we need a new national anthem so post suggestions

[struggle4progress]

[Brickbat]

1. This Land Is Your Land -- as long as it's the entire song.

[struggle4progress]

2. Geronimo's great-grand-daughter told me she would refuse to sing it

[Brickbat]

18. Fair enough.

[Hortensis]

50. I like it. Inclusive, singable. On my list. Lyrics below.

This Land Is Your Land
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

[LWolf]

59. Why?

Of existing songs, this one would be my choice.

Or, we could simply write a new one. I'm afraid, though, that any national anthem I wrote would be vicious.

[zipplewrath]

3. Born in the USA

Of course, most folks don't actually listen to the words.

The problems with national anthems is they tend to ignore the realities of the past, or present, and basically express politically based goals for the future.

[Javaman]

60. +1. It has always been my favorite.

Never understood how an Anthem glorifying war was ever a good idea.

[Travis_0004]

4. You are proposing a song in Spanish???

[struggle4progress]

5. I don't know any Spanglish or Chinglish songs

[jberryhill]

57. The country's motto is in Latin

[PJMcK]

85. That's what they speak in Latin America, right?

(wink!)

[jberryhill]

91. Well, duh, of course

[johnp3907]

6. The Blasters--"American Music."

[ghostsinthemachine]

26. There ya go

Huge Blasters, Alvin brothers fan.

[Javaman]

61. Damn, I love that song and The Blasters. :) nt

[ManiacJoe]

7. What is the judging criteria for "better"?

[Ilsa]

8. I love the second one. It might not be secular enough,

Though.

I also like This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful.

[Jim Beard]

45. America the Beautiful gets my vote too!

[Hortensis]

51. On the list as possible, but badly flawed due to religious content.

It's a shame, but "God" is in every verse in every version.

[Motley13]

76. America the Beautiful

[GulfCoast66]

9. The current one

Is just fine.

[struggle4progress]

84. It's an unsingable boozing tune

[Retrograde]

87. That's because no one ever looks past the first verse

it is, IMHO, seriously bad poetry, even by early 19th century standards. And after going for some watered-down La Marseilles sentiments in the 3rd verse it ends with "Then conquer we must for our cause it is just/And this be our motto In God is our trust" (I'm quoting from memory here)

And it's unsingable unless one has a several octave range or is not completely sober.

[GulfCoast66]

88. I like it even better now...

I will make sure I am drunk when singing it

I think we may as well leave it as everyone agrees it is a tough song to sing. But at least the agree.😄

If we change it the song we pick will make lots of people unhappy as everyone will have their own favorite.

And since the hands down favorite for it's replacement would be 'God Bless America' which some liberals would have a problem with.

Have a great weekend.

[ghostsinthemachine]

10. U.S. Blues, Grateful Dead

Red and white,
Blue suede shoes
I'm Uncle Sam,
How do you do?

[Buzz cook]

93. You beat me to it nt

nt

[Lochloosa]

11. My suggestion.

https://m.

[hunter]

12. Cyndi Lauper -- Money Changes Everything

They shake your hand and they smile
And they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends
We'll stick with you till the end
Ah but everybody's only
Looking out for themselves
And you say well who can you trust
I'll tell you it's just
Nobody else's money

Money changes everything
Money changes everything
We think we know what we're doin'
We don't pull the strings
It's all in the past now
Money changes everything

Isn't that exactly how our political system works?

[AngryAmish]

68. The Brains

[hunter]

74. Thanks!

[doc03]

13. Trump's new nation anthem

[Revanchist]

73. more like this

[doc03]

80. That's good. I was thinking, how high is this wall going

to be? They make different length ladders. How deep underground? I am sure they could dig a couple feet deeper.
Hasn't he heard of airplanes and boats?

[Heeeeers Johnny]

14. My vote

And it's easy to sing even for the most vocally challenged.

[63splitwindow]

15. Gotta listen to the words, all of them...

[KMOD]

16. Sly & The Family Stone,

Everyday People

[Purveyor]

17. uh nope. The one we have is just fine thank you. eom

[Doc_Technical]

19. Anything by J.S. Sousa

"The Liberty Bell"
"Washington Post"
"Hands Across the Sea" etc.

I also like the music of "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean"
but those ridiculous lyrics have to go!

[SeattleVet]

34. I'd have to ask that we absolutely avoid 'The Liberty Bell'...

Back when I was in the Air Force some high-ranking officer requested a full-on retirement ceremony when he completed his 30 years, with marching formations and all the pomp and crap.

