National Anthems

Soweto Gospel Choir - Nkosi Sikelei l'Afrika

We were blowing ideas and nonsense during a Friday night Zoom meet-up during lockdown when the subject of national anthems strayed into the conversation. What was the best and what would we like to see as Scotland's national anthem to replace the dirge that is Flower of Scotland. Our homework for the next week was to make nominations for both categories. The entries included Scotland the Brave, which along with the Flower of Scotland, is often used as the assumed Scottish anthem instead of God Save the Queen. 

The general feeling seemed to be that glorified patriotism, the sentiment "Wha's Like Us? Gey few and they're aw deid" was perhaps no longer the image that Scotland should be promoting. Something more self-effacing and humorous would be better. Hence my colleagues nominated Michael Mara's Hermless and Harry Lauder's offering A Wee Deoch and Doris.

We invited an independent former colleague to judge the suggestions and I was delighted that my nomination, Gerry Rafferty's Get it Right Next Time was chosen. There is no triumphalism here, just the reality of life. It sums up the mistakes of the Scottish Parliament as it steals power from local communities and centralises decision-making.

Out on the street I was talkin' to a man
He said "there's so much of this life of mine that I don't understand"
You shouldn't worry I said that ain't no crime
Cause if you get it wrong you'll get it right next time, next time.....

You gotta grow, you gotta learn by your mistakes
You gotta die a little everyday just to try to stay awake
When you believe there's no mountain you can climb
And if you get it wrong you'll get it right next time, next time.

Next time you-hum

As for the best anthem, well that's easy: It's Nkosi Sikele L'Africa, the South African anthem that is sung in all the main languages and in many ways has brought together a divided nation. Other nominations were France, Italy and Russia as well as a reference to Billy Connelly's choice, Berwick Green, the Archer's theme tune.