The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #12515   Message #1006204
Posted By: toadfrog
21-Aug-03 - 09:11 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Flower of Scotland (Roy Williamson)
Subject: RE: Flower of Scotland
I think the basic criterion for a national anthem is that it should be bland and boring. So far as I am aware, the only Soviet national anthem was "Long Live Our Soviet Motherland (Built by the Workers' Mighty Hand)" which Stalin commissioned during or shortly before WW II.

The American national anthem is an exception that proves the rule, for the usual criticism is that it is not bland and boring enough. Many have suggested America the Beautiful which is as dull as the medium will permit, with words and a tune that sound like they were composed by a music ed teacher. God Save the Queeen, sung to the tune of Heil dir im Siegerkranz is certainly boring enough to satisfy anyone (except for the part about "confounding her enemies," which I understand is little sung).

When I first heard With Voices Together We Sing it was characterized as the "Black national anthem." I had 3 thoughts
(1) How ignorant was I not to know this!
(2) Boy, what a BORING song! Just right for a national anthem! And (3) the ethnic group that gave us A Train can do a whole lot better than this!