He also had music.

Imagine, if you will, a parade ground with full formations of Airmen, in dress blues, standing at attention while the opening notes of 'The Liberty Bell' wafted over the parade ground.

A good portion of the troops in the formations were in their 20's.

The year was 1975.

As the music started, we all immediately recognized it as the theme from 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'.

Cut to a few hundred (mostly younger) people, in dress uniforms, standing at attention, mostly with shoulders shuddering and making choking sounds as we all tried to keep from bursting out laughing, while the (older) officers on the reviewing stand had no freaking idea whatsoever what we were all finding so funny.

A British comedy show from 40 years ago has made it impossible for this piece of music to ever be heard, without expecting a big giant paper cutout foot to be coming down at any moment, with a fart sound.

[Hortensis]

52. Lol. Great story. I had gone to look for lyrics, and that

was an interesting if mostly worthless search. Here's one version that would be hard to get through without the crowd breaking down:

LIBERTY BELL

If you want some fun and get a history lesson too?

You want the Liberty Bell to ring you got to pull the rope.
You want to make it go ?ring a ding? you got to have some hope
You want the Liberty bell to sing you got to pull the cord
So ring a little bit more than you can afford (you can afford)

You're wondering what this song is all about
You've never been closer now to finding out
So lean a little bit nearer now, and listen my dear
I'll tell you what you really need to hear

Maybe you think I want to pull your chain?
[That really could only mean that I'm insane}
But that wouldn't be the way your trust to gain.
So come a little bit closer, now, and open your ear.
I'll tell you what I think you need to hear.

TRIO
Grab that rope and give the thing a pull
Emotions then will make your eyes feel full
You may not think that you'll be on the brink
Of making noise you'll hear forever
Ringing in your ears; you better
Grab that cord and give the thing a jerk
Cause if you don't that bell ain't gonna work
It may be cracked, but when the clapper?s whacked
The sound will give your mouth the urge to cheer!

(Dogfight)
The Liberty Bell (the Liberty bell)
The Liberty Bell (the Liberty Bell)
The Liberty Bell, The Liberty Bell, it's in Pennsylvania
(The one that's in)
The Liberty Bell (the Liberty bell)
The Liberty Bell (the Liberty Bell)
The Liberty Bell, The Liberty Bell that's in Philadelphia
(The one that's in)
They're keeping it in Convention Hall
You'll it's hanging right inside the Mall
You better get your ass in gear and make some music we can hear

So grab a hold and give the rope a tug
And then you'll want to give yourself a hug
It feels so good to do the things you should
You'll never want to hear the ring of
Any other ringin? thing

I bet you'll want to ring the Bell again
It sounds just like the one they call Big Ben
So give a yank, you'll have yourself to thank
You'll feel so good you'll do it twice and then
You'll never stop. (Stop!)


Read more: http://www.letssingit.com/edison-grand-concert-band-lyrics-the-liberty-bell-march-c94p88s#ixzz4J5otdGwd
LetsSingIt - Your favorite Music Community

[megahertz]

20. For Those About to Rock, We Salute You - AC/DC. It immediately came to mind.

Why not. It has some unifying lyrics:


Stand up and be counted
For what you are about to receive

(encourages a feeling of belonging, while recognizing the individual. "we're all in this together." also: gratefulness.)

For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you

(rocking out is an easy and fun way to show your patriotism)

We rock at dawn on the front line

(our troops are badass!)

The sky's a-light with the guitar bite
Heads will roll and rock tonight

(rather poetic, and much less violent than "the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air&quot

We're just a battery for hire with a guitar fire
Ready and aimed at you

(shows appropriate assertiveness, i.e. "don't mess with America&quot

Pick up your balls and load up your cannon

(encourages a return to our Founding Fathers' idea of weaponry, which is not an AK-47)


The 21-Gun Salute at the end is pure America!

[NanceGreggs]

21. We "need" a new national anthem?

Since when?

[NuclearDem]

23. Since some delicate flower got triggered by the one we have now.

Specifically by a verse that virtually nobody knows, much less considers as integral part of their American citizenship.

[Purveyor]

35. Getting rather pathetic now, isn't it... eom

[Hekate]

43. Omg. Please tell me where that was. The Star Spangled Banner is hard to sing....

That's always been its main problem -- the tune is out of most people's range.

