Favourite national anthem?

[mostwanted]

With all the footy in the tele these days, you get to hear a lot of national anthems. Which is your favourite one?

I personally like the French one (marseillaise), but it might be because we've heard it a few times in my French class. The German one is also nice. Currently tied between those :)

Strangely though, my favourite national anthem isn't a real national anthem, but rather the EU anthem "Ode to Joy" (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Ode_to_Joy.ogg).

[bruce89]

I personally think the British one - "God save the {queen/king}" is appalling. Especally the 6th verse, which contains the line -
"Rebellious Scots to crush."
Not to mention how awfully dreary it is.
Funny thing about the queen is that she married a Greek, and is herself decended from Germans, and Scots (the stuarts) so the very bastion of English pride isn't English (not many people support the monarchy in Scotland).
(Sorry that this is my least favourite)

[Magnes]

In my opinion Russian is the best. Great music.

[bruce89]

In my opinion Russian is the best. Great music.
Welcome to the forums.

[therunnyman]

In my opinion Russian is the best. Great music.

I wholly concur.

The Soviet anthems were awesome as well, whatever one thinks of Bolshevism.

runny

[Biltong (Dee)]

The Italian National Anthem does it for me. I don't understand a damn thing, but bop along anyway when Schumacher wins :-)

[bored2k]

I prefer The Cup of Life from the 1998 World Cup.

Go, Go, Go!
Allez, allez, allez!

[mips]

I have always liked the Russian anthem, gives me goose bumps. Dunno if it is still the same since they changed from USSR. My own anthem "Die Stem" is also very good and the French one I like to.

http://folk.ntnu.no/makarov/temporary_url_20060509kctqm/anthem-russia-2000-state_symph_orch__choir_bolshoith_choir_musicalth_ 2002.mp3
http://folk.ntnu.no/makarov/temporary_url_20060509kctqm/anthem-russia-2000-alexandrov_ensemble_2004.mp3
http://www.russianlegacy.com/russian_culture/russian_music.htm
http://www.hymn.ru/index-en.html
http://www.national-anthems.net/countries/index.php?id=SF

[mips]

The Italian National Anthem does it for me. I don't understand a damn thing, but bop along anyway when Schumacher wins :-)

Dee, You mean the German national anthem ? I don't recall them playing the I Italian anthem for the constructors championship (Ferrari/Italian) ???

[dabear]

I like my own country's one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ja_vi_elsker

(Audio clip (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Norwegian_national_anthem.mid))

[Biltong (Dee)]

Dee, You mean the German national anthem ? I don't recall them playing the I Italian anthem for the constructors championship (Ferrari/Italian) ???

They play the German national anthem first (for Schumacher) and then the Italian anthem for Ferrari.

Regarding Die Stem - tis okay, but coupled with Enoch Sontonga's 'Nkosi sikelele i'Afrika' makes the anthem extra long. Our athletes nod off before it's finished! :-)

[fuscia]

i remember liking the south korean national anthem, but i can't remember how it goes.

[curuxz]

I have to vote with my passport :)

God Save the Queen.

[fuscia]

i really wish america the beautiful were ours.

[G Morgan]

I personally think the British one - "God save the {queen/king}" is appalling. Especally the 6th verse, which contains the line -
"Rebellious Scots to crush."
Not to mention how awfully dreary it is.
Funny thing about the queen is that she married a Greek, and is herself decended from Germans, and Scots (the stuarts) so the very bastion of English pride isn't English (not many people support the monarchy in Scotland).
(Sorry that this is my least favourite)

I agree entirely, the British National anthem is the most boring dry load of nonsense I have ever seen. Thankfully only the English still use it to any real extent. Both 'Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' and 'O Flower of Scotland' are very good anthems and the reasoning of the English in using 'God Save The Queen' over a better anthem in 'Land of Hope and Glory' completely escapes me*.

Outside of my own anthem though I think the French one is quite good and always sounds good in the 6N every year.

*I mean they can't really believe the monarchy to be anything but an inconvience can they.

[fuscia]

*I mean they can't really believe the monarchy to be anything but an inconvience can they.


i've heard that royalty is a huge tourist attraction in england.

[bailout]

One good thing about God save the Queen is that it is easy to sing for normal people. The French and US anthems sound great as music but when you hear a crowd of normal people trying to sing they either sound awful or just don't bother. GSTQ is so simple that untrained drunken football fans can even manage it.

I will be good and not respond to the comments from the whinging fringe.

[G Morgan]

i've heard that royalty is a huge tourist attraction in england.

An argument that is touted again and again. Other countries have big tourism sectors and they don't have a Monarchy. There is more to British tourism than the Royals (the interest is more in history than the current Royals, that isn't going anywhere) but some would believe that the entire country would disapear off the face of the earth if we didn't have to give a group of people the worlds best welfare paycheck.

I just get annoyed when Prince Charles buys his own wood off himself with the tax payers money, or when the Queen is to get her own jet at a cost of £12m a year to the public and we hide it behind the fact that Blair is getting one as well. Not to mention that any number of the fringe royals regularly charter flights with the tax payers money.

Personally I think the Royal family won't survive Charles anyway, the man continually makes a fool of himself.

[Magnes]

I have always liked the Russian anthem, gives me goose bumps. Dunno if it is still the same since they changed from USSR.

Yes it's the same. Was different for some time (year or two), but they decided to change back to the great one (but with different words).

[Quake]

I would have to say the French Anthem, it's different from any anthem I have heard.

