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Thread: What is your favourite National Anthem(s) ?

  1. #1
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    What is your favourite National Anthem(s) ?

    I have just found this amazing website about national anthems from around the world. Not only do they have the lyrics, but several versions (including MP3 vocals) of about all national anthems, including old ones. Did you know for example that the UK's "God save the King/Queen" was also the national anthem of Imperial Germany until 1918 ? (listen here). It also has regional, unofficial anthems, as well as those of the Olympics, NATO, etc.

    Did you know that the US national anthem was composed by an Englishman (John Stafford Smith) and that of Germany by an Austrian (Joseph Haydn).

    Japan has the world's oldest anthem (Kimigayo).

    What is your favourite anthems ? Personally :

    The most engaging :

    England (Rule Britannia) (a slightly better to be found here)

    The most ceremonious :

    England (Land of Hope and Glory)

    The most emotional :

    Russia/USSR

    The most solemn :

    Norway (instrumental)
    Finland
    Japan (Kimigayo)

    The cutest :

    The Netherlands (instrumental please !)
    Switzerland (instrumental too)

    The most lively and amusing :

    Germany (Was ist - before 1866) - the Nazi version (Horst Wessel Song) is not bad either.

    The most rythmic :

    Brazil

    Cuba (instrumental)

    Greece (instrumental)

    China

    The most mystic :

    India (absolutely vocal)
    Japan (Gagaku style, as in Shinto temples)

    For quick references to the main countries in good instrumental version, try this page
    Last edited by Maciamo; Mar 16, 2005 at 13:26.

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  2. #2
    –é˜IŽ€‹ê! TwistedMac's Avatar
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    Rule Britannia, sung in Albert Hall at the last night of the proms.

    I want to atleast once in my lifetime be there to experience it first hand, rahter than on teevee.
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    The Geezer Sensuikan San's Avatar
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    Neither of these rate, I suppose .... but ....

    I always liked the old Confederate States' "Dixie" !

    and .... if only they had made it their anthem when given the chance .... Australians would have had an absolute winner with "Waltzing Matilda"

    But nothing is more stirring than the "Marseillaise" !

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    Where I'm Supposed to Be kirei_na_me's Avatar
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    Some very nice links, Maciamo. Thanks a lot. I am still looking at these.

    La Marseillaise is probably my favorite, and I think that is because it was the first "foreign" national anthem that I really learned. Also, since I love France...

    I love singing it. I find myself singing it all the time, for some odd reason. La Marseillaise and Jingle Bells!
    i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

  5. #5
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    La Marseillaise always conjures up memories of the French Revolution. Although the lyrics are a bit gore, the tune is probably among the most moving of any anthem. I could have listed it, along with the anthems of Germany, Italy, Spain and the US, which are all good, but my list was becoming rather long... (and as they are all quite famous, I went for the less well-known).

  6. #6
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sensuikan San
    I always liked the old Confederate States' "Dixie" !
    Funny that this anthem (same as Maryland's, right ?) has been adapted as a lullaby in France. I realised that the the anthem of the British Labour Party was also a French lullaby.

    and .... if only they had made it their anthem when given the chance .... Australians would have had an absolute winner with "Waltzing Matilda"
    I think it was until 1986. IMO, it hardly sounds as a national anthem (too folk song).

  7. #7
    Decommissioned ex-admin thomas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    ...and that of Germany by an Austrian (Joseph Haydn).
    Haydn's hymn used to be Austria's anthem until 1918 ("Gott Erhalte, Gott Beschuetze"), sung in the seven languages of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Germany "stole" the hymn after WWI.


    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    ...the Nazi version (Horst Wessel Song) is not bad either.
    The Horst Wessel song ("Die Fahne Hoch") was, as far as I know, no national, but some sort of NSDAP anthem, glorifying a SA thug shot by Communists. It derived from an older patriotic song called "Die Wacht am Rhein".

    My favourite hymns, not ranked though: Marseillaise, Rule Britannia, the Soviet anthem, and - perhaps due to personal circumstances - the Egyptian anthem composed by Said Darwish.

  8. #8
    Cat lover Apollo's Avatar
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    A not-so-good one in my opinion: Danish one...

    I like the Rule Britannia best, then next, the proclaimed anthem of the European Union: Beethoven's Ode to Joy!!!

  9. #9
    Regular Member sgt. Pepper's Avatar
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    Well, i won't choose Swedens (even if i do like it) because that would be unfair towards the rest. But the best one is probably the Soviet one, but i don't know if Russia still uses it. The funniest have to be Irelands.

    And how can you have a national anthem like Germanys? I mean, Deutschland über alles, isn't that a bit much even for a national anthem? :/

  10. #10
    Hentai Koutaishi Lina Inverse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sgt. Pepper
    And how can you have a national anthem like Germanys? I mean, Deutschland über alles, isn't that a bit much even for a national anthem? :/
    Indeed, the German anthem sucks, melody- and textwise
    We should really get a new one

    Ok, I listened to all the anthems Maciamo listed (plus France+Egypt), and here's my ranking:

    The Top 3:
    Japan
    China
    Russia

    Nice:
    Rule Britannia
    India
    France
    Egypt
    Cuba

    The others were ranging from boring to lame, with the Swiss one being the worst

  11. #11
    Jacques Rocks! Jungle Boy's Avatar
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    Excellent site! I've been looking for something like this for ages. As for my favourite anthem, Deutchland Uber Alles hands down.

  12. #12
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    i like the brazilian one,, and the maroco one... nice rythem

  13. #13
    Hullu RockLee's Avatar
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    Japan (Gagaku style, as in Shinto temples) is my favourite kind of music..it has something spiritual and mythical, exactly what I like
    ~ Parempi hullu kuin tylsä - Better crazy than boring ~
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