Personally I can take or leave the bombs bursting in air, but at least we are not calling on our countrymen to water the furrows of our land with the impure blood of our enemies.

[LanternWaste]

81. It's quite fun to trivialize the concerns of others as you did.

It's quite fun to trivialize the concerns of others as you did. It also gives us the additional, though often undeserved pretense of cleverness in regards to citizenship.

[NuclearDem]

97. Their concerns were trivial.

Some people just look for things to be offended by. I'm going to reward that behavior.

[struggle4progress]

86. Star-Spangled Bigotry

JASON JOHNSON
Posted: July 4, 2016

... Of particular note was Key’s opposition to the idea of the Colonial Marines. The Marines were a battalion of runaway slaves who joined with the British Royal Army in exchange for their freedom. The Marines were not only a terrifying example of what slaves would do if given the chance, but also a repudiation of the white superiority that men like Key were so invested in.

... around Aug. 24, 1815, at the Battle of Bladensburg, where Key, who was serving as a lieutenant at the time, ran into a battalion of Colonial Marines. His troops were taken to the woodshed by the very black folks he disdained, and he fled back to his home in Georgetown to lick his wounds. The British troops, emboldened by their victory in Bladensburg, then marched into Washington, D.C., burning the Library of Congress, the Capitol Building and the White House ...

A few weeks later, in September of 1815, far from being a captive, Key was on a British boat begging for the release of one of his friends, a doctor named William Beanes. Key was on the boat waiting to see if the British would release his friend when he observed the bloody battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Sept. 13, 1815. America lost the battle but managed to inflict heavy casualties on the British in the process. This inspired Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” right then and there, but no one remembers that he wrote a full third stanza decrying the former slaves who were now working for the British army ...

... Key was saying that the blood of all the former slaves and “hirelings” on the battlefield will wash away the pollution of the British invaders. With Key still bitter that some black soldiers got the best of him a few weeks earlier, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is as much a patriotic song as it is a diss track to black people who had the audacity to fight for their freedom ...

http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2016/07/star-spangled-bigotry-the-hidden-racist-history-of-the-national-anthem/

[Old and In the Way]

22. Simple Song of Freedom - Bobby Darin

https://www.google.com/search?q=simple+song+of+freedom&oq=simple+song+of+fr&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.14610j0j4&client=tablet-android-sprint-us&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[MohRokTah]

24. I'll stick to the current anthem as it is just fine.

[Waldorf]

25. I think the current one is fine. I'll pass on suggestions. n/t

[msongs]

27. "we're bringing the war back home" - firesign theater, since the USA is a war loving society nt

[jmowreader]

28. In this day and age, there can only be one answer

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

71. Yeah, the theme song from the Team America movie was the first one I thought of too

I think it is the song this country deserves right now, especially if Trump gets elected.

[Retrograde]

29. The Grateful Dead's US Blues

"Red and white, blue suede shoes, I'm Uncle Sam, how do you do?
Gimme five, I'm still alive, ain't no luck, I learned to duck.
Check my pulse, it don't change. Stay seventy-two come shine or rain.
Wave the flag, pop the bag, rock the boat, skin the goat.
Wave that flag, wave it wide and high.
Summertime done, come and gone, my, oh, my."


I'll settle for America the Beautiful, though - as long as it includes all the verses. Or we can go Biblical with The Battle Hymn of the Republic - if France can sing about the blood of its enemies watering its furrows we can trample the odd grapes of wrath now and then.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

30. It's a money obsessed country, so...

[Cartoonist]

31. This is hilarious

[jg10003]

32. Phil Ochs - Power And Glory

Come and take a walk with me thru this green and growing land
Walk thru the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk thru the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk thru the sun and walk thru the rain

Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Her glory shall rest on us all (on us all)

From Colorado, Kansas, and the Carolinas too
Virginia and Alaska, from the old to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me, who could ask for more?

Yet she's only as rich as the poorest of her poor
Only as free as the padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand

[radical noodle]

33. American Pie

The long version.

[True Dough]

36. It sure won't hold true if Drumpf somehow gets elected POTUS

but I've always been fond of this Neil Diamond classic:

[mrmpa]

42. My 86 year old mother agrees with you choice...........

she absolutely loves this song and for years has said I should be the anthem.

[JustAnotherGen]

56. I love this choice!

[NCTraveler]

70. Moms favorite song!!!!! nt.

[ronnie624]

37. What we really need,

is to mature socially and culturally, beyond the need for a national anthem.

