It's been called an "alternative national anthem". I dig it. More moving for me because one of my best friends is planning on moving to Canada sometime in the next couple years with her wife because of the US anti-gay policies. Personally I think she should stick around and help me/us win the fight.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Does not do a whole lot for me. I don't think our national anthem should be a treatise on what's wrong with us, and how we are not sure why we all stick around, but we do.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Well... of course. But it's not really an anthem anyway, it's just been called that. But it's pointless to hide from the issues of your nation... but also moving that you are still loyal for the good that is there too.
It's a bit of a breath of fresh air for me...some of the circles of friends I hang out with are all into USA, or at least Administration, bashing and rant, rave, write bad poetry and refuse to see the good that's around. This song does a little flip at the end...you think you're listening to one of those bash America songs but it turns into a love song and a song of hope.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I think it's wonderful that people here have the freedom to "rant, rave, write bad poetry, and refuse to see the good" to their hearts' content. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(I'm recalling as I write this a visit from a friend who is from Singapore. Every time he criticized his government or their policies, he would speak in hushed tones and look nervously over his shoulder and around the room-- even though he was far away from where anyone would hear him and report him. It was just habit to be nervous when criticizing his government and their policies.)
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Hear hear!
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
I think this could make a good ska song.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Telperion the Silver: Well... of course. But it's not really an anthem anyway, it's just been called that. But it's pointless to hide from the issues of your nation... but also moving that you are still loyal for the good that is there too.
It's a bit of a breath of fresh air for me...some of the circles of friends I hang out with are all into USA, or at least Administration, bashing and rant, rave, write bad poetry and refuse to see the good that's around. This song does a little flip at the end...you think you're listening to one of those bash America songs but it turns into a love song and a song of hope.
See I grew up around friends and often teachers who had nothing but criticisms for the topic of Americana. I too think it's great we can complain and criticize as well as fix our problems. I just tire when somebody comes up with an artistic way to lambast the country and people all think it's amazing and insightful to talk about native american mistreatment, slavery, white male domination of politics, and now anti homosexual sentiment.
But I love The Colbert Report. I am also a long time reader of Mad Magazine, at least until they sold out.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by Juxtapose: I think this could make a good ska song.
Is there such a thing?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Heck, yeah. Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
KQ, you may have just earned my undying love.
----
On the topic of the original post,
quote:I just tire when somebody comes up with an artistic way to lambast the country and people all think it's amazing and insightful to talk about native american mistreatment, slavery, white male domination of politics, and now anti homosexual sentiment.
Personally, the idea that I could love my country AND accept all the bad things in its history was actually something amazing and insightful. Learning about all the atrocities in US history made me feel betrayed. This was supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave and all that. We were supposed to be the good guys. Good guys don't do those kinds of things.
Getting to the point of view expressed in this song, where I can love my country in spite of what its done took me years. Maybe that's immature, but then again, maybe if someone had been able to express it this simply it wouldn't have taken so long.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
quote:Personally, the idea that I could love my country AND accept all the bad things in its history was actually something amazing and insightful. Learning about all the atrocities in US history made me feel betrayed. This was supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave and all that. We were supposed to be the good guys. Good guys don't do those kinds of things.
I think that maybe he's talking more about the fact that the idea expressed in your quote is actually neither new or even particularly clever. The message is important, but delivering it in this fashion is hardly extremely artistic, in and of itself.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
mmmm it struck me as a political cartoon in song format.
Basically it was just her political opinion set to music. It was pretty. She's talented. I can see how if you agree with what she's saying you'd love the song.
But of course, I don't agree with most of what she says. I love my country. It could improve, of course, (Gay rights, cut taxes/social spending) But I'm not going to make a song about how horrible the country is.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
I guess what I was trying to say is that I don't think the song is about lambasting America, or detailing how horrible it is. It may not be new, or clever, but it's not a perspective I hear expressed very often either. I think it's worthwhile to admit that we've screwed up before, we'll screw up again, and then acknowledge that that doesn't make us bad people or a bad country.
On the other hand, nor do I think of it as an "alternative national anthem." This song will probably be dating itself in my lifetime.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:KQ, you may have just earned my undying love.
Don't tell KPC, okay? Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Dating itself?!
If that's your thing, I guess.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:KQ, you may have just earned my undying love.
Don't tell KPC, okay?
Uh oh. He's not the duelin' sort, is he?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Mmm, no. He'd just resent you to death. Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
I like that it ends with a few bars of 'God Save the Queen', the British national anthem. Ah, you zany colonials...
Posted by Evie3217 (Member # 5426) on :
"God Save the Queen" is also "My Country Tis of Thee,"one of our patriotic songs. Yes, we did steal the tune from the British, but the song is also our own.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
It's also used for anthems of a few other countries, IIRC...
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
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