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?

This fascinating popular history of national anthems begins in a London theatre in 1745 when the modern idea of anthems was born. They started out as triumphant expressions of national superiority by glorifying violence, claiming the support of God, and mostly ignoring women.

David Pate has experienced the violent side of anthems firsthand: as a schoolboy in Scotland, he was caned for refusing to sing “God Save the Queen.” He 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.

The Worst Songs in the World looks at the origins of many of the world’s anthems, from the movie theme song that became China’s national anthem to the English tune used for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

This wide-ranging and deeply researched history combines politics, personalities, humour, and vivid storytelling to argue for better national songs.

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.

David Pate's profile page