National Anthem

[general jack o'niell]

but it helps, tho seriously i can't understand the objections to flower of scotland, if you've ever been in a packed murrayfield or hampden and heard 50,000 singing it, then you might change your mind, maybe its not the song but the massed singing? but i'm old enough to remember the days of "scotland the brave" when the crowd appeared too embarressed to sing. this song always reminded me of andy stewart or the alexander bros. the "establishment" as it were of the preconcieved "traditional" scottish music, whereas the FOS is associated with its composers, the corries being the rebels of scottish music.

as for the anti english sentiment, the day "england" stops believing it still rules the world and that we only survive by the generosity of their fiscal charity, then maybe a new verse can be written to celebrate independance. or maybe the verse could be updated to

those days are gone now (due to lack of old footage, nothing existed prior to the advent of sky tv)

and in the past, they must remain(except for sporting events, when london based presentation will patronise us)

but we can still rise now (thanks to the extra money per head of population we recieve from westminster)

and be a nation again (within the greater european community, with no control over our fishing industry)

thats stood against him

that generic oppressor of all suppressed small countries with idealised views regarding independance

and sent him homewards (after mediation by G8 and a border controlled by UN)

to think again

[ionnsaigh]

Well the rousing chorus of - Flower of Scotland - reaches the parts others fail to reach - I for one find absolutely no problem - with our current adopted anthem. However it could be fairly argued - that it pays to much attention and emphasis on the auld enemy. In doing so it pays them a unintentional compliment. Should the anthem of Scotland - simply be about the defeat of the English?. Perhaps the time has come for a completely new anthem - I for one would be willing to - collectively - through the Kintyre Forum - attempt to pen something new and stirring - any takers.
The New National Anthem Of Scotland thread line one - get the kids involved - think of the honour bestowed on Kintyre - if it where to be adopted. Arise Scotland arise.

[general jack o'niell]

its nearly half past three

your still half drunk

you useless c***

theres racin oan tv


sorry i thought we'd started already?


my mistake

[ionnsaigh]

No not at all - that would make an original first line.

[general jack o'niell]

i was taking your arise scotland arise as the first line, i merely finished the verse, bit too near the bone mebbes?

[ionnsaigh]

Near the bone - if only. Alcohol consumption is restricted to one night of the week - even then I'm not known as wan can dan for nothing. Of course this rule only applies when at home - on holiday - well that is a different matter. hic hic.

[general jack o'niell]

so all those pubs you and FOD visit when your in town are just for the atmosphere?

[ionnsaigh]

He likes someone to hold his

[general jack o'niell]

as long as he doesn't ask you to push his stool in you'll be safe enough

[ionnsaigh]

And me way only a short reach

[Friend of Dorothy]

Just as well I'm psychic. I got a feelin' you pair would be talkin' about me. How about 'I am what I am' as a new anthem? It's catchy and ionnsaigh already knows all the words.

[Bobbie En Tejas]

FOD! Where the heck you been??


...mumble mumble mumble national anthem.. (keeping the topic)

[EMDEE]

I think "Flower of Scotland " represents the undesirable "Wha's lake us" attitude within the Scottish national personality, and its use as a national anthem is helped by mass hysteria at sporting events. That's OK, and it has its place as such, where xenophobia rules, but as a serious anthem it is a non-starter as far as I am concerned. It has little musical merit and the lyrics are doggerel, irrespective of who penned them.

I can accept the point about the "Andy Stewart" tradition. I call it the "Donal' whaur's yer troosers" approach, and the fact that the Corries were rebels against this, but there is a market for all these approaches.

A national anthem for a country should be positive and concentrate on the strengths of that country, and not try to say who we are better than.

I personally cringe when I hear "Flower of Scotland" being sung at a "Scottish Show" for tourists from England and feel that it is equivalent to rubbing their noses in something, I don't know what, because it is they who have dominated us, in the political sense, for 300 years! (rightly or wrongly). I find it embarrasing.

[general jack o'niell]

don't think its meant to be specifically anti english when sung at sporting events, tho it was obviously written as such. more like a rousing battle cry against whomever the opponents might be, ok if its england as was the case with the rugby last week all the better. don't think many are anti england, more anti "english" as in the attitude towards all things scottish, little recompense for the way we are viewed by our neighbours. a view not shared anywhere else in the world.

personally if it were to be replaced my opinion is that the song has already been written, by burns.

oh and FOD, psychotic mebbes?