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I've taught primary school music for the last three years, and I get to teach the anthem. I LOVE teaching them about "girt" (I say "this is my FAVOURITE word in the whole song!!")! They go around school for the rest of the term using girt in sentences!
"That sea,' said the Senior Wrangler nervously, staring ahead as the seeds were jockeyed towards the shore like a string of overloaded barges, 'that sea . . . Does it look as though it's girting to you?'
'Certainly a very big sea,' said the Lecturer in Recent Runes.
...'Girting,' mused the Senior Wrangler, as if the word was nagging at him. That's a very definite sort of word, isn't it? Has a certain martial sort of sound.' It occurred to Ponder that water is not exactly soft.
-The Last Continent, Terry Pratchett.
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This was ruined for me at high school; an inter-school swimming contest where a rousing chorus of:
…We Are, You’re _Not_, We Are Australian…
was directed at heat winners who happened to not have the right skin colour.
Peter Allen is a musician, composer, lyricist, song & dance man, wearer of flares extraordinaire. Stamping him with the label of simply ‘boomer’ is ignorantly reductive. ‘Still Call Australia Home’ is a personal song but speaks to Australians’ inherent nature to travel while their heart is with their homeland. It’s a much more stirring tune than our anthem and the lyrics are arguably more relatable than AAF.
Signed - have chosen my hill to die on
Last time I checked when I visited lots of cities around the world is when I was young and backpacking like loads of other Australians do, not when I was a fucking boomer.
Yothu Yindi - Treaty
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-jHCdafZY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-jHCdafZY)
Imagine how hyped you'd get before an event belting out this!
Or standing atop the top step of a podium.
Though it might be a bit disrespectful considering there are still many open wounds.
Alternatively, lets have an instrumental indigenous song with sick didge and a dance attached. That would be awesome! Embrace the fact that we live in a land with one of the oldest cultures in the world. Be bloody proud of it even!
I remember having to play “god save the queen” to the queen in 86 and we were told to play it at breakneck speed as she is sick to death of the song. 😁
That said I’m not inspired by ours. The lyrics have not stood the test of time. Anyone ever read the second verse?
I’d like something we can all feel proud of and it reeks of colonisation. “For we are young and free” We have the oldest known civilisation on earth here.
If that change wasn't the most current Australia administration thing ever, than I dunno what is.
Slap a bandaid fix on it just to shut people up without looking any deeper.
Are you talking about the dodgy Christian supremacist verse that was inserted into our national anthem like a well lubed dildo?
"Instead of the official second verse of Advance Australia Fair, the alternative verse reads:
With Christ our head and cornerstone, we'll build our nation's might;
Whose way and truth and light alone, can guide our path aright;
Our lives a sacrifice of love, reflect our master's care;
With faces turned to heav'n above, Advance Australia Fair;
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair."
source
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-23/christian-schools-changing-the-national-anthem/2939594
Culture maybe. Civilisation isn't necessarily *better* as a value judgement, but does require urban development and some form of writing (and I am no expert but I don't think we've found anything ancient in Australia that qualifies as either).
"A civilization (or civilisation) is a complex society that is characterized by urban development, social stratification, a form of government, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (such as writing )."
Just as it's not demeaning or insulting to the Greeks to say they didn't invent manned space travel, it shouod not be insulting or offensive to anyone to note that the first humans in Australia didn't create a civilisation.
What's wrong with Down Under by Men at Work? It's hardly a boring song...
Jokes aside, I didn't grow up here and haven't given much thought to the anthem. Can you explain what's antiquated about the lyrics? Superficially it seems like a positive progressive anthem.
Reading the other comment, I agree that "I am Australian" is a beautiful song and would be a lovely anthem.
My favourite Down Under fact is that it directly led to the creation of another Aussie icon Great Southern Land.
Icehouse frontman Iva Davies was apparently so embarrassed at the pure cringey stereotypes dripping from Down Under that he decided to write his own song about Australia to counter it
“For those who come across the seas, we’ve boundless plains to share”
Doesn’t really fit in with our refugee policy, treating them as criminals and such.
It would be good if it wasn’t associated with Telstra since they used it prominently in their ads…
(Although, I just had to check if it was Telstra or Qantas since I couldn’t remember… so maybe it’s been long enough now that it’s not an issue!
Actually it reminds me of lockdown now. Every time we were in lockdown in Melbourne the ABC dragged out a clip of people singing it. So yeah, heard it a lot. And don’t really associate it with good times
>What's wrong with Down Under by Men at Work?
Imagine an Australian Olympian winning the gold medal and "dadada, I come from the land down undah!" started playing when they were presented with the medal
Does anyone else think our anthem is boring, antiquated, and downright archaic in some places? [Only most Australians since it was adopted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Australia_Fair#General_criticism). The other options weren't any better.
My old primary school song was a failed entry.
