The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #45990 Message #680696
Posted By: SharonA
01-Apr-02 - 10:56 AM
Thread Name: Politically incorrect national anthems 2
Subject: Lyr Add: CALEDONIA (Dougie MacLean)
Part one of this thread is here: Politically incorrect national anthems
The original questions (inspired by a news article about a Canadian senator's proposal to change the English version of "O Canada" to make them less "sexist") were: Is your national anthem politically correct? Has it ever been politically corrected?
To get things started here on Part 2, here's a post from a GUEST who couldn't locate the original thread:
Subject: National Anthems
From: GUEST,Arthur
Date: 30-Mar-02 - 04:36 AM
Shop: I'm Going Home, Freedom Come All Ye, Scots Wha Hae, Few Days, A Man's a Man, Going Home, Caledonia
Hi
I think this topic was discussed a couple of days ago - sorry I'm late! If you're looking for the country with most national anthems, then surely it has to be Scotland. I'm only talking quantity, mind you! It has Scotland the Brave (oh dear) Flower o' Scotland (ok) A Man's a Man (Burns at his magnificent best) Scots Wha Hae (Burns at his Braveheart best) Hamish Henderson's The Freedom Come All Ye (where he actually derides Scottish acts of atrocity done in the King's name) and finally, the least nationalistic national anthem I've ever heard ? this one:
CALEDONIA
I don't know, if you can see
the changes that have come over me
In these last few days, I've been afraid
that I might slip away
'Cause I've been telling old stories singing songs
That made me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
so far away today.
CHORUS: Let me tell you that I love you,
that I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me, and now I'm going home
For if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
I have moved and I've kept on moving.
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing;
found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying -
stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying
Travelled hard sometimes with conscience flying
somewhere with the wind
Now I'm sitting here, before the fire
the empty room, the forest choir
The flames that couldn't get any higher;
they've withered now they're gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
and I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands have shaken and the kisses flowed
I will disappear
Dougie MacLean