The Australian national anthem is called Advance Australia Fair. The
anthem has two verses, Advance Australia Fair has six or three depending
on who you ask. In almost every state and sporting occasion, only one
verse is sung.
There are some occasions where singing both verses is required. No one
likes those.
This is about the second verse of the anthem. I've already [commented on
the first
verse](http://life.mumak.net/2009/05/advance-australia-fair-part-1.html).
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
: The Southern Cross is a constellation that features on the
Australian flag and on the sky in the Southern hemisphere. And the
Kiwi flag. It's not really *our* Southern cross, since I'm pretty
sure you can see it in
South Africa and the Falkland Islands. That said, it is beautiful,
and it does radiate.
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
: We'll work together and we'll like it.
To make this Commonwealth of ours renowned of all the lands;
:
To make Australia famous. We achieved fame domestically quite some
time ago, so now our anthem's ambition is to make it famous
elsewhere. "Of all the lands" either means that Australia ought to
be the most famous country in the world or that Australia ought to
be famous in every single other country. I think we're doing pretty
well at this, to be honest.
For those who've come across the seas
:
Either:
- everyone in Australia apart from the Aboriginals, who probably
walked
- British people
- those whom we would now call immigrants
We've boundless plains to share;
: You can stay in the middle of the desert.
With courage let us all combine
:
: Sadly, not like Voltron. More like a Soviet farming collective, or
an army, or a football team.
To Advance Australia fair
: See [previous
post](http://life.mumak.net/2009/05/advance-australia-fair-part-1.html).
In joyful strains then let us sing
: Explained in previous post. I'd like to point out that no one sings
in "strains" any more, and that I've filled out tax returns that are
more poetically evocative.
Advance Australia fair
: A tad repetitve, no?
To be honest, I prefer the Seekers song.