The Worst Songs in the World (Paperback)

David Pate

ISBN 10: 1459754565 / ISBN 13: 9781459754560

Published by The Dundurn Group, Toronto, 2024

Paperback. 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. "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?"-- Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781459754560

Synopsis:

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.

About the Author:

David Pate was a veteran journalist who has stood to attention for dozens of national anthems and thought most of them are terrible songs. Born in Scotland, he worked for numerous media outlets, including Ireland’s public radio and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He lived in Nova Scotia.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Worst Songs in the World (Paperback)
Publisher: The Dundurn Group, Toronto
Publication Date: 2024
Binding: Paperback
Condition: new