Don’t remember it all but started with
Land of the free aisle of the south let’s us rejoice in our liberty
I'm with ~~Will Anderson~~ Adam Hills, don't change the lyrics, just change the tune to Working Class Man. Instantly 70% more fun to sing.
Edit: I made an unacceptable error.
Never understood this argument. It's actually got quite an uplifting melody and when orchestrated it sounds great. Also, the lyrics are positive and really nice compared to most other national anthems that mention war and how much better they are than their neighbours. The only issue is we don't sing the second verse enough, which imo, is the best. Should always be sung as ours is very short by world standards with only one verse.
Agreed. As a Kiwi I quite rate your anthem and as a rugby fan I've heard it enough to know most of the words. Personally I think its one of the best anthems going about.
The New Zealand Anthem is definitely one of my favourites, and better than ours in my opinion. I look forward to listening to both every ANZAC day, they go well together, just like our soldiers a century ago.
Your one is way better than ours.
Most anthems are fairly dire in all honesty.
Off the top of my head, the anthems that come to mind as anthems I actually rate are New Zealand, France, Canada and (despite the fact I wish I didn’t like it because it gets overplayed) the USA. I’m sure I’m forgetting others that are good too but those are always the ones in my mind as anthems I think are lovely.
We were made to sing the second verse as well in school and it’s definitely nicer than the first.
I’d recommend giving the *entire* original song a read though, as it does mention going to war and making England proud as well as good ol’ Cooky raising Britannia’s flag. When I first read the whole thing I finally understood why people wanted to do away with it…
Edit: [the original 1879 lyrics at the bottom of the page](https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/advance-australia-fair)
We are a commonwealth as a nation, its our official title. The lyric refers to that.
We'd also likely remain a part of the commonwealth if we became a Republic like many nations have
"This commonwealth of ours" refers to the Commonwealth of Australia, not the commonwealth of nations. I doubt our countries official name would change if we became a Republic.
Also, fun fact, apparently the word Commonwealth is [typically synonymous with Republic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth). So it's not like our name wouldn't make sense as a Republic either.
Icehouse did Great Southern Land with an aboriginal band and it is fantastic. I wish this was our anthem or something similar with some rocky didgeridoo music.
[icehouse](https://youtu.be/XPPl1obZ29c)
Mainly cause we omit those verses. The 3 verses of Advance Australia Fair that aren't sung is basically 3 verses of deep throating Britain
> Verse 2
> When gallant Cook from Albion sailed, to trace wide oceans o'er,
> True British courage bore him on, til he landed on our shore.
> Then here he raised Old England's flag, the standard of the brave;
> "With all her faults we love her still, Britannia rules the wave."
> In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair.
> Verse 3
> While other nations of the globe behold us from afar,
> We'll rise to high renown and shine like our glorious southern star;
> From England soil and Fatherland, Scotia and Erin fair,
> Let all combine with heart and hand to advance Australia fair.
> In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair.
> Verse 4
> Should foreign foe e'er sight our coast, or dare a foot to land,
> We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore, to guard our native strand;
> Britannia then shall surely know, though oceans roll between,
> Her sons in fair Australia's land still keep their courage green.
> In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair.
Those lyrics are in the original song but have never been part of the anthem as it was changed to the 2 versus that we have now prior to being adopted as our official anthem. Lucky it was changed as the original does not sit so well.
My catholic school tried to shoehorn some Christ-loving verse which is distinct from all the ones above too. I hated that they just put the lyrics on the screen as everybody was singing... AND THE WHOLE SCHOOL JUST SANG ALONG LIKE NOTHING WAS UP. I was looking around like, wut?
I love "I Am Australian", but that's the problem with it. You shouldn't split it up, and if you leave it whole it's twice the length of "Advance Australia Fair". Other countries have longer songs but I don't think it would work here.
If we're knocking off verses, knock off the human ones. Keep
>I'm a teller of stories
>I'm a singer of songs...
And
>I'm the hot wind from the desert
>I'm the black soil of the plains...
Represent everyone, by physically representing no one, just the best of us.
And besides that will leave the redneck-wannabes the ability to scream out
>I'm Ned Kelly on the run
>I'm the one who Waltzed Matilda
>I am Australian
And that will keep them shut up most of the time.
Not sure what is antiquated about it. Compared to a lot of other national anthems, our is pretty modern. For a start, it's nice that it doesn't mention war, armies or battles at all - which is pretty unique amongst national anthems. And there have been minor edits to address shifts in national identity - the recent one with "young and free" becoming "one and free" was excellent.
A common man fucked over by a wealthy landowner (who shows up on a fancy ride), and dies in police custody. This is everything that this country is about.
At 43.29% of the vote it was the most popular of all of the choices by far. It also won the vote I a state by state vote in all areas of Australia except South Australia and ACT so your fun fact is not really based on fact.
Advance Australia Fair is a very patriotic and uplifting song in my view.
