a new national anthem

     The notion that we need a new national anthem has been popular off and on over the last thirty years or so. Some people claim that our national anthem is too old-fashioned, or that it is difficult to sing, although the crowds at ball games seem to do a good job with it. Others claim that it is a song about war, although they also claim that it is gory or violent, which it isn't. It is just the story of someone trying to see if the flag was still flying over an American fort ( military base ) that was being bombed.  Still others claim that our national anthem was set to the tune of a drinking song. This is usually used as ploy to be excused from singing the national anthem in school.  The tune used for the national anthem had most likely been several songs over the years, as most tunes were, " back in the day". It was published ( written down ) with the lyrics to a drinking song, one that was still remembered by people who had read the lyrics. So it could be reproduced by people who had never heard it, but who could read the poem in a newspaper.
     The two songs that have been suggested as replacements for the national anthem--"God Bless America", and "America the Beautiful"--are both religious songs, inappropriate for a country that guarantees the separation of church and state. The other song suggested as a replacement--"America" ( My Country 'Tis of Thee )--shares a tune with Britain's national anthem, "God Save the Queen" ( or king, when the sovereign is a king ), so it would be an odd choice for a new American national anthem.