What will you choose as your new national anthem?

aarrgghh! Sneakily when I clicked on the link I got a pop-up add. Which as I am now a subscriber is very odd and disconcerting to say the least. (Don't panic I'm gonna answer soon)

Secondly how nice to be reminded of my little survey from way back. I remember I first thought of that survey on the subway and I was smirking to myself and a little grunted laugh came out and people looked at me like I was some kind of lunatic. (Don't panic I'll answer in a moment)

Which makes me wonder whether we brits do supress our laughter as much as our anger. This is supposed to cause cancer btw.

Okay my answer is........er.......I can't think of one. Oh no wait *runs off to do a google search* Okay its this one http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_oeml.html called 'Oh England My Lionheart' which is really beautiful. But I guess not very nice for us Welsh and the Scots and Northern Irish. So maybe just an English Anthem for sporting events etc.

Okay finished now. (too much coffee )

I don't know. I might have to write something myself. Maybe I'd get Stompin' Tom Connors and Randy Bachman to help out...

I can't think of anything. Maybe everyone should have to sing On Ilkley Moor B'ah T'Hat!

I don't know. Maybe Waltzing Matilda, a song that is a sentimental favourite, but which has little to do with Australia as a nation. It once was the national anthem but was replaced with Advance Australia Fair. Here's the words, there's really nothing 'athemy' about them.

Once a jolly swagman sat by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
CHORUS
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me,
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink beside the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and seized him with glee
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came the stockman, riding his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman and plunged into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive!," cried he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

I love that song! My mum used to sing it to me when I was little

Moby's "We are all made of stars"
Wouldn't that be fun to sing in assembly?
"People that fall together....people that fall apart".......

Really! Wow, I didn't expect that. It doesn't really make a good national anthem though does it?

I have no idea when it was written, but I would choose America the Beautiful

Doom doom doom doomity doom....

Song: Khe Sanh
Artist: Cold Chisel

I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And my soul was sold with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man
I've had the Vietnam cold turkey
From the ocean to the Silver City
And it's only other vets could understand

About the long forgotten dockside guarantees

How there were no V-dayheroes in 1973
How we sailed into Sydney Harbour
Saw an old friend but couldn't kiss her
She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

And she was like so many more from that time on

Their lives were all so empty, till they found their chosen one
And their legs were often open
But their minds were always closed
And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains
And the legal pads were yellow, hours long, paypacket lean
And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been
But the car parks made me jumpy
And I never stopped the dreams
Or the growing need for speed and novacaine

So I worked across the country end to end

Tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend
Held a job on an oil-rig
Flying choppers when I could
But the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend

And I've travelled round the world from year to year

And each one found me aimless, one more year the more for wear
And I've been back to South East Asia
But the answer sure ain't there
But I'm drifting north, to check things out again

You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong
There ain't nothing like the kisses
From a jaded Chinese princess
I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Yeah the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And it's really got me worried
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry
And the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone



Song's Site-Lyrics@Yimpan.com (http://www.yimpan.com)

I hate the song - but perhaps The Proclaimers' - 'When you go will you send back a letter from America' song for Scotland. It was written less than 100 years ago, has an annoyingly catchy tune and is by two Scots. It's also relevant I think, few people who leave Scotland want to return.

It's not really cheery or patriotic!

Most Australian heros are criminals! Ned Kelly was a real arsehole.

I don't think I will. I'd prefer the quiet.

maybe Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"... all set for the marching band.

IF I HAD A HAMMER

If I had a hammer,
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd hammer out danger,
I'd hammer out a warning,
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a bell,
I'd ring it in the morning,
I'd ring it in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd ring out danger,
I'd ring out a warning
I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a song,
I'd sing it in the morning,
I'd sing it in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd sing out danger,
I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

Well I got a hammer,
And I got a bell,
And I got a song to sing, all over this land.

It's the hammer of Justice,
It's the bell of Freedom,
It's the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

It's the hammer of Justice,
It's the bell of Freedom,
It's the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

Words by Lee Hays
Music by Pete Seeger (1949)

Ned Kelly? - I've heard the name but I can't place it.

Renegages of Funk by Rage Against The Machine

lets see what kind of reaction that would get

Some robber in the 19th century who had a shootout with police wearing a suit of armour he made out of iron. He was shot in the foot I think and was killed later.

Sounds like a strange thing to do! I used to try and make suits of chainmail out of paperclips when I was little. I never managed more than a short row before my mum would find me destroying her paperclips!

If I was Kristal or Harekrishna I'd say you must have been a knight in shining armour in a previous life but I don't believe in that reincarnation crap so I won't!

But I would make quite a good knight in shining armour. Except I don't know how to ride a horse. Or use a sword. Or a lance........

Ah well, I'd still look good in a helmet!