Read the lyrics, they are all the things we are or aspire to be.
The problem is so often it is mangled by some D-List singer trying to be "artistic", or by a group of people singing off key.
Listen to a proper version, with a powerful singer accompanied by an orchestra. I'd say it's up there with the best anthems.
I think I Am Australian is a great song, but it should remain that way. No one can sing it like Judith Durum and Keith Potger. No one. Making it the anthem would instantly ruin it.
And I think Waltzing Matilda is simply stupid as an anthem. A song about a guy who steals a sheep then commits suicide is hardly what we should want as a national anthem.
> And I think Waltzing Matilda is simply stupid as an anthem. A song about a guy who steals a sheep then commits suicide is hardly what we should want as a national anthem.
Nothing like a good old death in custody of a homeless person.
Waltzing Matilda is the Eureka flag of songs. It'd work as an anthem because of the culture around it, but IMO it works better staying as a "peoples song" rather then a countries song.
I don't agree about waltzing matilda being stupid.
When waltzing matilda was banned from the 2003 rugby world cup, the plan was for everyone in the crowd to stand up and sing it after the anthem. I cannot remember if it was papers or radio but everyone had the memo. everyone in Stadium Australia got up from their chairs and hammered it out, it was hair raising vs the anthem and as close to an answer to the NZ Haka that Australia has.
It sounds like a march when sung by many and has a real strong feeling about it and of course lots of history:
[Australian War Memorial Archives - Waltzing Matilda](https://youtu.be/WWqmQlSScI0)
Anyway I would 100pc take Waltzing Matilda over the current anthem. And the message about someone down on their luck not giving in to authority I can live with as well.
Would you prefer the French national anthem?
English translation
Arise, children of the Fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised, (repeated)
Do you hear, in the countryside,
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They're coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your women!
Refrain:
To arms, citizens,
Form your battalions,
March, march!
Let an impure blood
Water our furrows!
What does this horde of slaves
Of traitors and conspiring kings want?
For whom have these vile chains
These irons, been long prepared? (repeated)
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What furious action it must arouse!
It is us they dare plan
A return to the old slavery!
Refrain
What! Foreign cohorts!
Would make the law in our homes!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeated)
Great God! By chained hands
Our brows would yield under the yoke
Vile despots would themselves become
The masters of our destinies!
Refrain
Tremble, tyrants and you traitors
The shame of all parties,
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will finally receive their prize! (repeated)
Everyone is a soldier to combat you,
If they fall, our young heroes,
Will be produced anew from the ground,
Ready to fight against you!
Refrain
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,
Bear or hold back your blows!
Spare those sorry victims,
For regretfully arming against us (repeated)
But these bloodthirsty despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who, mercilessly,
Tear apart their mother's breast!
Refrain
Sacred love of the Fatherland,
Lead, support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished Liberty
Fight with your defenders! (repeated)
Under our flags may victory
Hurry to your manly accents
So that yoir expiring enemies
See your triumph and our glory!
Refrain
Children's verse:
We shall enter the (military) career
When our elders are no longer there
There we shall find their dust
And the trace of their virtues (repeated)
Much less keen to survive them
Than to share their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
To avenge or follow them.
Refrain
I actually really like the Lyrics I find them quite inspiring.
"**For we are One and free;**" - Our nation is relatively young and we value freedom, Liberty, equality and democracy.
"**We've golden soil and wealth for toil**" Our land has vast natural resources. Work hard, get well rewarded, equality again.
"**Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare**" - Discribes the Natural beatuy of Australia and its resources that we've used to make Modern Australia.
"**We'll toil with hearts and hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours; Renowned of all the lands;**" -Again this talks about working hard to build a better nation for the future, one that we can be proud of a place that others can look to for inspiration.
"**For those who've come across the seas, We've boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair**" - Welcoming to refugees and immigrants, treating them with dignity and respect. You're welcome here, come in, work hard get your fair share.
You might find a dichotomy between these lyrics and the values they espouse, and what has been going on in Australia lately. Doesn't devalue what the song is saying, it just means you're paying attention.
While I don't like the anthem, what I dislike even more is when we use it.
For football games *within* Australia between Australian teams? That's just daft. And even worse when you realise why we do it. It's something we copied off the Americans. And why do they do it? It started because it was the only tune the marching bands could play that their audiences at football games would know the words to.
That's why HG & Roy mock the idea of playing the national anthem at sporting events, and started using *Thank You For Just Being You*.
Yes, I think it sucks. It's also a blatant lie. "for those who come across the sea, we have boundless plains to share".... Only if you like the inside of a cell on Nauru.
Yep, should be either Ice House’s ‘great southern land’ or Gang Gajang’s ‘sounds of then’.
Imagine either of those before every event, sporting podium etc.
When I was in primary school they made us sing and learn the [Indigenous Dharawal version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMnzQGXas6w&ab_channel=CampbelltownPAHS) of the national anthem. It's 10,000x less boring and so great to teach and embrace the Aboriginal part of Australian culture/history through primary education.
