National Anthem

[twirlgrrl]

I would prefer that our national anthem be changed to "America the Beautiful." I like that it emphasizes the natural beauty of our environment, and prominently features concepts like brotherhood and liberty. And it can be done bluesy, Ray-Charles style as well as hymnlike. Plus the "undimmed by human tears" part makes me verklempt. OK, I know we as a nation would never get past the first verse at ball games, and who knows the other verses to the Star Spangled Banner? But the SSB is such a bloodthirsty song. And WTF with this:

"Then conquer we must
for our cause it is just
and this be our motto
in God is our trust"

Yeah, again, it's the last verse, but still... it's just a bit jihad-y for me.

And no, this thought was not prompted by any immigration or English-language debates or any other tomfoolery by the POTUS or his gang. It's from an article in the Utne Reader.

Comments

[summerbluerain.livejournal.com]

I have thought for years that America the Beautiful should be the national song just for the fact that it is so hard to sing for 90% of the population.

[neuraltube.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's one of the arguments against the SSB melody in the Utne article I read. I think that America the Beautiful is more moving, both in lyric and in melody, you know?