National Anthem To Other Tunes

[beso]

A popular alternative version of "Advance Australia Fair", (the Australian National Anthem) is sung to the tune of the theme from Gilligan's Island. It just happens to fit perfectly.

Australians are well know for taking the p1ss out of things. Do the people of any other countries take to their National Anthems with such irreverence?

[beso]

Here it is:

[beso]

Something went wrong. That is another link.

Here is the Gilligan's one.

[stewey]

Canadians certainly don't take their anthem too seriously since half way through they start singing in some kind of bastardized french language.

[ToraToraTora]

personally I preferred waltzing matilda.

[stewey]

An extremely melodic tune, TTT, and the playing of it can range from deeply melancholic to robustly rousing. Listen to it in the movie "On The Beach".

"In the 1959 Stanley Kramer film "On the Beach", composer Ernest Gold adapted the music for Waltzing Matilda in a variety of motifs throughout the movie, culminating with a valiant theme as the doomed American submarine crew heads for home. We hear it again as "Taps" in the final apocalyptic scene in the deserted streets of Melbourne, blended with it's ominous companion throughout, the ticking of a watch slowly winding down."

[stewey]

Incidentally, that quote will not "spoil" the movie for you.

[wolf63]

Is this still the national anthem?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsuiXHTP2UU

[Zeuhl]

I was once under canvas in some scorched camp-site in a godforsaken part of New South Wales and woke up one morning to someone playing 'Waltzing Matilda' on a harmonica.

Evocative to say the least

[stewey]

And you'll never forget it will you,Zeuhl?

[Zeuhl]

absolutely not - magic moment

better than the time we were driving in remote 'Bush' and it got dark.

i drove the car off the dirt road and partly into some trees

we cleared a small area, set up camp, pitched the tent, cooked a meal and had a nice sleep.

the next morning the people who's garden we were at the bottom of asked us if we wanted to use their bathroom facilities

[stewey]

That sounds like an adventure to remember. Anyway, the movie I mentioned can be bought from Amazon UK if anyone is interested: Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[ichkeria]

Australians probably just like a jolly tune. A shame the UK doesn't

[anneasquith]

wolf, great post, thanks :)

[maggiebee]

Scotland's sounds OK to me.

[anneasquith]

billy Connolly suggests, the national anthem of Britain should be sung to the tune of the archers, ( hum it, it sounds great )

[LazyGun]

Annes comments re Billy Connolly reminded me of the sketch, and had to go dig out a link - great piece of comedy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