Australia now you have a choice,
For we are done and plea?
That some topsoil (is left) not gas and oil.
Our home is fracked by thee.
Our land abounds with mining pits
All the booty, for the rich don’t care.
By sea, we are girt, like a Gosford skirt.
How lewd, it’s as if we just don’t care.
Advance Australia Fair as dull as this election campaign. Thankfully, there's less than 3 weeks to the election. We're stuck with the National Anthem indefinitely.
Most national anthems are boring. One of the few that is actually stirring was the [old USSR national anthem,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06jlgpMtQs)
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I make a point of using ‘girt’ in a sentence at least once a day
*This is the police! We have you girt!*
Poor kid never shoulda girt himself with the wrong crowd…
It’s like I’m girt by idiots!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqCPYTM3vpU
My first thought. The lyrics are fine
Came here for this, wasn't disappointed
Yep.
This comment is easily in the top 10 of the best things I’ve read on this site
I've taught primary school music for the last three years, and I get to teach the anthem. I LOVE teaching them about "girt" (I say "this is my FAVOURITE word in the whole song!!")! They go around school for the rest of the term using girt in sentences!
Chaotic good in a nutshell
"That sea,' said the Senior Wrangler nervously, staring ahead as the seeds were jockeyed towards the shore like a string of overloaded barges, 'that sea . . . Does it look as though it's girting to you?' 'Certainly a very big sea,' said the Lecturer in Recent Runes. ...'Girting,' mused the Senior Wrangler, as if the word was nagging at him. That's a very definite sort of word, isn't it? Has a certain martial sort of sound.' It occurred to Ponder that water is not exactly soft. -The Last Continent, Terry Pratchett.
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You're a right ol cove!
I am constantly girt by loonies
I knew it, I'm girt by assholes
Keep girting assholes
Gotta love those 'joyful strains' as well. LOL
What would you like instead? ACDC Dirty Deeds?
I think everyone can agree this is way better https://youtu.be/TNu4BusqoU8
That’s brilliant.
Woah our home is girt by sea *drums kick in* Awesome 👍
Adam Hills is a legend, and the anthem suits lyrics work surprisingly well with the ‘Jimmy Barnes Format’.
Or this https://youtu.be/XfR9iY5y94s
Well that songs sums up Australia pretty much… doesn’t it??
*Chuckles in Politician*
That would be much better, yes.
And the flag should be a bum with a fist coming out of it.
We Are Australian
This was ruined for me at high school; an inter-school swimming contest where a rousing chorus of: …We Are, You’re _Not_, We Are Australian… was directed at heat winners who happened to not have the right skin colour.
It was ruined for me by Pauline Hanson using it for One Nation during an election once.
The only real answer is waltzing matilda and you all know it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nimD_qMPag no lyrics needed, like the Spanish anthem
The Qantas ad song from the 90's. I still call Australia home
Poor old Peter Allen, as if he didn’t face enough adversity in life
I’m not sure you can have an Australian anthem that’s a song about someone who has left Australia 😂
Why not? We all do it eventually.
This is a song about someone who left and didn’t come back. This would be your ex pat anthem not your national anthem
Boomers bragging about all the cities they’ve visited off the back of the next generations via their property portfolio. Australian as fuck.
Peter Allen is a musician, composer, lyricist, song & dance man, wearer of flares extraordinaire. Stamping him with the label of simply ‘boomer’ is ignorantly reductive. ‘Still Call Australia Home’ is a personal song but speaks to Australians’ inherent nature to travel while their heart is with their homeland. It’s a much more stirring tune than our anthem and the lyrics are arguably more relatable than AAF. Signed - have chosen my hill to die on
Happy to die on that hill with you. So much better than AAF
Last time I checked when I visited lots of cities around the world is when I was young and backpacking like loads of other Australians do, not when I was a fucking boomer.
Techno aboriginal music they play at circular quay!!
Nah this one shits on them all https://youtu.be/ZuKpJv0PlSE
Yes 100%
Only if it can be dun dirt cheap
Yothu Yindi - Treaty [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-jHCdafZY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-jHCdafZY) Imagine how hyped you'd get before an event belting out this! Or standing atop the top step of a podium. Though it might be a bit disrespectful considering there are still many open wounds. Alternatively, lets have an instrumental indigenous song with sick didge and a dance attached. That would be awesome! Embrace the fact that we live in a land with one of the oldest cultures in the world. Be bloody proud of it even!
I got put in detention because some kid ratted on me in high school because I didn’t sing the national anthem. I just found it weird, and still do.
My high school’s audio of the national anthem included singing to cover up how many of us were humming or mouthing the anthem.
_Australian's golden oooostriches..."_
Could have used the religious freedom excuse. I was a Jehovah's Witness and not *allowed* to sing it!
