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May 17, 2008 at 07:11:24

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When Freedom Sings: Time for a New National Anthem

by Meryl Ann Butler     Page 3 of 15 page(s)

www.opednews.com

 

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Hail, Columbia was written for George Washington's inauguration, and was used as the national anthem for most of the 19th Century—longer than The Star Spangled Banner has been the official national anthem. Hail, Columbia is now used as the entrance march for the Vice President, much as Hail to the Chief is used for the President.


Sheet music cover for Hail, Columbia, 1861

Columbia was an early poetic name for America, and popularly appeared in multitudes of political cartoons as the feminine personification of the country, though she has been rarely seen since the 1920’s. The root of the word, Columbia, is Latin for peace, or dove. The columbine flower got its name from the arrangement of its petals, which look like flying doves.

Ironically, these tunes that hail the peaceful Columbia, are war songs. And The Star Spangled Banner is the most offensive of the three. At least Hail, Columbia calls America a "happy land,” and glorifies peace, safety, and freedom.

My Country ‘Tis of Thee was widely regarded as the national anthem throughout the late 1800's. It was written to the tune of another British song, the national anthem of Great Britain, God Save the King. The lyrics for My Country ‘Tis of Thee were written by Samuel Frances Smith, in 1831, when he was a 22-year-old seminary student. And it is filled with love for country, inspiration from nature, liberty and freedom—and there are no ramparts or glaring red rockets to disturb the peace.

America the Beautiful has been a well-loved, albeit, unofficial, anthem for our country, and there’s nary an airborne bomb bursting in the entire song. ABCNEWS correspondent and author of America the Beautiful: The Stirring True Story Behind Our Nation’s Favorite Song, Lynn Sherr, says the song is, “simple, I think it’s emotional, and I think it talks about a country a land, and its people—not just about a flag, not just about a battle. It doesn’t talk about conquest, it talks about the possibilities of this nation.”


Katharine Lee Bates statue memorial; Falmouth, Mass.

That poem was written by Katherine Lee Bates, 33, as she traveled from Massachusetts to Colorado for a summer teaching job in 1895, and was set to music later. Her train chugged through the Kansas wheat fields on the Fourth of July, inspiring her words.

However, if I were to think outside the box—which is generally, the place in which I am most comfortable thinking, anyway—I would choose Philadelphia Freedom as my national anthem, that eye-zapping whippoorwill of freedom, notwithstanding. The song’s happy and upbeat celebration of freedom and all the things that make America good is inspiring and refreshing. It’s got flag wavin’, it’s got light shinin’, it’s got the good ol’ family home. And anyone can sing it. Hell, you can even dance to it.

Philadelphia Freedom, I love you, yes I do!

It’s a celebratory song illuminated by the shining light of freedom, and wouldn’t that be a welcome focus for this country? As a new national anthem, it would be music to my ears.

It’s unlikely that any Congress would replace our combative national anthem with a pop music tune sung by a flaming Brit. Still, it’s my first choice, and I’m stickin’ to it.

P.S. – And God bless America, and EVERYBODY ELSE! (No exceptions.)


Elton John. Wikipedia Commons. Image by Dantadd.

LYRICS:

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM by Bernie Taupin

 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  |  14  |  15

 

www.merylannbutler.com

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she appear too uppity, it should be revealed that she also has family ties to James Butler Hickok, better known as Wild Bill. Butler has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled enlightenment for the past two decades. A native of NYC, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006). They don't call quilts "comforters" for nothing! www.90minutequilts.com Butler was faculty advisor for "The Love for All Mankind/Anti-Apartheid Quilt" project at ENMU (1993), now in the collection of the Hon. Nelson Mandela. As Arts Advisor for the Center for Improving U.S.- Soviet Relations (CIUSSR) Baltimore, MD; her activities included the "First U.S.-Soviet Childrens' Peace Quilt Exchange" (1987-88), an historic project chronicled in the media of both countries. Citizen diplomacy trips to the U.S.S.R. in 1987 and 1988 included lectures and presentations to fashion designers, craftspeople and artists in Odessa, Moscow, Kiev and St.Petersburg, in which she focused on the topic of creating global peace through international art exchanges. Butler is the proud mother of a daughter and seven stepchildren (all grown), and a passel o' grand younguns. It is to these new generations that she dedicates her political activism. Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.,

 

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A native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer dividing her time between surviving in Maine and living in Mexico. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and pri...

