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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think Scotland wins hands down in the National Anthem stakes.

76 replies

KurriKurri · 27/03/2011 14:04

Just watching the start of the Scotland/Brazil match.

I'm not Scottish (DH is) but every time I hear Flower of Scotland I get a lump in my throat - it is the most fabulous stirring, National Anthem I've every heard. I'm very Envy

OP posts:
Original poster
KurriKurri · 27/03/2011 17:39

Caledonia is a beautiful song, but maybe not for a National Anthem.

DH is suggesting Braw Braw Lads because he is a) a Gala boy and b) it's one of the few songs he knows the words to.
So we won't ask his opinion again. Grin

I'm now thinking I would like an album of National Anthems (if such a thing exists) and I could sing-a-long whilst doing the washing up.

OP posts:
NormanTheForeman · 27/03/2011 17:50

I also love South Africa's, and also Sri Lanka's.

GentleOtter · 27/03/2011 18:09

Braw Braw Lads sends me all unnecessary, Kurri but I am a Reiver. Wink

dementedma · 27/03/2011 18:24

Flower of Scotland is an anti-English dirge and truly awful in both words and music.
Scotland the Brave is better.

givemesomespace · 27/03/2011 20:35

I'm English and think our national anthem is just so dull, uninspiring and frankly outdated - but flower of scotland, what can I say? ah yes dull, uninspiring and outdated!!

Now as for the Welsh - every time I hear the Welsh national anthem I want to be Welsh - sends a tingle down my spine!

Goodynuff · 27/03/2011 20:49

I love our Canadian anthem Grin

Original poster
KurriKurri · 27/03/2011 21:08

giveme - I agree about the Welsh one, but I'm still voting for Flower of Scotland (at least I would be if this was a voting thing). I don't think it's dirgy at all - I love the tune.

OP posts:
RedbinD · 27/03/2011 21:14

Flower of Scotland is a song about dead scots. Give me God save The queen anytime.

zukiecat · 27/03/2011 21:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
KurriKurri · 27/03/2011 21:24

God save the Queen is all about secret enemies, assassins and people up to knavish tricks - its the most paranoid National Anthem I've ever heard.

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ColdStewSaucepanAndFork · 27/03/2011 21:39

TiggyD, iirc, it was a Scottish king who unified the crowns, so technically the Scots own "Lower Scotland"...

DH has also pointed out that one of the verses of GSTQ is all about the Butcher of Cumberland, famed for putting down the Jacobite rebellion. So I guess the "anti-"ness goes both ways.

pointydog · 27/03/2011 21:43

scotland doesn't have a national anthem

winnybella · 27/03/2011 21:47

Ignore the Lenin bits.

bemybebe · 27/03/2011 22:32

winnybella this song is also very cute, great tune, ignore the $%^& bits. (No personal attack intended!)

bemybebe · 27/03/2011 22:43

On the second thought I should probably explain myself.

Soviet national anthem is an anthem of a totalitarian regime that was actively killing its own citizens for over 70 years. The first rendition of it mentioned Stalin, that was abolished in the second version to make it more palatable. The third version was resurrected (after 10 years) in 2000 under Putin and his apologist government.

It is estimated that between 1937 and 1953 alone around 10million people perished in Soviet GULAGs, great majority on fabricated charges of being "enemy of the people". In the 70s Soviet regime was mainly confining dissidents to mental institutions rather than active physical execution.

LargeGlassOfRedPlease · 27/03/2011 22:45

ah, you're making me homesick!

winnybella · 28/03/2011 09:14

bemybebe-I am perfectly aware of Soviet history, thank you. I only linked to it as I think it's a great song in musical terms. I'm Polish and grew up under Communism- trust me, I have no love for Lenin, Stalin et al.

I also like Sacred War-amazing war song. And those troops came and occupied half of Poland in WW2-I know. But the song is amazing.

bestemor · 28/03/2011 21:41

"Scotland Will Flourish" sounds good; is it on UTube? And what ever happened to "Scots Wha Hae"? (rather warlike words but a rattling good tune!)

Ariesgirl · 28/03/2011 21:49

Very little on earth matches in my admittedly biased opinion.

Salmotrutta · 28/03/2011 22:23

Scots Wha Hae????!!!! - dirgetastic. Doom laden and depressing to say the least! The tune is truly awful - slow and grim to match the words.

Grin
Original poster
KurriKurri · 28/03/2011 22:28

Salmotrutta - you're a hard woman to please Grin

DH's mother led him to believe, as a child, that Scots Wha Hae was about him, because his name is mentioned in the second line Grin

OP posts:
Salmotrutta · 28/03/2011 23:04

Nah - not hard to please but honestly Scots Wha Hae (which my brother used to play on the pipes) is grim.

So your DH is a Wallace then - or no it would be Bruce???

Original poster
KurriKurri · 28/03/2011 23:14

The second one Grin - he was easily fooled!

OP posts:
Salmotrutta · 28/03/2011 23:22

Hah! - knew it!

alwaysleftout · 29/03/2011 00:07

Wales does not have a national anthem indeed? Take that back right now! Grin. They do and it sends a shiver down your spine when you are standing in the Wales Millenium Stadium (along with thousands of other welsh supporters who have also been on the piss all day Grin) doing your best to take part in a welsh choir (whilst trying to remember the words lol).

I also quite like the French Anthem, La Marseille. But obviously not as much as Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadua.

God Save Our Queen is rubbish though Grin