Favorite National Anthem

Need not necessarily be the national anthem of your country, but which national anthem do you personally find to be the most inspiring, captivating, riveting, aesthetically pleasing, arousing, etc.?

We won’t call you a traitor if you don’t pick your country’s national anthem, promise (well, at least I won’t anyway).

As for me, I am admittedly partial to “the Star-Spangled Banner”, but I also really like the Russian National Anthem, “La Marseillaise,” and “Il Canto degli Italiani.”

NOTE: To be honest, I made the list according to my own favorite national anthems and anthems I thought would be most popular. Sorry if they tend to be western and I didn’t include your favorite. If you have a favorite other than the ones I posted, feel invited to post a link and say a bit about your own favorite and we can have a chance to check it out.

I think Germany's is great.

Russia's is amazing as well.

And I really like the Star Spangled Banner.

New Zealand one is pretty cool.

Originally posted by Bardock42
I think Germany's is great.

Russia's is amazing as well.

And I really like the Star Spangled Banner.

I always like the one from Canada...don't know the others cept the US..

Though the U.S. used to bring tears to my eyes when I understood when and what was going on at the time when it was written. It's a really great story! It was written during the war of 1814 while a man stood on ship to watch the American colonies being bombarded by the ships and he could do nothing about it but cry as he stood and watched it all happen. The new country being attached by the British. He felt helpless as he watched these little farmers try to stay their ground. When he awoke by the dawns early light," he found tha"The flag was still there!!" The new little country had survived a British army!! Farmers, towns folk, sons and fathers brought tears to his eyes. He wrote a poem about it which was published in the local paper. Later it was to be made the National Anthem.

I was lucky enough to visit the Smithsonian to see the actual flag that this man was talking about. It was quite moving.

Oh I just remembered his name, Francis Scott Key. He was an amature poet.....and yet he made history.

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'T is the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

This written by a man that was captured and brought upon a Brit ship and couldn't do anything but watch it all happen. He was watching his home, New Country being destroyed and conquered, bombed, yet he was surprised. These people wanted away from the control of England, their religion, taxes and corruption.

And these little, simple people really were BRAVE!!! That is what makes this a great song.

I love the Star-Spangled Banner.

But other than that, I like listening to the Irish National Anthem as well, Amhrán na bhFiann

To understand the songs listed maybe the thread starter should put it in English and also put the story behind it. That would really be enlightening to us all and cool!

South Africa's is fun.

Ofcourse there is always...

YouTube video

Can you list the lyrics and what was going on at the time?

Edit: Youre kidding, right??? Your full of shit......hahaha.......Not true.

Originally posted by Deja~vu
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'T is the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

This written by a man that was captured and brought upon a Brit ship and couldn't do anything but watch it all happen. He was watching his home, New Country being destroyed and conquered, bombed, yet he was surprised. These people wanted away from the control of England, their religion, taxes and corruption.

yes, Francis Scott Key wasn't a bad poet himself.

since you said you hadn't heard some of the other anthems, I'll attatch links to a few of my own favorites.

Russia (USSR lyrics)

Germany

Italy

United Kingdom (though not one of my favorites really, the American ripoff "my country 'tis of thee" always messes with me)

France, and cool scene from Casablanca w/ "La Marseillaise" in it.

Europe

China

Canada

USA

Thanks! I hope they are in English.............

I did listen, but I want to know the story behind them...Anyone can write, ya know.

I want to see the words and know what made them write those words..

Btw, Italy sounds like German music..which was a big thing...Hmm... but with Italian words.....

The German made us some wonderful music........Such great music!

Canadian and Russian.

Originally posted by Deja~vu
Thanks! I hope they are in english.............

I did listen, but I want to know the story behind them...Anyone can write, ya know.

I want to see the words and know what made them write those words..

Btw, Italy sounds like austian music but with Italian words......

they are certainly not in English (well, besiders UK, US, & Canada). kinda misses the point then, don't you think? if you are interested I could give a bit of info but then again Google and Wikipedia are excellent tools as well 😉

Do so.

How can someone ask you to comment on something when you know nothing about where and what made it come from? Oh, and it would be neat to hear what made it come about.

All counties are great and would love to hear the story behind it.

There is always Scotland's!

YouTube video

Its just us singing about our only real victory against England...however, I suppose its better than some other self-inflating egotistical anthems...

Info:

God Save the Queen

O Canada

The Star-Spangled Banner

Russian (Soviet) National Anthem

La Marseillaise

Das Deutschlandlied

Il Canto degli Italiani

March of the Volunteers

Kimi ga Yo

National Anthem of South Africa

God Defend New Zealand

Hatikvah

EDIT:

Amhrán na bhFiann

Flower of Scotland

Originally posted by Grand-Moff-Gav
South Africa's is fun.

Ofcourse there is always...

YouTube video

Originally posted by Strangelove
I'm sure all 824 residents of Vatican City are very patriotic.

lol, the song is more about the Pope really...

[edit] I have just checked, its not really a national anthem at all- its a pontifical anthem, comparable to Hail to the Chief of the USA.

Haha.

Originally posted by Strangelove
Haha.

Another thread hijacked to the causes of Catholicism...😈