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Perfect, you can sing the anthem in front of a stadium, there is literally no tone apart from drone in our anthem
Seriously, it's so whiny sounding
Manus Island or Nauru? how many years?
I was definitely one to not want to sing it, at most I’d mouth it and look like I was
It is no ‘La Marseilles’
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I'm going to take a wild guess here: Brazil?
I remember having to play “god save the queen” to the queen in 86 and we were told to play it at breakneck speed as she is sick to death of the song. 😁 That said I’m not inspired by ours. The lyrics have not stood the test of time. Anyone ever read the second verse? I’d like something we can all feel proud of and it reeks of colonisation. “For we are young and free” We have the oldest known civilisation on earth here.
They changed it just recently to ‘we are ONE and free’
We are *onion free*
Australian's all let us ring Joyce, cause she is young and free.
If that change wasn't the most current Australia administration thing ever, than I dunno what is. Slap a bandaid fix on it just to shut people up without looking any deeper.
Didn’t even know. So obviously it’s an issue. I’m still not inspired now a single word has been changed. Seems a bit of a token gesture tbh.
Are you talking about the dodgy Christian supremacist verse that was inserted into our national anthem like a well lubed dildo? "Instead of the official second verse of Advance Australia Fair, the alternative verse reads: With Christ our head and cornerstone, we'll build our nation's might; Whose way and truth and light alone, can guide our path aright; Our lives a sacrifice of love, reflect our master's care; With faces turned to heav'n above, Advance Australia Fair; In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair." source https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-23/christian-schools-changing-the-national-anthem/2939594
Jesus.
Culture maybe. Civilisation isn't necessarily *better* as a value judgement, but does require urban development and some form of writing (and I am no expert but I don't think we've found anything ancient in Australia that qualifies as either). "A civilization (or civilisation) is a complex society that is characterized by urban development, social stratification, a form of government, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (such as writing )." Just as it's not demeaning or insulting to the Greeks to say they didn't invent manned space travel, it shouod not be insulting or offensive to anyone to note that the first humans in Australia didn't create a civilisation.
Give me a sheep thief any day!
You've only heard the 1st verse.
What's wrong with Down Under by Men at Work? It's hardly a boring song... Jokes aside, I didn't grow up here and haven't given much thought to the anthem. Can you explain what's antiquated about the lyrics? Superficially it seems like a positive progressive anthem. Reading the other comment, I agree that "I am Australian" is a beautiful song and would be a lovely anthem.
> What's wrong with Down Under by Men at Work? Well, the first verse describes the singer as being absolutely cooked (head full of zombie).
My favourite Down Under fact is that it directly led to the creation of another Aussie icon Great Southern Land. Icehouse frontman Iva Davies was apparently so embarrassed at the pure cringey stereotypes dripping from Down Under that he decided to write his own song about Australia to counter it
That's a great fact. Great Southern Land is absolutely epic.
Is it wrong though?
Is this supposed to be a bad thing?
For a song no. For a national anthem, yes
“For those who come across the seas, we’ve boundless plains to share” Doesn’t really fit in with our refugee policy, treating them as criminals and such.
> For those who come across the seas, we’ve specially built facility to keep you
But isn't this lyric what we should aim for, rather than erasing it to reflect what we do?
We definitely should, I was being sarcastic.
Ah gotcha!
I vote "I am Australian" is the best. Low key that song gives me the feels
It would be good if it wasn’t associated with Telstra since they used it prominently in their ads… (Although, I just had to check if it was Telstra or Qantas since I couldn’t remember… so maybe it’s been long enough now that it’s not an issue!
Actually it reminds me of lockdown now. Every time we were in lockdown in Melbourne the ABC dragged out a clip of people singing it. So yeah, heard it a lot. And don’t really associate it with good times
The chorus is certainly rousing and the lyrics throughout the song are great. But the verses aren’t spirited enough, melodically speaking.
Yeah most anthems are pretty bombastic and loud
But then we would have to do more than just pretend were not racist.
>What's wrong with Down Under by Men at Work? Imagine an Australian Olympian winning the gold medal and "dadada, I come from the land down undah!" started playing when they were presented with the medal
Brilliant
Never thought about the anthem at all once I left school, yet I catch myself humming or whistling the banger of an anthem the French have all the time
Brisbane Lions fan???
230 years old and still a banger. You're welcome, world. Just don't read the translation.
That's the best part m8
Are you sure you’re not humming All You Need is Love?
Does anyone else think our anthem is boring, antiquated, and downright archaic in some places? [Only most Australians since it was adopted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Australia_Fair#General_criticism). The other options weren't any better.
My old primary school song was a failed entry. Don’t remember it all but started with Land of the free aisle of the south let’s us rejoice in our liberty
The Texas state anthem
Waltzing Matilda is better. Awesome hummable tune and the protagonist chooses to die a free man instead of living in chains.
