ONCE in a while these pages come alive to the sound of Scotland's national anthem - or, to be more accurate, the question of what it should be.
Flower of Scotland, the current anthem of choice, has its detractors. Alan Taylor has proposed Hamish Henderson's The Freedom Come Ye 'A; Herald readers, taking the debate with varying degrees of seriousness, have suggested everything from The Isle of Mull to Scots Wha Hae and Donald, Where's Yer Troosers?
Now a Holyrood committee is to ask the SNP government whether it would consider undertaking a consultation on an official national anthem for Scotland. Given that the question may not be resolved for some time to come, may we offer some thoughts of our own?
Michael Marra's Hermless, with its engaging chorus - "Hermless, hermless, there's never nae bother from me" - is some people's choice. It's easy to memorise and sing, though probably too downbeat for a proud nation with definite aspirations.
Bearing in mind the outcome of last September's referendum, U2's anthemic I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For or Van Morrison's version of I'll Never Be Free might fit the bill.
Alternatively, in readiness for the next big sporting occasion at Hampden or Murrayfield that ends in a home defeat and thus thwarts our expectations for years to come, may we recommend Jackson Browne's Fountain of Sorrow?
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