You probably do know how to ride a horse....(X-Files theme music)

I'd be worried if I did

I've ridden donkeys before when I was very little but I was always scared of horses. One ate my brother's hair once.

It must have been very hungry. I've always felt sorry for donkeys. They look sad.

I really love donkeys. I think one day I'd quite like to have a little donkey farm Not that I know anything about them, I just like them!

Have you ever read the poem The Donkey by GK Chesterton?

Jungle Boogie

No. I bet it's sad

It's bitter but proud. It's one of my favourites.

The Donkey (GK Chesterton)

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

You know what the palms are? When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey I think, and the locals showed respect by placing palm fronds on the ground before the donkey's feet. I like it.

It's a poem my mum used to read to me - for years, I thought people were literally putting thier hands underneath the donkey! Then one day she explained it

I second the nomination.

We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine...

all right, all we need now is like 999,998 more nominations, and next thing we know, our great great great grandchildren will be "humming" it.

Whawhawhawhawha, wwhawhawhwwawhawhawhwhaahwah, now move sucka move...

I'll start the petitions......

Now who will be President?

Nader!!

I quite like my current national anthem! It fits all of the relevant criteria and it's non-militaristic and non-monotheistic.

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands,
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands,
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

Our only national anthem before Advance Australia Fair was God Save the Queen. Waltzing Matilda has always been a popular song, but it was never our national anthem.

I thought it was for a short time after God Save the Queen. I'm sure it was.

Wow, I like it......

I'm sure it wasn't! I used to play in an orchestra where the governer was patron, so we always played the National Anthem when he attended our concerts. I remember it switching to Advance Australia Fair from God Save the Queen in the 80s.

What instrument do you play?

Violin (and piano and voice). I don't play my violin so much anymore, but I'm trying to get back into it.

Wow! I wish I could play something. I used to play the guitar as a kid but couldn't read music. My teacher didn't realise I couldn't read music because I used to copy everything he played by ear. When he found out I was embarrassed and quit. I've never played anything since.

You must have a good musical ear to be able to do that. Have you thought of picking up guitar again? I bet you'd do well.

naw, then again, so could David McReynols. He'd make a good candidate too.

Jeez....make up your mind already. Maybe WE should just take over leadership of the country.....and where have you been lately? There's a possibility that I missed you.

yeah, then in that case, WE should run.

Just one question: who'll be the president and who'll be the VISE-president???

I'd really rather be VP, I'm more of a behind the scenes type. Plus America may not yet be ready for a woman pres. Of course I've just been under the assumption that you are male- out of curiosity, are you?

Way to go Topper!

yes.

but then again, if i died, you would become president anyway.

you know whats really funny: Bat Bucannon's (yes, bucannon's) running mate was actually an African American woman. Could you imagine if he died!!

He's like an ultra-conservative guy and all, all sorts of 'activits' hate him, hell the people don't really like him either (less than a half %) and yet his running mate...

Haaaaaa! I can't believe someone other than me noticed that! I'm 23, but I know quite a bit about politics and such. I thought I'd better point out my age, because many people assume I'm alot older due to the "boring, old-fart" material I discuss. Their words not mine. Are we in the same boat there or are you really an old-fart? (sorry that was sarcasm, but then I realized you can't really tell on the 'net).

No, sorry to disappoint you, but i am EVEN younger than you. I am only 20.

Wow, now I am even more impressed. Have I mentioned that I like your handle? I took mine from the Skynyrd song, which is southern rock, which in a very (grasping) roundabout, sort of way is another thing we have in common.

what exactly is Southern rock? I know i heard OF it, but what exactly is it?

I don't really know what the real definition is, but it's bands from the south (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot...and so on) and they share a similar style, once you've heard enough of it you can defiitly pick it out.

ok, sort of like punk. No clear cut definition, but if you heard of enough punk bands, you can sort of pick out whats punk and whats not.

I'd be sure to download of few of their tunes just to see how they sound like. Got any suggestions.

Personally Lynyrd Skynyrd is my favorite. That's one of the reasons my handle is "Freebird" (their song is "free bird") you should really hear it live, if you can. Who are some of your favorite punk artists? I've recently started going to this little hole in the wall club in San Fransisco every couple of weeks that has live punk every Saturday nights.

i am getting into rancid, pennywise, bad religion, and the humpers. but since i live in new orleans, i have a hard time getting any live shows anywhere. because all we have is jazz. all the punk live shows are in san franisco.

i saw a documentry on mosh pits. guess who started them. punks of course. damn it, i wish i was there. i wish i was "around" back then.

I really enjoy Rancid, Pennywise and Bad Religion, but I have never heard of The Humpers.

Also, I am anxiously awaiting a reply to the e-mail I sent you........

oh, yeah. i wasn't up to it earlier today. i had a headache and an exam in cal coming up. ok, i reply right now then, i am relying as we speak.