Who the fuck is Gert Bysee?
I am fiercely patriotic. I am proud of this country and all that it represents. The achievements of its citizens; from the stump-jump plough and the rotary clothes-hoist to the aeronautical black-box flight recorder all make my chest swell. Sure, I don't always agree with our leaders, but I firmly believe that all of them act with the best of intentions.
There is a sore point, however. Can we do something about our national anthem? It is the most suckful, trite, corny and uninspiring piece of shit ever inflicted on an unsuspecting public under the guise of music in the history of pieces of shit.
Every morning as I start work 2 WEB (AKA Radio B&S) plays a version of Advance Australia Fair sung by the kids at Lightning Ridge Primary School and it hurts. It isn't the kids' fault, either, although I'm not a fan of 'cute' kids. Pavarotti couldn't make that piece of crap sound good. To have to listen to it at 5a.m. is too much.
Get rid of it.
posted by Dirk at 1:15 am
18 Comments:
you forgot to mention the wine cask...
Agreed, a new anthem wouldn't go astray, although I'm still proud when I hear the current one, if only for the fact that it IS our national anthem, for better or (much) worse.
Just as long as we don't replace it with bloody "waltzing matilda". Nothing against the song personally, and I used to love it when they sang it at the rugby (spontaneously, before it became a corporatised, de-riguer cynical marketing exercise) but please, we've moved on from being a nation of sheep stealers.
Yes I am never inspired by it either.
Same with the flag. I look at it (assuming I'm not mistaking it for the NZ or Fiji flags) and see nothing but a bloddy union jack.
We're not British any more and the argumnet that our diggers fought under the flag is crap as well because it wasn't the official "Australian Flag" until '52 I believe.
/rant
Stilt,
everything is a cynical marketing exercise these days. At least one of our sporting teams has a song. I heard a charity recording of Gerry whatever his name is singing 'You'll never Walk Alone' at a Liverpool game to benefit the families of the dead in the Hillsborough disaster. 60,000 people in time, in tune and singing with passion - it sends shivers down your spine.
HH,
you can't get rid of the stamp in the corner without getting rid of the monarchy. We may not be British, but we are part of the Empire, err... Commonwealth. The Union Jack should remind you of that every time you look at it.
And make you angry.
Adie,
personally I think Paul Kelly, or maybe Mark Seymour should bang out a bit of an anthem for us. Both can write simple, coherent songs that express great sentiment without being mawkish. Not bad at making a tune, either.
We don't need to keep the Jack in the corner because we are a monarchy.
Canada is still a constitutional monarchy just like us and they have their very own and very recognisable flag.
I wish we had a symbol like that to be proud of.
I'm sure the Repulic would have got up at the last referendum if the Pro Republic sides were not split as they were.
Black and White Rag? Have you been secretly reading my blog, Adie?
On the anthems. I don't mind AAF, and loathe WM, but as long as we avoid any involvement with "Professional Aussie", John Williamson, I'll be happy.
HH,
I've got an idea that Canada is in a slightly different position than we are constitutionally, can't remember what the difference is. No matter, all the reasons you cite for getting rid of the postage stamp are ther reasons I think we should keep it. When the canucks look at their flag they can delude themselves that they are independant. When we look at ours we are reminded that we are ruled by some bunch of inbreds on the other side of the world in a country that deserted us during the war, increased the severity of the depression by making us pay extortionate repayments on loans we made to fight a war that was in their own interest (WW1) and has been progressively alienating us from her ever since. The flag is only decoration, at least make it serve a purpose.
Struth Tony, cobber,
starve the wallabies,ya reckon that cove is a bit too orstrayan do ya? Better tell 'im to hump his bluey, then.
Dirk, start a campaign,
"WHO'S GOT ENOUGH CRED TO WRITE AN AUSSIE NATIONAL ANTHEM ?"
I'd vote for Paul Kelly. A modern day Henry Lawson.
JAFA.
JAFA,
Paul Kelly it is, then. I'll give him a call.
Is he in the book?
JAFA,
Paul Kelly it is, then. I'll give him a call.
Is he in the book?
Paul Kelly is a good choice. I have a soft spot for Neil Murray too (you know, the bloke that was in the Warumpi Band... wrote My Island Home, which Christina Anu made a hit even though I much prefer the original version... so be it.) He's a lovely songwriter. Actually, I think I'm going to take him into work today. Thanks for the inspiration!
What's Paul Kelly got to do with music?
Be gentle with me, Tony, I am somewhat of a PK fan.
Tony, What's music got to do with the national anthem ?
JAFA.
Really, Dirk? I laughed at the way he informed us Mark Latham was a supreme tactitian before the election, and a total goose after.
JAFA ... err ... you have a point. Are you in the services, by the way?
Tony,
I've never paid any attention to what any entertainer has to say about pretty much anything except for their music/acting/writing etc. It's like asking your dentist to fix your car.
JAFA is indeed in uniform.
Hooch,
I nearly forgot, I met Neil Murray a few times in Alice Springs in the early nineties. Nice bloke.
Awwww man... can I touch your hand?
I saw him once at the Boat Shed in Manly, and it was such a nice night. He just seemed gorgeous (honest, straight down the line, gentle... all the things you wish in a friend).
I'm feeling pretty good about life at the moment, Hooch; you have my permission to touch any part of me that you desire.
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