Comments on: Musing about national anthems

By: Syamant

Syamant — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:06:07 +0000

I came across the original recital by Rabindranath Tagore.

http://www.airtel.in/jayahe/

Do also have a look at the video where some of India’s best known musicians recite the National Anthem.

http://www.airtel.in/jayahe/Videos.asp

By: Stephen Smoliar

Stephen Smoliar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:18:33 +0000

JP, this may just reflect my own feelings about religion; but I find little dignity in the Book of Psalms. Aggressive pride tends to rule the roost, which may be why the Davidic texts have inspired so many nationalist sympathies, regardless of nation! Much as I like Tagore, I appreciate why this particular text sparked so much controversy!

By: John Dodds

John Dodds — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:29:32 +0000

There was a piece on Radio 4 at about 1.30 yesterday which discussed the apparently growing schism in Belgium between the Waloons and the french speakers . Not only do the latter now tend to play the French national anthem but both groups have separate political parties, i.e. a waloon speaking socialist party and a french-speaking socialist party. Mario’s idea of a lyric-less anthem would surely help here.

By: JP

JP — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:53:31 +0000

I said I wasn’t jingoistic. When I look at the English translation of the words to the Indian national anthem, I am more reminded of a psalm of David than I am of anything warlike or aggressive. Dignity. Not aggressive pride. Look up Wikipedia for Jana Gana Mana if you are interested.

By the way, despite its peaceful mien, there’s still enough controversy about the anthem, as the article suggests.

By: Stephen Smoliar

Stephen Smoliar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:36:33 +0000

Mario, I found your observations most interesting. From a strictly semantic point of view, all three of the SHORTER OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY definitions of “anthem” denote a text set to music. This reinforces the American frame of reference, where “The Star-Spangled Banner” is associated EXCLUSIVELY with Francis Scott Key, the composer of the text. My guess is that it would be very easy to go to a sporting event in the United States at which NO ONE knew that the music for the anthem came from the “Anacreontick Song,” composed by John Stafford Smith, which was used to open every meeting of a British drinking club (PLUS CA CHANGE)!

Technicalities aside, I think Spain is on to something good. Creating a situation conducive to silent meditation as far superior to conditioning a crowd to spit our words without any reflection. Key’s first stanza is only mildly jingoistic. However, as one reads further into the text, it gets downright offensive: “Then conquer we must, For our cause it is just, And this be our motto, ‘In God is our trust!’” I find in very hard to find any “dignity” in that language! It is closer to the concept of “honor” that Touchstone mocks in AS YOU LIKE IT!

By: Mario Ruiz

Mario Ruiz — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:21:28 +0000

Spanish anthem does not have Lyrics. So we are in a debate, if the an anthem should have lyrics or not.

My position is no. I do not want to have a another ocean between the English or the French and us, because the lyrics of the national anthems hurt someone. When not, it will portrait the Spanish people as giants. This case could be summited to Fraud for a good analysis of the “ego.”

Limits should despair. It is not possible to live like kings in America and shot the people who want to get in.

The same happen in Europe, it is not possible to continue living like the Africans do not exist.

Anthems contribute to this distances. It is a small symbol of the wrong feelings.

Mario Ruiz
@ http://www.oursheet.com

By: madame l.

madame l. — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:18:17 +0000

Beautiful. Here's the other side. Slightly off-topic, maybe, but well worth watching the whole thing.