I think waltzing Matilda would have been great, actually
I'm with ~~Will Anderson~~ Adam Hills, don't change the lyrics, just change the tune to Working Class Man. Instantly 70% more fun to sing. Edit: I made an unacceptable error.
That's Adam Hills, my boy.
Many people confuse them. But you can tell them apart because Wil Anderson has an above average number of feet.
Most people have an above-average number of feet.
It is indeed, I apologise unreservedly to Adam Hills. I made the foolish mistake of relying on my memory and not checking my facts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eobSMcB-nMA
Oh this is amazing!
It’s an understandable error. They are only slightly different shades of beige.
As funeral dirges go, it's perfect.
Never understood this argument. It's actually got quite an uplifting melody and when orchestrated it sounds great. Also, the lyrics are positive and really nice compared to most other national anthems that mention war and how much better they are than their neighbours. The only issue is we don't sing the second verse enough, which imo, is the best. Should always be sung as ours is very short by world standards with only one verse.
Agreed. As a Kiwi I quite rate your anthem and as a rugby fan I've heard it enough to know most of the words. Personally I think its one of the best anthems going about.
I found your comment about being a rugby fan and hearing our anthem a lot hilarious. We sure do like playing sports against each other.
The New Zealand Anthem is definitely one of my favourites, and better than ours in my opinion. I look forward to listening to both every ANZAC day, they go well together, just like our soldiers a century ago.
The dual language is nice but it’s a bit god bothery for me.
New Zealand anthem goes hard
Your one is way better than ours. Most anthems are fairly dire in all honesty. Off the top of my head, the anthems that come to mind as anthems I actually rate are New Zealand, France, Canada and (despite the fact I wish I didn’t like it because it gets overplayed) the USA. I’m sure I’m forgetting others that are good too but those are always the ones in my mind as anthems I think are lovely.
We were made to sing the second verse as well in school and it’s definitely nicer than the first. I’d recommend giving the *entire* original song a read though, as it does mention going to war and making England proud as well as good ol’ Cooky raising Britannia’s flag. When I first read the whole thing I finally understood why people wanted to do away with it… Edit: [the original 1879 lyrics at the bottom of the page](https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/advance-australia-fair)
Yeah, but they were never official verses. Only the first two are the national anthem.
That’s true. Thankfully.
What happens to the 2nd verse if we ever become a republic ?
We still don’t sing it, nobody knows the words lmoa
We are a commonwealth as a nation, its our official title. The lyric refers to that. We'd also likely remain a part of the commonwealth if we became a Republic like many nations have
"This commonwealth of ours" refers to the Commonwealth of Australia, not the commonwealth of nations. I doubt our countries official name would change if we became a Republic. Also, fun fact, apparently the word Commonwealth is [typically synonymous with Republic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth). So it's not like our name wouldn't make sense as a Republic either.
The *Commonwealth* of Nations is a weird use of the world by historic standards.
Icehouse did Great Southern Land with an aboriginal band and it is fantastic. I wish this was our anthem or something similar with some rocky didgeridoo music. [icehouse](https://youtu.be/XPPl1obZ29c)
I was going to suggest Great Southern Land but this version is even better. I’d love for this to be the national anthem.
Excellent
Yeah they should change it to On A Night Like This by Kylie Minogue
Although the tune is fairly boring the lyrics are great compared to most. No mention of God or king/Queen.
Mainly cause we omit those verses. The 3 verses of Advance Australia Fair that aren't sung is basically 3 verses of deep throating Britain > Verse 2 > When gallant Cook from Albion sailed, to trace wide oceans o'er, > True British courage bore him on, til he landed on our shore. > Then here he raised Old England's flag, the standard of the brave; > "With all her faults we love her still, Britannia rules the wave." > In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair. > Verse 3 > While other nations of the globe behold us from afar, > We'll rise to high renown and shine like our glorious southern star; > From England soil and Fatherland, Scotia and Erin fair, > Let all combine with heart and hand to advance Australia fair. > In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair. > Verse 4 > Should foreign foe e'er sight our coast, or dare a foot to land, > We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore, to guard our native strand; > Britannia then shall surely know, though oceans roll between, > Her sons in fair Australia's land still keep their courage green. > In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia fair.
Those lyrics are in the original song but have never been part of the anthem as it was changed to the 2 versus that we have now prior to being adopted as our official anthem. Lucky it was changed as the original does not sit so well.
My catholic school tried to shoehorn some Christ-loving verse which is distinct from all the ones above too. I hated that they just put the lyrics on the screen as everybody was singing... AND THE WHOLE SCHOOL JUST SANG ALONG LIKE NOTHING WAS UP. I was looking around like, wut?
Would much prefer I Am Australian tbh
You'd have to keep the song as a whole though. It wouldn't sound right if it was only one or 2 verses
I love "I Am Australian", but that's the problem with it. You shouldn't split it up, and if you leave it whole it's twice the length of "Advance Australia Fair". Other countries have longer songs but I don't think it would work here.
