Thursday, August 14, 2008

National anthems

Yes, I am obsessed with the Olympics. I can't help it. Once every four years isn't so bad, is it? In general I am somewhat ambivalent about most sports, but the Olympics gets the Aussie spirit out of me IN FORCE.

I was struck today, whilst watching the swimming finals (what else?), that Australia's national anthem is not one of the more interesting specimens. I heard the Japanese anthem for the first time today and was quite struck by it - austere, not at all westernised (unlike the Chinese anthem, which sounds like bad Verdi), and rather pentatonic.

Why doesn't Australia have a DECENT anthem? It's just so... meh. Admittedly, it's not as bad as the American... ("Oh, say can you see?" REALLY? Then again, is that worse than "With golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is girt by sea"? sigh...) but it's not good.

Our near neighbours, the Kiwis, have sort of got something going there. It's a nice tune, at the very least. Perhaps a bit simplistic... but a nice tune all the same. Not as complicated or as wordy as the Italian or Chinese anthems. The French, of course, is rousing as ever.

but I really think Australia should get a new anthem. Preferably composed by Carl Vine.

2 comments:

Yvonne said...

The Greek anthem's a good one too.

Lady Blogger said...

Interesting... can't say I've heard it! Will keep an ear out.