Anthem Question

[martin1958]

Good Evening everyone,

Hope you can help. At age 54, I am lucky enough to have seen SAHB live a few times, including the famous Hammersmith Odeon gig from which the live album was culled. Just hours after England beat Scotland 5-1 at Wembley, the authorities at the Odeon sensibly decided to let 50-100 Scottish footie fans attend the gig standing room only. The atmosphere was unbelievable.

Reason for my post surrounds Anthem and the meaning of the lyrics. Even now I can barely hear the song without blubbering and have always assumed the words to relate to the highlands, freedom, braveheart, etc. However the wording is kinda exact and I have always felt there are specific references within the song that me – a dumb Englishman – is just not getting.

Can anyone help?

Martin H

[penny]

Great first post. I'm sure one of the Sahbsters on here will be able to answer your questions before much longer.
Welcome to the forum.

[Catherine]

Hi Martin and a warm welcome to the forum. Like Penny, I'm sure at least one SAHBster out there will have the answer for you, however, I'll speak to His Chrisness today and ask him, if that fails, I'll speak to Hugh (there is a clip on here of him playing Anthem in rehearsal for Joe Elliot's award at the Tartan Clefs a few years ago - will find it and guide you to it - hopefully!!) if those two can't shed any light, I'll ask Alex junior - can't do more than that!!

[Catherine]

For Martin......on the very first page after you log in, select "video/blog" and scroll a long way down, the clip tells you that it's Hugh doing Anthem, I was wrong, they played it at the Clefs but this clip is from before then........had our Web SIte Guy all choked up, recording it ;D

[Catherine]

Answer number 1 is in........the lyric of Anthem seems to have been inspired by the past and the present (of the time of writing) going from the Jacobites to what was happening in the modern world at the time.

It'll be interesting to see if they all come up with the same thing!! ;D

[Catherine]

Answer number two.........

Anthem, I've never been sure what the song is about. It sounds at times like a plea for freedom, possibly a touch of Braveheart etc... Being put on trial, throwing away of keys, chasing wild geese might be a suitable metaphor for all those suppressed and disenfranchised souls who are screaming for democracy in the middle east. File under Fatalism ...

[Catherine]

Answer number three.......from one of our favourite lurkers!!

My own view is that this is classic Alex Harvey. Maybe the odd factual reference here and there, but mostly a product of his very enquiring and creative mind. I always got the impression that he liked words and how they sounded and used his knowledge and interest in history to mix up lots of different things.

[jadesinclair]

Dear all,
this is the first forum I have joined and the first post I have ever made.

I sincerely doubt that it will be read but here goes...

The way I interpret the lyrics is that they are the thoughts of a suicidal lover who, having had enough is pleading with his partner to make a decision before he kills them or himself. I'll take you through them..

If you don't put me on trial Then why don't you turn me loose - make a commitment/tell me what I'm doing wrong or just get rid of me/let me go
You can throw the key away Let me chase the wild goose - I'm yours for ever/better or worse
Your progress is my desire You shouldn't do me wrong - I love you - you shouldn't muck me around

Although it's true I'm worried now I won't be worried long - I'm at my wits end, one way or another it's going to end soon - murder/suicide if need be

Telling stories to the peacocks -Selling systematically - selling a self-serving pack of lies to a bunch of fancy-boys to justify your behaviour
Just a counterfeit engraving Of the way you used to be - being false and dishonest - a fake version, a mere shadow of the person I fell in love with
Just another one-way number - Just another two-way song - making it up as you go along in your favour regardless of the truth - not sure about the second bit

Although it's true I'm worried now I won't be worried long - I'm at my wits end,one way or another it's going to end soon - murder/suicide if need be

Don't encourage me to murder'Cause it pays to advertise - don't push me too far because I'm homicidal/suicidal and I'm warning you..
Don't treat me with suspicion - Don't tell me no more lies - just tell me the truth (either make a commitment or let me go) no more bullsh**
You know I love your company - You shouldn't do me wrong - I love you to bits but can't take any more being messed around

Although it's true I'm worried now I won't be worried long - I'm at my wits end,one way or another it's going to end soon - murder/suicide if need be

The tone, inflection and body language when Alex performed Anthem was a subtle mix of the threat of violence(something he was brilliant at portraying) and the resignation of the condemned man on his way to the gallows.

Anyway - for what it's worth - that's my interpretation.

[seamie]

Greetings and thanks to whoever posted on this song.

I found a version of Anthem, a song I never heard before despite it being in existence for 45 years or so, and it
fairly blew my socks off. Alex's singing is almost like an old traditional singer or something. He's either singing from the depths or he's acting really well.
I believe that he could do both but I'm inclined to think that it's the former that's going on here. 

It was also nice to be focused a bit more on Hugh Mc Kenna, who seems to have made a major contribution to this song.

I'd felt that the song could be a love song as well but I can't help thinking that something else is involved here.There is a comment on relationships between people and their countries or leaders here I think, particularly those more vulnerable economically.

Every so often a song kind of haunts me for a bit and this seems to be one of them.

Anyway, thanks again and best wishes to all SAHB fans as well as the surviving members of the group.

[josef]

I'm American and can't remember if I was in London or USA when I first heard Anthem, but it's been my go-to song for going on half a century now. The guitar solo stuck it in my brain/heart (I was a pro muso at the time) here: youtu.be/gckgPyzJlus?t=87 But of course I've thought about the lyric. I have no insider knowledge. The lyric is a stance. An attitude. We've all been accused, and we've all accused. The lyric is a call to action. And once you take your stance and state it for posterity, what can possibly follow that? The anthemic melody that the girl sings. Also a stance. We all know what it means. Same as when Beethoven put up that melody to end his 9th symphony, it's a stance and we all know what it means.

Hi to all of you who find this. SAHB did well, eh?