[philosslayer]

102. So what happens when you win a gold medal at the Olympics?

Some people. Sheeeeesh.

[JonathanRackham]

38. AC/DC

[hunter]

95. That's my rant against fossil fuels.

"Natural" gas, even with "renewable" bling is still a highway to hell.

"Better than coal" is about the same as saying you didn't put roofies in her drink.

[Hekate]

39. America the Beautiful. It has history, it's easy to sing, it's not warlike.

O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountains majesty
Above the fruited plain
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea

O beautiful for patriots' dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law

[Jim Beard]

47. Excellent!

[Emilybemily]

53. Yes, I agree

Beautiful song.

[brooklynite]

55. Religious elements?

FFRF will be in Court in a minute.

[Hekate]

75. At the time it was penned, we had an unspoken agreement about civic rituals...

There was a kind of "Civic God," who could be referred to without offending anyone but the most militant atheist. Public Bible-thumping was considered gauche. Saying Happy Holidays in a retail setting was encouraged. I trust you get my drift.

[SusanCalvin]

110. But now the Rs have stomped all over that.

Plus I'm pretty militant.... ;->

Seriously, I can't hear "God" anything without remembering how that mythical beast got onto currency and into the pledge in the 50s, when lots of people think it's been there forever.

[annabanana]

83. This has always been my preference! . . . . n/t

[AwakeAtLast]

92. My choice, too

And my students love to sing this song, FWIW.

[Jim Beard]

98. Excellent!

[mrmpa]

40. Let's start with the notion of not playing the............

national anthem before every sporting event. How about instead we play the State song in which the team is playing?

This is a link to every state song.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_songs

[Hekate]

44. I like that. When I was growing up we got to sing the state anthem at every aporting event...

....and actually it was kind of cool.

[Tanuki]

49. You don't think that some of the state songs are even more controversial?

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/maryland-moves-finally-scrub-northern-scum-state-song-n541071

"The despot's heel is on thy shore. Maryland! My Maryland! His torch is at thy temple door. Maryland! My Maryland! Avenge the patriotic gore that flecked the streets of Baltimore and be the battle queen of yore, Maryland! My Maryland!

And later:

I hear the distant thunder-hum. Maryland! My Maryland! The Old Line's bugle, fife, and drum. Maryland! My Maryland! She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb — Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum! She breathes! She burns! She'll come! She'll come! Maryland! My Maryland!

It's a Southern Civil War anthem. The "despot" in question is President Abraham Lincoln. And the "Northern scum" are the Union and its army.

Calling it a crude Confederate cri de coeur, Maryland lawmakers have tried and failed to dump "Maryland! My Maryland!" several times, the state Department of Legislative Services said. ".....

[Hekate]

90. Oh dear. And here I was waxing nostalgic over "Hawai'i Pono'i"

Last edited Fri Sep 2, 2016, 10:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Sorry, Maryland's is so ghastly I actually laughed. Huzza! Does anyone actually sing that thing?

[Behind the Aegis]

41. "Let them all go to hell except cave 76"

[tytrace]

46. we need somethin with a good beat

somethin jammin

[TipTok]

48. You might want one...

We certainly don't need one...

[rogerashton]

54. Funny that nobody has mentioned "God Bless America"

OK, it's not secular. As a freethinker I am a little troubled by its God language. But not very troubled as I regard all God language as poetry anyway.

But here's the thing: My wife and I were in Vienna on 9-11-2001. We learned about the attack when we returned to the hotel from the botanical gardens. We were "displaced persons" for a few days -- not long, but the psychological impact of that is powerful. But we managed to crowd onto one of the first flights back to the states and when the aircraft landed, the passengers applauded the crew and burst into song. The song was not "The Star-Spangled Banner" nor was it "America the Beautiful" but "God Bless America" -- our REAL national anthem, and has been for some time.

That said, if there were really any decision to be made, I would probably support America the Beautiful.