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Jan BaumgartnerA native Californian, Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer dividing her time between surviving in Maine and living in Mexico. Her background includes scriptwriting, comedy writing for the Northern California Emmy Awards, and travel writing for The New York Times. She has worked as a grant writer for the non-profit sector in the fields of academia, AIDS, and wildlife conservation and anti-poaching for NGO's in the U.S. and Africa. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous online and pri...

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I say toss the lot,

although Katharine Lee Bates has some lovely lines in America the Beautiful, the God references "God shed his grace on thee" seems to suggest that one land, one country, one people may be more blessed than another.  I think all religious references should not be part of a national anthem - especially since it seems to only fuel divisiveness throughout the world, more so over the last few years, wouldn't you say?

Maybe with these changing times, we need to adopt a new national anthem that truly addresses the issues of a changing world and in the spirit of peace, hold firm to only lyrics of hope, understanding and compassion for all human beings, and how grateful we are as a nation and people to have been blessed with so much. 

All war references should get the boot, immediately!

Thank you for offering up those lyrics - I had forgotten just how war-mongering and violence-based many were. 

   

by Jan Baumgartner (54 articles, 138 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 260 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 10:12:56 AM
 


An auto-didact with a bent for comment.
PutnikAn auto-didact with a bent for comment.

Perhaps another candidate?

If we must have a national anthem (and I believe it helps to have one), I would suggest the following.  Written by Don McLean in 1971, I think it actually encapsulates the idea of America far more realistically than any of the other candidates.

Everybody Loves Me Baby Lyrics
Artist:  Don McLean


<SPOKEN>: One, two, three, four!

Fortune has me well in hand, armies 'wait at my command
My gold lies in a foreign land buried deep beneath the sand
The angels guide my ev'ry tread, my enemies are sick or dead
But all the victories I've led haven't brought you to my bed

CHORUS:
You see, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Now the purest race I've bred for thee to live in my democracy
And the highest human pedigree awaits the first-born boy baby
And my face on ev'ry coin engraved, the anarchists are all enslaved
My own flag is forever waved by the grateful people I have saved

CHORUS:
You see, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Now, no land is beyond my claim when land is seized in the people's name
By evil men who rob and maim, if war is hell, I'm not to blame!
Why, you can't blame me, I'm Heaven's child, I'm the second son of Mary mild
And I'm twice removed from Oscar Wilde, but he didn't mind, why, he just smiled

Yes, and the ocean parts when I walk through, and the clouds dissolve and the sky turns blue
I'm held in very great value by everyone I meet but you
'cause I've used my talents as I could, I've done some bad, I've done some good
I did a whole lot better than they thought I would so, c'mon and treat me like you should!

Because everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
tell me what did I do to offend you? <whoo, yeah!>

Everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
tell me what did I do to offend you?

Yeah, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
tell me what did I do to offend you?

 

What say you all? 

by Putnik (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 31 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 11:24:03 AM
 


An auto-didact with a bent for comment.
PutnikAn auto-didact with a bent for comment.

Oh yeah, BTW...

Yes, the words to the "Star Spangled Banner" were indeed written by Francis Scott Key...however, the music for the "Star Spangled Banner" were those of a popular English drinking song of the time, "To Anacreon in Heaven". So, your e-mailer's contention that: "It was written by Francis Scott Key and should be sung word for word the way it was written. NOT sorry if this offends anyone because this is MY COUNTRY - IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY SPEAK UP." should also reflect this reality. The English, who were our enemies in the war during which the "Star Spangled Banner" was written were the ones who provided the music!