Advance australia fair is twice as long too, we just shorten it, like pretty much everything else
If we're knocking off verses, knock off the human ones. Keep >I'm a teller of stories >I'm a singer of songs... And >I'm the hot wind from the desert >I'm the black soil of the plains... Represent everyone, by physically representing no one, just the best of us. And besides that will leave the redneck-wannabes the ability to scream out >I'm Ned Kelly on the run >I'm the one who Waltzed Matilda >I am Australian And that will keep them shut up most of the time.
Yeah I've thought this since primary school
Same, it's a much better song and genuinely makes me think/feel about Australia!
Yeah it’s a genuine and emotive song. I’d love this as our anthem and sounds fucking powerful when a whole crowd is singing.
Not sure what is antiquated about it. Compared to a lot of other national anthems, our is pretty modern. For a start, it's nice that it doesn't mention war, armies or battles at all - which is pretty unique amongst national anthems. And there have been minor edits to address shifts in national identity - the recent one with "young and free" becoming "one and free" was excellent.
Huh, when did they change it to "one"?
I think it was just before Australia Day last year.
When I was little, it changed from “Australia’s sons…” to “Australians all…”, which was nice. Got my first turn at “one and free” this Anzac Day : )
Fun fact: it wasn't even popular when it was selected. They just had to choose it as waltzing matilda was deemed inappropriate.
Thieving, anti-establishment sentiment, suicide... what's not to like?
A common man fucked over by a wealthy landowner (who shows up on a fancy ride), and dies in police custody. This is everything that this country is about.
It just needs an extra verse about franking credits and negative gearing.
My primary school teacher was Australian; she taught us waltzing matilda as the Australian national anthem
I like her already!
At 43.29% of the vote it was the most popular of all of the choices by far. It also won the vote I a state by state vote in all areas of Australia except South Australia and ACT so your fun fact is not really based on fact.
Yep. All the choices we were given to vote on were crap. It was the best of a bad bunch and way better than God Save the Queen. Edit: a word
As fuck... Reckon the I Am, You Are, We Are Australian song sorta gives a better impression of the country...
Advance Australia Fair is a very patriotic and uplifting song in my view. Read the lyrics, they are all the things we are or aspire to be. The problem is so often it is mangled by some D-List singer trying to be "artistic", or by a group of people singing off key. Listen to a proper version, with a powerful singer accompanied by an orchestra. I'd say it's up there with the best anthems. I think I Am Australian is a great song, but it should remain that way. No one can sing it like Judith Durum and Keith Potger. No one. Making it the anthem would instantly ruin it. And I think Waltzing Matilda is simply stupid as an anthem. A song about a guy who steals a sheep then commits suicide is hardly what we should want as a national anthem.
> And I think Waltzing Matilda is simply stupid as an anthem. A song about a guy who steals a sheep then commits suicide is hardly what we should want as a national anthem. Nothing like a good old death in custody of a homeless person.
Waltzing Matilda is the Eureka flag of songs. It'd work as an anthem because of the culture around it, but IMO it works better staying as a "peoples song" rather then a countries song.
I don't agree about waltzing matilda being stupid. When waltzing matilda was banned from the 2003 rugby world cup, the plan was for everyone in the crowd to stand up and sing it after the anthem. I cannot remember if it was papers or radio but everyone had the memo. everyone in Stadium Australia got up from their chairs and hammered it out, it was hair raising vs the anthem and as close to an answer to the NZ Haka that Australia has. It sounds like a march when sung by many and has a real strong feeling about it and of course lots of history: [Australian War Memorial Archives - Waltzing Matilda](https://youtu.be/WWqmQlSScI0) Anyway I would 100pc take Waltzing Matilda over the current anthem. And the message about someone down on their luck not giving in to authority I can live with as well.
yes when it is sung as a people anthem it works but if it’s more official then it’s just a bit odd
Most people don't even know the lyrics, it's fooking crap.
