI&feature=related), which ain’t too bad. ---
**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 10, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/94 "2010-03-10T05:54:46Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > How about the “Empire March” from _The Empire Strikes Back?_😉 That’s a great idea! It’s a shame I didn’t think of it! In, say, Post #5! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/95 "2010-03-10T06:14:29Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > OK guys, the reply I gave is probably the song that is actually the best known on the planet of these. > > However, I’ll tell you the real song and it even has lyrics. > > Imagine by John Lennon. > > Now smack your heads. Damn! You took my answer! The idea of World Government goes rather well with: “Imagine there’s no countries.” (And yes, I know… if there ever _was_ a World Government we’d almost definitely still have countries, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/96 "2010-03-10T14:49:08Z")
> [@Pazu](#): > > But it has to be the Emerson, Lake & Palmer version. Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s version of _Jerusalem_ is my favourite ever national anthem. I’d take it as a global anthem. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/97 "2010-03-10T15:23:18Z")
> [@Strinka](#): > > The anthem of the USSR. [That’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_national_anthem) actually an awesome, haunting tune – **way** better musically than any other national anthem I’ve ever heard, not even excepting the “Marseillais”. And they can always change the words. (The Russians did, several times in the Soviet period, and again when they made it the anthem of post-Soviet Russia.) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/98 "2010-03-13T04:48:15Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Might as well use “Marching Through Georgia.” It’s a rousing tune, but the lyrics (once translated) would offend a whole other group of Georgians, too! It also uses the term “darkies”. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Please describe the type of government we are writing this song for, and the language it will be sung in. A democracy of some sort (be it a presidential republic like America or a parliamentary one) and I would like English as the world’s lingua franca. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > **Curtis** , would you mind stopping by and telling us what you want in a “World Anthem”? A rousing, patriotic, slightly militaristic song. > [@](#): > > The “serious” examples you’ve given us so far have been U.S.-centric and very Christian in nature. Are we to assume that this future government is based on some far right Christian idea? No. > [@Spoons](#): > > Another suggestion: “[Yakko’s World](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/tv/Animaniacs/Nations.html),” from Animaniacs. > > Everybody gets a mention, except for Andorra, Burkina, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Cote d’Iviore, Equatorial Guinea, The Holy See, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, and Eritrea. > > But I’m sure somebody can write verses for them too. Well some of the country names are outdated (ie Kampuchea) but it makes some sense. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/99 "2010-03-13T05:04:59Z")
Absolutely, positively [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavMtUWDBTM). Or Holst’s _Saturn_ starting at 3:06. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510/100 "2010-03-13T05:09:34Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > A democracy of some sort (be it a presidential republic like America or a parliamentary one) and I would like English as the world’s lingua franca. I think the important question is whether it is to be unitary or federal, and, if federal, how much variation it will allow in the forms of government of constituent states. > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > A rousing, patriotic, slightly militaristic song. Wait, you’re describing the kind of anthem that makes people proud of their country **as against other countries.** Not the message we want in the anthem of a world-state, the whole point of which is that it includes the whole world and we’re all in it together and there are no foreigners – and no wars, either, so why should it be militaristic? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-government-anthem/531510.md?page=6)