Not many things can arouse a sense of heartwarming patriotism like a well-sung national anthem. Whenever I hear the opening notes of “O Canada” or Dabrowski’s “Mazurka” (Poland’s national anthem), I immediately envision majestic beavers or mouth-watering pierogis, and feel incredibly proud of both my heritage and the great land I grew up in.
However, like a fine cheese, national anthems should be used sparingly and only for special occasions to maximize the patriotic tears emitted during their performance. This is why I have a beef with the frequency with which national anthems are played during sporting events in Canada and the USA. It’s just too much.
Before I get assailed with accusations that I’m an unpatriotic turncoat, I’d like to assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve always believed in the concept of (multi)nation-states, and I think that celebrating one’s culture and history through the medium of music is an enriching part of the human experience. In fact, my patriotism is what makes me want to stop national anthems being overplayed.
By playing anthems all the time, their status is reduced to that of any other song that is blasted over stadium loudspeakers; and even though “We are the Champions” and “Thunderstruck” are cultural staples in their own right, they shouldn’t be treated the same as “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Further, think about the multinational make-up of most sports teams in Canada and the USA. A prime example of this is the Vancouver Whitecaps. Their full roster features players from 16 different nationalities. There have been many games this year wherein not a single Canadian player was on the field for the Caps, yet they sung the national anthem anyways. While the anthem pays homage to where the team is from, it definitely looks awkward when not a single startling lineup member is singing along.
There is definitely room for national anthems in sports, though. Look to Europe to see how it’s done right. Rather than playing anthems before their regular season matches, soccer teams usually have their own pump up song, such as Liverpool’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Doing this gives each team their own unique flair without crossing any nationalistic lines.
The only time national anthems are sung are during Cup Finals, giving the songs a greater meaning. Teams only get to earn the right to hear their anthem after they have traversed multiple grueling rounds of fierce competition.
Implementing this system in Canada and the US would be great for all sports enthusiasts. Though fans would hear the anthems much less often, when played and sung, these anthems would truly honour the best that the country has to offer.