[SusanCalvin]

106. Urk.

The only good thing I have to say is that Woody wrote "This Land Is Your Land" in response.

http://performingsongwriter.com/god-bless-america/

[jberryhill]

58. Walk This Way

[Javaman]

62. Kill the poor by the Dead Kennedys. nt

DEAD KENNEDYS LYRICS
"Kill The Poor"

Efficiency and progress is ours once more
Now that we have the Neutron bomb
It's nice and quick and clean and gets things done
Away with excess enemy
But no less value to property
No sense in war but perfect sense at home:

The sun beams down on a brand new day
No more welfare tax to pay
Unsightly slums gone up in flashing light
Jobless millions whisked away
At last we have more room to play
All systems go to kill the poor tonight

Gonna
Kill kill kill kill Kill the poor:Tonight

Behold the sparkle of champagne
The crime rate's gone
Feel free again
O' life's a dream with you, Miss Lily White
Jane Fonda on the screen today
Convinced the liberals it's okay
So let's get dressed and dance away the night

While they:
Kill kill kill kill Kill the poor:Tonight

[LynnTTT]

63. America the Beautiful

is my favorite

[PassingFair]

64. Back in the USA...

I'm so glad I'm livin in the USA...

https://www.google.com/search?q=back+in+the+usa+chuck+berry&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[SusanCalvin]

107. Got my vote! nt

[NCTraveler]

65. 911 is a joke.

[megahertz]

69. HA! Love it. PE is one of my faves.

[matt819]

66. Eve of Destruction (nt)

[AngryAmish]

67. Wiggle It, Just a Little Bit

[Glassunion]

72. Bob Marley, Redemption Song?

[BlueInPhilly]

77. Geez!

What's wrong with the Star Spangled Banner? You want to talk about a battle song? Listen to La Marseillaise.

The national anthem is good as it is, even if its melody was adapted from an old pub song.

Show some respect.

[SusanCalvin]

108. I'm proud to say I'm not required to show respect.

Certainly not to a song.

[bigbrother05]

78. This one

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511042738

Bernie used it, but really "All come to look for America" don't they? Either the one we have or the one we've been promised.

eta: Could also go with Bowie's "Young Americans" or "I'm Afraid of Americans" depending on the administration.

[raging moderate]

79. Lift Every Voice and Sing would be fine with me!

I think that more people would like it if they heard the whole thing and read all the words.

[teach1st]

82. I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke

This is an ironic suggestion, but I like America the Beautiful as an anthem that would please the most. Either that or "This Land is Your Land." Either has problems, but so do the majority of suggestions here.

[raging moderate]

89. America the Beautiful is also great.

Full of love for the land itself, and hope for the future: Oh, beautiful for patriots' dream, that sees beyond these years, thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!

[Victor_c3]

94. "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath

War, death, and misery is what the politicians we keep voting for peddle on us. They don't have to fight, they leave that to the rest of us. For whatever reason we keep falling for it. Hopefully they'll get what's due to them, but I doubt it. People like me who joined the army with best intentions end up getting used and taken advantage of and sent murder people who don't need to be murdered. The politicians (and most of their supporters) get to keep a clean conscience and look away while people like me who served and have blood all over their hands suffer.

The message I get is "thanks for your service (But stay away. Your PTSD makes us uncomfortable)".

Totally appropriate to what is going on in our country and what I deal with every day.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

96. It has to be written in Maryland and have a place to shout "O" during the lyrics.

That's non-negotiable.

[Takket]

99. I've always like "O Canada!" Is anyone using that song?

[struggle4progress]

100. Dunno. But if it's already taken, mebbe we could use "God Defend New Zealand"

[roamer65]

101. America the Beautiful...done by Ray Charles.

https://m.

I have always preferred it to the SSB.

It fits an America of the 21st century...yet has deep history.

[SusanCalvin]

109. I would totally agree, if not for the "God."

I do not buy the "secular God" argument.

[JenniferJuniper]

103. Phil Ochs - Power and the Glory 1964

Come on and take a walk with me
Through this green and growing land
Walk through the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk through the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk through the sun and walk through the rain

Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh, her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Her glory shall rest on us all
(On us all)

From Colorado, Kansas and the Carolinas too
Virginia and Alaska, from the old to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me, who could ask for more?

Yet she's only as rich as the poorest of her poor
Only as free as the padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand

[SeattleVet]

104. The original one is OK...

as long as we go back to the original 1814 version, and get away from the ponderous hymn that it has become today.

[SusanCalvin]

111. Oh wow! Thanks! nt

[Proud Public Servant]

105. Upbeat, singable, and the essence of America

[SusanCalvin]

112. .

https://m.

[SusanCalvin]

113. .

https://m.

[SusanCalvin]

114. .

https://m.

[burrowowl]

115. YES WE DO!!!!!!!!

[Mosby]

116. Pete Seeger - This Land is Your Land