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The Worst Songs in the World
The Terrible Truth About National Anthems
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Brief Description
The best-known songs in the world are violent, sexist, and religious - so why do we celebrate national anthems when we should be rewriting them? The story begins in a London theatre in 1745, where the modern idea of anthems started out as triumphant expressions of...
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Description
The best-known songs in the world are violent, sexist, and religious - so why do we celebrate national anthems when we should be rewriting them?
The story begins in a London theatre in 1745, where the modern idea of anthems started out as triumphant expressions of national superiority. They glorified violence, claimed the support of God for their country, and mostly ignored women.
David Pate says it's time to dump lyrics about cutting throats, watering fields with blood, building walls with the bodies of enemies, and celebrating the sound of machine guns. From the author's own youth as a schoolboy in Scotland when he was caned for refusing to sing "God Save the Queen" to the ubiquity of anthems in sports and as weapons for extreme patriotism, The Worst Songs in the World looks at the origins of many of the world's anthems, including the movie theme song that became China's national anthem and the English tune used for "The Star-Spangled Banner."
This wide-ranging, deeply researched narrative combines politics, personalities, humour, and vivid storytelling to argue for what we should all want: better national songs.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781459754560
Publisher: The Dundurn Group
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 07 November 2024
Country: Canada
Imprint: Dundurn Press
Illustration: Illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 139.0mm
Height: 215.0mm
Weight: 297g
Pages: 336
About the Author
David Pate was a veteran journalist who stood to attention for dozens of national anthems and thought most of them were terrible. Born in Scotland, he worked for numerous media outlets, beginning as a reporter for the Tullamore Tribune, and then as program editor for RT, Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster. He spent the rest of his career at the CBC.
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