As regards McLean's catchy song, this particular verse strikes a rather poignant chord:

"Fortune has me well in hand, armies 'wait at my command
My gold lies in a foreign land buried deep beneath the sand
The angels guide my ev'ry tread, my enemies are sick or dead
But all the victories I've led haven't brought you to my bed"

In other words, "How did our oil end up under your sand?"

by Putnik (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 31 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 2:45:20 PM
 


Amara Rose is a "midwife" for our global rebirth. She is the author of the eBook trilogy, What Shines: Practical Wisdom for Unleashing Your Inner Brilliance, and a contributor to many health, business and new thought publications. You can subscribe to Amara's inspirational monthly newsletter, What Shines, through LiveYourLight.com.
Amara RoseAmara Rose is a "midwife" for our global rebirth. She is the author of the eBook trilogy, What Shines: Practical Wisdom for Unleashing Your Inner Brilliance, and a contributor to many health, business and new thought publications. You can subscribe to Amara's inspirational monthly newsletter, What Shines, through LiveYourLight.com.

Global Anthem

I agree with Mrk; it's time to move beyond "my country/your country" and the very divisiveness this attitude endenders; we are one world, as crises such as global warming make clear. I think Meryl Ann, who is a Renaissance woman in every way, was writing a bit tongue-in-cheek here in order to make the point.

To celebrate our common unity-in-diversity, I suggest http://www.aworldanthem.org. Or even that tune a whole group of celebs sang years ago, "We Are the World."

by Amara Rose (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 1:34:31 PM
 


Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

The average person does not advance beyond 14

All the bric a brac is for them.  How about "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or "Happy Birthday to us"?

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1482 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 1:59:25 PM
 


Darren Wolfe is the former Eastern Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. He grew up in Puerto Rico and lived in Venezuela for seven years, including the first year of Chavez' rule. His articles have appeared in OpEdNews.com, the Libertarian Penn, and the Nolanchart.com. News services such as the New York Post.com and Rational Review have published links to his work.

Anyone interested in a good game of chess can challenge me below, if you dare. LOL

http://...

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Darren WolfeDarren Wolfe is the former Eastern Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. He grew up in Puerto Rico and lived in Venezuela for seven years, including the first year of Chavez' rule. His articles have appeared in OpEdNews.com, the Libertarian Penn, and the Nolanchart.com. News services such as the New York Post.com and Rational Review have published links to his work.

Anyone interested in a good game of chess can challenge me below, if you dare. LOL

http://...

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No World Government

While I'm a staunch believer in equality & think that we should all get along & work globally, a one world government isn't the way. Such a government would be horribly tyrannical, being so detached & remote from the people. Jefferson warned against this in the US:

"When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated." 

Look no further than the bush Whitehouse to see what's wrong with consolidated government. The Nazi nightmare would have been avoided if the Germans  had not consolidated into one big nation. There are many more examples, but you get the idea. Lets not do the same on a world wide scale. 

by Darren Wolfe (7 articles, 224 quicklinks, 110 diaries, 809 comments) on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 6:42:32 AM
 


POdVet is a proud veteran of the US Navy who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Married father of 4 and an avid online gamer.
POdVetPOdVet is a proud veteran of the US Navy who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Married father of 4 and an avid online gamer.

Not written yet

While I understand your sentiment, I do not believe changing the National Anthem would or even should be that easy. I believe it could, should be done in much the same way as the Vietnam War memorial design was chosen. An open competition of new works rather than retreading an old song. It would require a rather large organization to handle it, but then we certainly wouldn't want one person to choose it. So perhaps a panel to whittle down the entries to the best 10, then have the House and Senate select from there. I know I know politicians always screw everything up, but face it if we don't include them in some way, they would pass a law to stop it.

by POdVet (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 32 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 5:13:43 PM
 


'The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.' Thomas Jefferson 1787
Munich'The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.' Thomas Jefferson 1787

Re: Global Anthem

Perhaps we should all wait a bit before deciding upon a new anthem?


Especially with the possibility of the creation of a North American Union, which is being driven by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, as well as the Mexican Consejo Mexicano de Asuntos Internacionales.
 NAU Posters

by Munich (1 articles, 82 quicklinks, 13 diaries, 1012 comments) on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 6:32:19 PM
 


Stanimal is ???

I hear cries for freedom elsewhere, while the US becomes less so. I hear support for free markets, then demanding a bailout due to incompetence.
I roll my eyes at those that accuse others being oppressed while the US has and still continues to the same and much worse. Laughing at pinheads who purchase and profit from those they curse.

