Songs for the New World

From Moscow came another sign that the Soviet cycle from world revolution to nationalism had run its course. On the eve of Joseph Stalin's 64th birthday, the Soviet Union ditched the stirring, incendiary Internationale as the State anthem, substituted an awkward paean to Stalin and the New Russia.

Gone from Soviet hymnology was French Rebel Eugene Pottier's theme:

Arise, ye prisoners of starvation,

Arise, ye wretched of the earth!

The Russians kept the Internationale's music. But the Soviet Union's new anthem is for Russians only; it gives no challenge to the wretched, no chills to Wall or Threadneedle Streets. The Russian version has not reached the U.S. In English the words are elephantine:

Union indissoluble, republic of the free

Be mighty Russia, forever joined.

Long live the one great Soviet Union,

Created by the people's will.

Through storms our sun of freedom-shone,

And the great Lenin lighted our path.

Stalin reared us faithful to the people;

Inspired us for work and splendid deeds.

We reared our army in battles,

Swept the vile invader from our path

In battles deciding the fate of generations.

We will lead our motherland to glory.

Chorus.

Glory to our free motherland,

The trusty support of the people's friendship,

The Soviet banner, the people's banner,

Lead us from victory to victory.

Nobody knows who wrote God Save the King, or when. It became popular in England in 1745, when its jingo second verse was apparently a direct reference to the efforts of the Stuarts to regain the British throne:

O Lord, Our God, arise!

Scatter his enemies,

And make them fall.

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On Thee our hopes we fix,

God save us all!

Many famous men have tried to rewrite this verse; none ever persuaded the stubborn English to accept a new one (even after the young U.S. borrowed the tune for America). Last week George Bernard Shaw did another rewrite job. With un-Shavian reverence, but very Shavian unpoeticalness, he wrote:

O Lord, Our God, arise!

All our salvation lies

In Thy great hands!

Center his thoughts on Thee,

Let him God's captain be;

Thine to eternity,

God Save the King!

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