Debate on national anthem still divides Scots

By Jennifer O’Mahony
Published on Tuesday 3 January 2012 00:00

Scots are divided over the choice of any future national anthem for the nation, a Scotsman poll has found.

Just 35 per cent of people voted for sporting favourite Flower of Scotland yesterday, the anthem of Scotland’s rugby and football teams, with bagpipe tune Highland Cathedral second choice at 13 per cent and Scotland the Brave a narrow third, with 11 per cent of votes.

In total, 385 people had taken part in the vote on The Scotsman’s website as the newspaper went to press last night, choosing from twelve different songs.

The findings may add fuel to the arguments of piper Donald Glass, who argued in yesterday’s edition that the “backward-looking and depressing” song should be abandoned before the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Glasgow. Mr Glass has previously led Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officers’ Training Corps to victory in the World Pipe Band Championships.

The poll also revealed a number of unionists who propelled God Save The Queen to a fifth place with 9 per cent of the vote, despite its references to “Rebellious Scots to crush”.

Caledonia, the Scottish folk ballad, took 10 per cent of votes, placing it in fourth position.

Mr Glass told The Scotsman: “A new anthem should be a quicker 4/4 march composed first and foremost on the pipes and have words that people can easily sing along to and have a melody which is easily remembered.”

He was joined by Robert Wallace, principal of the College of Piping in Glasgow, who branded the song “politically embarrassing” because of its celebration of “Proud Edward’s armies”.

Flower of Scotland was written by Roy Williamson of The Corries in 1967 about the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Comments

There are 5 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

5

Helen

Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 09:21 AM

I'm English and I don't mind what Scotland chooses for its National Anthem as long as it's not God Save the Queen. I don't want England to use God save the Queen either. As a staunch anti-monarchist I don't think any country should be singing the praises of an archaic, outdated institution which has no place in a twenty-first century democracy. England needs its own National Anthem and so does Scotland.

• Report Unsuitable

4

brianwci

Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 02:23 AM

As long as we get Independence I'll settle for Baa Baa Black Sheep. VOTE YES.

• Report Unsuitable

3

dgg

Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 12:49 AM

Why not go back to Scott, who was good at turning out an apt phrase? =============================================== Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! It's OK to wade in schmaltz so longs you don't pick fights with the neighbours. Sorry I think Scott did - with =============================================== The Land of the Mountain and the Flood Why not use the overture of that name, written by that nice Mr McCunn? =============================================== O Caledonia! stern and, wild and the source of generations of legal jokes. =============================================== Even Burns didn't get it right - read 'Caledonia' for some of his worst poetry - and he had it in for the Danes and the Vikings. =============================================== None of that stuff, or the sort of music heard on the White Heather Club, stands up as an 'anthem' - it's all too sugary. =============================================== If you want to know what Flower of Scotland is really about - it's pure Nationalism. If the words say 'in the past they must remain' they also go on to say 'and be a nation again' - and that's why you're unlikely to hear too many smart comments from politicians.

• Report Unsuitable

2

samcoldstream

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 01:08 PM

Advance Australia Fair is the official national anthem Down Under but the vast majority of Aussies could,'t even tell you the words. The unofficial national anthem that every Aussie sings is Waltzing Matilda. The lyrics to O Canada were originally written over a century ago by a Frenchman but an English-speaker changed the lyrics in 1927, and when it was adopted in 1980 as Canada's anthem in an official bilingual country, the majority of French speakers refused to sing it. (Source: Anthems of the World)

• Report Unsuitable

1

Hugh V McLachlan Elderslie

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 10:03 AM

'The poll also revealed a number of unionists who propelled God Save The Queen to a fifth place with 9 per cent of the vote, despite its references to “Rebellious Scots to crush”' I have never heard that verse sung in public. Has anyone else? In any case, the line does not say that all Scots are rebellious nor that all Scots should be crushed. Rebellious ones should be crushed, should they not?

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.