Every time I return to visit I see a country I no longer recognize. A shredded Constitution, a spineless Congress ...

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StanimalStanimal is ???

I hear cries for freedom elsewhere, while the US becomes less so. I hear support for free markets, then demanding a bailout due to incompetence.
I roll my eyes at those that accuse others being oppressed while the US has and still continues to the same and much worse. Laughing at pinheads who purchase and profit from those they curse.

Every time I return to visit I see a country I no longer recognize. A shredded Constitution, a spineless Congress ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

I'm all for immigration and assimilation into the US.

What goads me more than anything though is to hear different sects of US societies describe themselves as African-Americans or Irish-Americans, instead of being an American of African decent, or the use any geographical location before the word American.

They came to the US to enjoy its bounty and hospitality, and should state being an American before their cultural decent is included, not after.

My mother was from Germany and my fathers mother is from China, I'm one of the most mixed up individuals one could ever meet, but both claimed to be American citizens before they put their former nationality first.

German was spoken in our home, but English was used when outside of it. If you choose to be a resident of the US, then only English should be used on all official forms and spoken in the schools. Language pandering to the recent immigrant and their children is un-American.

by Stanimal (0 articles, 4 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 702 comments) on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 3:35:07 AM
 


A man of reason!
imanA man of reason!

Personally.....

I think there is a hell of a lot more important things to be concerned about at this moment in time than changing the National Anthem. Besides, most Americans have no idea what it is or even  know the words to it in its entirety. And really, how many people in this nation would care, either way?

by iman (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 89 comments) on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 9:05:23 AM
 


An Earth Community Builder living in Louisiana, assisting with recovery from hurricanes of 2005.
Jim GrantAn Earth Community Builder living in Louisiana, assisting with recovery from hurricanes of 2005.

My candidate

I would love to see the Star Spangled Banner disappear, too.  I am likewise repelled by its imagery and sentiments.  Below is what has been my candidate for a replacement for almost 30 years.  I first heard this at a Quaker meeting in Honolulu when I was on my way home from India.  It brought tears to my eyes then, and it sometimes still does.  It could be any and all countries' 'national' or global anthem.  Some, of course, might object to the 'God language'.

This is my song, Oh, god of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, The country where my heart is
Here are my hopes, My dreams, my holy shrine
But other hearts In other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams As true and high as mine

My countries skies are bluer than the ocean
And sunlight beams on clover leaf and pine
But other lands Have sunlight too and clover
And skies are everywhere As blue as mine
Oh hear my song Oh god of all the nations
A song of peace For their land and for mine

by Jim Grant (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 9:44:07 AM
 


Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Meryl Ann ButlerMeryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Thank you, love these lyrics!

Jim,

 

Thank you for posting, I LOVE this song, I wish I could hear the tune! 

 

It's interesting to me that lots of songs with the word "god" in them also seem to have a second syllable added, such as this one, "oh, god." I've noticed it for many years, and it makes me wonder if there is some innate sense that wants to make the word for god into two syllables. The "fix" of course, is to simply substitute the word, "goddess." That might also help bring about the balance of the male-female energy, which i have noticed seems to be a bit more heavily balanced on the patriarchal side, for the last 5000 years or so.

by Meryl Ann Butler (52 articles, 61 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 530 comments) on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 12:56:37 PM
 


POdVet is a proud veteran of the US Navy who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Married father of 4 and an avid online gamer.
POdVetPOdVet is a proud veteran of the US Navy who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Married father of 4 and an avid online gamer.

higher being

I believe to invoke God or Goddess is to imply in some way that we have one faith, but that goes directly against what the founding fathers wanted, a reference to a Higher Being would be the ultimate in non-denominational :D Just a thought.

by POdVet (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 32 comments) on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 9:25:53 PM
 


Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Meryl Ann ButlerMeryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she a...

to see more of bio, click on member name

IS THIS THE DEFINITIVE ANTHEM???

I wish I had known all the details about this song, Earth Anthem,  when I wrote this article, I certainly would have included it, and it probably would have pushed Philadelphia Freedom off my plate. To hear it, go to Stephen Longfellow Fiske's website at www.fiskemusic.com/ and click on "Earth Anthem Music Video" at the top left. It is sung to the tune of The St