Australia's National Anthem??

[cmperry4]

Advance Australia Fair is a great anthem - I like the lines "with golden soil and wealth for toil, and we are girt by sea" - the next phrase has some cadences in it that remind me a bit of the (politically incorrect) Maple Leaf Forever, which I know some would have liked for Canada's anthem, but we have O Canada, which is fine, if "they" would just stop meddling with the (English) words.

I actually think the second verse (which you never hear sung) ought to be the first: "O Canada, where pines and maples grow, great prairies spread, and lordly rivers flow - and the thrid verse is fun, too: "O Canada, beneath thy spreading skies, may stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise."

Both anthems tend to be played or sung too slow (especially by those dreadful hockey-game chateuses with all their vocal masturbation).

A brisk march tempo suits both Advance, Australia Fair and O Canada.

And The Star Spangled Banner is great, too (also tends to be played too slow)