Dreary dirge

I agree with David Roche (Letters, 12 February), who rejects the idea that Flower of Scotland should be our national anthem.

Musically it is a rhythmically strangulated dirge. The only vaguely classy bit is the folky full note drop in “Tae think again” but this is usually smoothed into a semi-tone on the terraces.

The lyric reflects the worst of the Scottish mentality: “We can still rise now.” Why? “To stand against them.” Really, can we not get over a mediaeval battle with the English 
already?

It is the gauche romanticising of the underdog; it prescribes an identity based on enmity; and it says nothing to me about the home nation of which I am proud.

Neil Barber

Edinburgh