English Traslation:
Let's go children of the fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us tyranny's
Bloody flag is raised! (repeat)
In the countryside, do you hear
The roaring of these fierce soldiers?
They come right to our arms
To slit the throats of our sons, our friends!

Refrain

Grab your weapons, citizens!
Form your batallions!
Let us march! Let us march!
May impure blood
Water our fields!

[GuitarHero]

USA! USA!
ha but no really

Jimi Hendrix only played one countries anthem, making the US win by default.

[Biltong (Dee)]

...and Queen played God save the Queen, making them the winners in my eyes.
EDIT: So did the Sex Pistols. Not that that is really worth mentioning...

[RavenOfOdin]

I would have to say the French Anthem, it's different from any anthem I have heard.

English Traslation:
Let's go children of the fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us tyranny's
Bloody flag is raised! (repeat)
In the countryside, do you hear
The roaring of these fierce soldiers?
They come right to our arms
To slit the throats of our sons, our friends!

Refrain

Grab your weapons, citizens!
Form your batallions!
Let us march! Let us march!
May impure blood
Water our fields!

Are you serious?!
That's one heck of a cool anthem, and I'm a quarter French on my mom's side. Lol.

[Pekkalainen]

Here is my own translation of the swedish national anthem, rather crude but mostly accurate...


You old, you free, you mountain high north
You quiet, you joyfull beauty
I greet you most peaceful country upon the earth
Your sun, your sky, your meadows green

You throne upon memories from ancient great days
When honorfully your name flew across the earth
I know that you are and continue to be what you were
Yes, I want to live, I want to die in the north
Yes, I want to live, I want to die in the north

(omitted verses since 1905 below)

I always want to serve you my beloved country
Faithfulness towards you until death I want to swear
Your rights I shall protect, with mind and with hand
Your flag up high the successful carry
Your flag up high the successful carry

With God I shall fight, for home and for hearth
For Sweden, the beloved foster earth
I exchange you not for all in a world
No, I want to live, I want to die in the north
No, I want to live, I want to die in the north

[mips]

Your sun, your sky...


Not to offend but how many sunshine days do you get a year ?

[bluenova]

I agree entirely, the British National anthem is the most boring dry load of nonsense I have ever seen. Thankfully only the English still use it to any real extent. Both 'Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' and 'O Flower of Scotland' are very good anthems and the reasoning of the English in using 'God Save The Queen' over a better anthem in 'Land of Hope and Glory' completely escapes me*.

Outside of my own anthem though I think the French one is quite good and always sounds good in the 6N every year.

*I mean they can't really believe the monarchy to be anything but an inconvience can they.
The English? Thats a big assumption. I'm English, and I'd rather have 'Land of hope and glory' any day, 'God save the Queen' has to be the most boring of them all. My personal fav is the French one (of the one's I know).

[G Morgan]

You obviously missed the 'to any real extent part' ;) . I'm not suggesting all the English love GSTQ but a reasonable percentage do while most Welsh people wouldn't be seen dead singing it and I don't think the Scottish are too keen on it either though I may be wrong. The main problem with GSTQ isn't even the fact that its boring, its the fact that its a glorification of one person as opposed to the country.

[Biltong (Dee)]

No, I want to live, I want to die in the north
No, I want to live, I want to die in the north

Is this the reason why we see so few Swedes in the South then? :D

[Hanj]

Not to offend but how many sunshine days do you get a yearQuite a lot. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_sun) It gets quite dark in the winter, though.

The Swedish anthem is quite nice, but my favourite is Maamme, the Finnish national anthem. And the Russian/Soviet one of course.

[Ubunted]

My own.

Especially when it's sung like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ1lVZhaBqE&search=oilers%20anthem) (starts 7:50).

[Koori23]

The good 'ole Star Spangled Banner for me.. Not because I'm an American.. But simply because nothing beats someone standing there with no music, just a microphone.. Belting out the tunes. I don't know, that's just amazing to me.. The song actually sounds better without music to me.. I also tend to like Country Singers singing it.

[gfg]

I have to say the french, and it gets so much better when you learn what they're actually singing :p.

[bigken]

God save the queen by the sex pistols lol ;)

[NeoChaosX]

Even as a proud American, I'd have to say O Canada. It's much easier to sing. Plus, the Star Spangled Banner doesn't get an entire crowd to sing along like it does here (http://youtube.com/watch?v=meLpuF9UMvk).

[richbarna]

i've heard that royalty is a huge tourist attraction in england.

It is (worst luck), I live in Spain so I don't care. Also I think that the English national anthem is boring and dreary. I think they should use "This is England" by The Clash.

I like the USA anthem, it sounds strong and proud. But the Russians have to be the leaders in the anthem stakes.

[richbarna]

Funny thing about the queen is that she married a Greek, and is herself decended from Germans, and Scots (the stuarts) so the very bastion of English pride isn't English (not many people support the monarchy in Scotland).

Is that an attack against the English? or is it relevant to the question :- "What is your favourite national anthem"?

For your information, practically nobody in Britain is "pure" Scot/Irish/Welsh/English.
I was born in England from Irish/German stock.

Another famous foreign mix. (Bastion of Scots pride).
Robert the Bruce -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_I_of_Scotland
Scoto Norman -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoto-Norman

[Pekkalainen]

Not to offend but how many sunshine days do you get a year ?


Hmm well at least half... if it does any good is a different story ;)

I live in the north of sweden, in the winter sun is bad because it means it will go colder :(