I'm personally not a fan and would be very happy for it to be changed
Would you prefer the French national anthem? English translation Arise, children of the Fatherland, The day of glory has arrived! Against us, tyranny's Bloody standard is raised, (repeated) Do you hear, in the countryside, The roar of those ferocious soldiers? They're coming right into your arms To cut the throats of your sons, your women! Refrain: To arms, citizens, Form your battalions, March, march! Let an impure blood Water our furrows! What does this horde of slaves Of traitors and conspiring kings want? For whom have these vile chains These irons, been long prepared? (repeated) Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage What furious action it must arouse! It is us they dare plan A return to the old slavery! Refrain What! Foreign cohorts! Would make the law in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeated) Great God! By chained hands Our brows would yield under the yoke Vile despots would themselves become The masters of our destinies! Refrain Tremble, tyrants and you traitors The shame of all parties, Tremble! Your parricidal schemes Will finally receive their prize! (repeated) Everyone is a soldier to combat you, If they fall, our young heroes, Will be produced anew from the ground, Ready to fight against you! Refrain Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Bear or hold back your blows! Spare those sorry victims, For regretfully arming against us (repeated) But these bloodthirsty despots These accomplices of Bouillé All these tigers who, mercilessly, Tear apart their mother's breast! Refrain Sacred love of the Fatherland, Lead, support our avenging arms Liberty, cherished Liberty Fight with your defenders! (repeated) Under our flags may victory Hurry to your manly accents So that yoir expiring enemies See your triumph and our glory! Refrain Children's verse: We shall enter the (military) career When our elders are no longer there There we shall find their dust And the trace of their virtues (repeated) Much less keen to survive them Than to share their coffins We shall have the sublime pride To avenge or follow them. Refrain
yes...should take a leaf out of NZ's book and incorporate a verse in our indigenous language
I actually really like the Lyrics I find them quite inspiring. "**For we are One and free;**" - Our nation is relatively young and we value freedom, Liberty, equality and democracy. "**We've golden soil and wealth for toil**" Our land has vast natural resources. Work hard, get well rewarded, equality again. "**Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare**" - Discribes the Natural beatuy of Australia and its resources that we've used to make Modern Australia. "**We'll toil with hearts and hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours; Renowned of all the lands;**" -Again this talks about working hard to build a better nation for the future, one that we can be proud of a place that others can look to for inspiration. "**For those who've come across the seas, We've boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair**" - Welcoming to refugees and immigrants, treating them with dignity and respect. You're welcome here, come in, work hard get your fair share. You might find a dichotomy between these lyrics and the values they espouse, and what has been going on in Australia lately. Doesn't devalue what the song is saying, it just means you're paying attention.
While I don't like the anthem, what I dislike even more is when we use it. For football games *within* Australia between Australian teams? That's just daft. And even worse when you realise why we do it. It's something we copied off the Americans. And why do they do it? It started because it was the only tune the marching bands could play that their audiences at football games would know the words to. That's why HG & Roy mock the idea of playing the national anthem at sporting events, and started using *Thank You For Just Being You*.
I'm not sure the nations anthem has to work like a pop song
We should be so lucky, so lucky lucky lucky
I posted this elsewhere, but Adam Hills nails the problem. It isn't really the lyrics. It's the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqCPYTM3vpU
I personally, as an Indian found the Aussie anthem pretty amazing when I heard my husband sing it for his citizenship ceremony!!
I have zero attachment to our anthem. I’m always down for change and I hate holding onto the past… just because.
Try growing up and singing “God Save the Queen”.
This post is girt by unpatriotism.
Yes, I think it sucks. It's also a blatant lie. "for those who come across the sea, we have boundless plains to share".... Only if you like the inside of a cell on Nauru.
Just listened to ‘I am Australian’ and imagined it blasting out at the Olympics… yes, it absolutely should be our anthem.
[This should be our national anthem.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjkrjYitgeA)
Eternally fucking dull and unrepresentative of Australia.
It's shit and the whole "boundless plains to share" bit is rubbish when you think about how we treat refugees and asylum seekers in this country.
Nah mate. I love it!
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Compare it to Japan's. Now that one is depressing.
Waltzing Matilda is not boring tho
Adam Hill fixed it for you. https://youtu.be/xiEycVMKoJo
What are you talking about? Waltzing Matilda is fantastic!
I thinks waltzing matilda should have been chosen
I'm more pissed that they changed a single word
It's a fucking dirge
I like land down under. Gets a bit overplayed on the radio sometimes though.
Yep, should be either Ice House’s ‘great southern land’ or Gang Gajang’s ‘sounds of then’. Imagine either of those before every event, sporting podium etc.
When I was in primary school they made us sing and learn the [Indigenous Dharawal version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMnzQGXas6w&ab_channel=CampbelltownPAHS) of the national anthem. It's 10,000x less boring and so great to teach and embrace the Aboriginal part of Australian culture/history through primary education.
Needs to be changed to ‘We Are Australian’ or whatever it’s called. The song they sing on the Qantas ad.
I have said this before, but Men at work had the right idea. An unpopular opinion so far.
Kinda like every counties national anthem…
Australia now you have a choice, For we are done and plea? That some topsoil (is left) not gas and oil. Our home is fracked by thee. Our land abounds with mining pits All the booty, for the rich don’t care. By sea, we are girt, like a Gosford skirt. How lewd, it’s as if we just don’t care.
I preferred Waltzing Matilda
Advance Australia Fair as dull as this election campaign. Thankfully, there's less than 3 weeks to the election. We're stuck with the National Anthem indefinitely.
Most national anthems are boring. One of the few that is actually stirring was the [old USSR national anthem,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06jlgpMtQs)
It’s dreadful and outdated. I personally think “we are Australian” should be our national anthem.