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Time we changed our tune



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Hamish McLeod (Letters 7 May) is correct that Flower of Scotland is not suitable to be Scotland's anthem, but for the wrong reasons.
It is not "great" and "rousing" in the way a national anthem should be. It is a dirge and an embarrassment – fine for folk clubs and pubs, but lacking the simplicity, inspiration and gravitas that are the elementary requirements of a national anthem.

With the Commonwealth Games coming up and Scotland beginning to take its rightful place in the community of nations, now is the time to have a mature debate and ditch the maudlin and the music-hall.

Whatever is chosen, the "oldest nation in Europe" deserves better than a "wee bit hill and glen…"

DAVID ROCHE

Manorbank

Blairgowrie, Perthshire

Flower of Scotland sounds dreary because it is usually performed in too low a key. Transposing it up into G major might make all the difference.

NEIL BUTTERWORTH

East High Street

Duns, Berwickshire







The full article contains 162 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 12 May 2008 8:14 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Beth Boyle,

NY 13/05/2008 06:01:17
I find it very uplifting and exciting. I don't think I have heard it sung in a durge fashion. It might be better to select a song that does not mention warfare though. Caledonia might be the best choice. I am not really happy with the Star Spangled Banner. I would prefer America the Beautiful. It's nice not to think about violence when singing about ones nation!
2

CRAGman,

13/05/2008 09:49:58
I remember many years ago in Kars in north-eastern Turkey being asked to sing my national anthem. I sang "Flower of Scotland" - and the only emotion it invoked was pity that such a dirge represented Scotland. Not a fond memory!
3

jj veritas,

13/05/2008 09:59:10
Thoughtful words. Cool simple tune that everyone can sing. Just don't expect foreign bands to play it perfectly. Bands in China, Turkey, France won't always know how to play it well. But we don't always know theirs or the story behind their national anthem.

Does everyone in Scotland like it. You can't please all the people all the time. Most people I know rather like it. And the people I have met from the USA, Canada, Italy and many other countries rate it highly.
4

zorba,

airdrie 13/05/2008 10:34:43
God forgive those heathens who want to change "Flower of Scotland" No other song makes the hair on the back of my neck stand out and fills me with pride. Do some of our upper classes want a Classical tune created especially for Scotland. Let the people decide when we have independence. A referendum on our national Anthem when we become independent.

 

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