What Would Make a Better National Anthem?

[Starpaul20]

Born in the U.S.A.

[Free Bird]

One of my most passionate political positions is that the national anthem should be the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

     I'm heartened by the support for Battle Hymn of the Republic, though if it ever became a serious possibility I suspect that the extremely Christian bent of the lyrics would become a sticking point.

We could always use the original lyrics. That might piss off the opposite group of people, though.

Wait I thought there was only one set of lyrics

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Also could someone explain the Manifest Destiny innuendos in ATB? I'm not seeing it.

It puts forward the Westward expansion as the march of freedom in the wilderness, which seems to erase the existence of Native peoples across the continent and their own complicated history of freedom.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Born in the U.S.A.

That song is not meant to be patriotic lol.

[Santander]

Born in the U.S.A.

That song is not meant to be patriotic lol.

Being critical of America is not necessarily unpatriotic. (The Boss is obviously a patriot and a good Democrat)

Of course, not really appropriate for a national anthem.

[hurricanehink]

Update the anthem every decade, and designate one for the 22 decades this country has been around for. Our current one, with its roots to the Anacreonic Song, would be designated for 1806-1815. For this decade (2016-2026), I’d pick “This is America” by Childish Gambimo.

[emailking]

I like the Star Spangled Banner. The 2nd and 3rd stanzas have some issues, but the first stanza is fine.

I can't imagine a sporting event starting with any of the other songs.

[Indy Texas]

The sensible choice is, of course, Auferstanden Aus Ruinen with American-specific lyrics.

But barring that, America the Beautiful is the most appropriate.

[Koharu]

Battle Hymn of the Republic is much too religious to be the national anthem. America the Beautiful for the win. Star Spangled Banner is a dumb song, hard to sing, and about the flag (and war), not the country itself.

[Technocracy Timmy]

Team America theme song

[Crumpets]

Battle Hymn of the Republic is much too religious to be the national anthem. America the Beautiful for the win. Star Spangled Banner is a dumb song, hard to sing, and about the flag (and war), not the country itself.

Generally agree with this. The Star-Spangled banner has the problem of really only making sense if you sing all the verses. We only ever sing the first verse, so we never get to learn if that star-spangled banner yet waves o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. Plus, nobody in the last 200 years has any kind of personal connection to the battle of Fort McHenry.

As much as I'm a staunch secularist, I tend to think having to sing about the glory of Christ's bosom would be a small price to pay for getting 30,000 people to belt out "Glory glory hallelujah!" at the top of their lungs with accompanying cannon fire to kick off a baseball game.

This Land is Your Land resonates a lot with me today given the state of the country, particularly the line about "on the other side it didn't say nothing, and that side was made for you and me." Plus it would be great to have the national anthem be the product of an anti-fascist activist from Oklahoma.

America the Beautiful, even with its religious imagery would probably be my top choice. It is not explicitly Christian, and there are a lot of variations of it that could be selected and performed differently for different occasions. If anyone ever performed the Star-Spangled banner at its original pace, it would be a lot less dreary.

And one other note, for the infinite list of things wrong with the Confederacy, if it had achieved independence, "Oh I wish I was in Dixie" would have been a top-notch national anthem. Imagine the Olympic medal ceremonies...

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Team America theme song

oh HELL YES

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

https://youtu.be/NixVasatx0k

[Green Line]

God Bless the USA, and if thats not available I would settle for God Bless America.

[PPT Spiral]

This is Dildoween

Thank you for making me laugh.

[Thunder98 🇮🇱 🤝 🇵🇸]

Battle Hymn of the Republic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy6AOGRsR80

[emailking]

Battle Hymn of the Republic is much too religious to be the national anthem. America the Beautiful for the win. Star Spangled Banner is a dumb song, hard to sing, and about the flag (and war), not the country itself.

Generally agree with this. The Star-Spangled banner has the problem of really only making sense if you sing all the verses. We only ever sing the first verse, so we never get to learn if that star-spangled banner yet waves o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. Plus, nobody in the last 200 years has any kind of personal connection to the battle of Fort McHenry.

I see it metaphorically. Through our freedom and patriotism, we can overcome any challenge.

[gottsu]

America the Beautiful is really nice.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Born in the U.S.A.

That song is not meant to be patriotic lol.

I'm from New Jersey. It's usually my purpose to remind people of that, but thanks for taking that one over anyway.

Anyway, "America the Beautiful" is probably the best and most meaningful of our nation's songs.

[Ban my account ffs!]

John Brown's Body (or ahem... Battle Hymn of the Republic)

Old John Brown's body lies moldering in the grave,
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save;
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave,
His soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

John Brown was a hero, undaunted, true and brave,
And Kansas knows his valor when he fought her rights to save;
Now, tho the grass grows green above his grave,
His soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

He captured Harper's Ferry, with his nineteen men so few,
And frightened "Old Virginny" till she trembled thru and thru;
They hung him for a traitor, they themselves the traitor crew,
But his soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

John Brown was John the Baptist of the Christ we are to see,
Christ who of the bondmen shall the Liberator be,
And soon thruout the Sunny South the slaves shall all be free,
For his soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

The conflict that he heralded he looks from heaven to view,
On the army of the Union with its flag red, white and blue.
And heaven shall ring with anthems o'er the deed they mean to do,
For his soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

Ye soldiers of Freedom, then strike, while strike ye may,
The death blow of oppression in a better time and way,
For the dawn of old John Brown has brightened into day,
And his soul is marching on.

(Chorus)

Let's make this our national anthem!

[AndyHogan14]

I'll take America the Beautiful.

Also My Country Tis of Thee is the worst option and easily the worst "American" patriotic song.

And why's that

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen!

[Skunk]

Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus.