# National anthem



## Sev

In France, we have an awful national anthem : La Marseillaise. Here is the text (thank you Jeannine !) :



> Allons enfants de la Patrie
> Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
> Contre nous de la tyrannie
> L'étendard sanglant est levé
> Entendez-vous dans nos campagnes
> Mugir ces féroces soldats?
> Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras.
> Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes!
> 
> 
> Aux armes citoyens
> Formez vos bataillons
> Marchons, marchons
> Qu'un sang impur
> Abreuve nos sillons
> 
> 
> Que veut cette horde d'esclaves
> De traîtres, de rois conjurés?
> Pour qui ces ignobles entraves
> Ces fers dès longtemps préparés?
> Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage
> Quels transports il doit exciter?
> C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
> De rendre à l'antique esclavage!
> 
> 
> Quoi ces cohortes étrangères!
> Feraient la loi dans nos foyers!
> Quoi! ces phalanges mercenaires
> Terrasseraient nos fils guerriers!
> Grand Dieu! par des mains enchaînées
> Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient
> De vils despotes deviendraient
> Les maîtres des destinées.
> 
> 
> Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
> L'opprobre de tous les partis
> Tremblez! vos projets parricides
> Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix!
> Tout est soldat pour vous combattre
> S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros
> La France en produit de nouveaux,
> Contre vous tout prêts à se battre.
> 
> 
> Français, en guerriers magnanimes
> Portez ou retenez vos coups!
> Épargnez ces tristes victimes
> À regret s'armant contre nous
> Mais ces despotes sanguinaires
> Mais ces complices de Bouillé
> Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié
> Déchirent le sein de leur mère!
> 
> 
> Nous entrerons dans la carrière
> Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus
> Nous y trouverons leur poussière
> Et la trace de leurs vertus
> Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
> Que de partager leur cercueil
> Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
> De les venger ou de les suivre!
> 
> 
> Amour sacré de la Patrie
> Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
> Liberté, Liberté chérie
> Combats avec tes défenseurs!
> Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire
> Accoure à tes mâles accents
> Que tes ennemis expirants
> Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire!


 
For those who don't speak french, it's all about war and killing enemies, and impure blood and so on. Uuuggg I really hate that  . Why not something about peace ?

I'm curious to know what kind of national anthems you have in countries all over the world, and what do you think about "La Marseillaise". Should we change it ?


----------



## DDT

Voilà the Italian one: "Fratelli d'Italia" by Goffredo Mameli

Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'é desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.
Dov'è la vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
che schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò.

Stringiamci  a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
Italia chiamò.
Stringiamci  a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
Italia chiamò, sì!

Noi fummo da secoli
calpesti, derisi,
perché non siam popoli,
perché siam divisi.
Raccolgaci un'unica
bandiera, una speme:
di fonderci insieme
già l'ora suonò.

Uniamoci, uniamoci,
l'unione e l'amore
rivelano ai popoli
le vie del Signore.
Giuriamo far libero
il suolo natio:
uniti, per Dio,
chi vincer ci può?


Should you like to listen to the tune click here 

Concerning "La Marseillaise", well, I have to agree that it's quite nationalist an anthem. But even ours is. For it was written before the unification of Italy so that it urges the "Brothers of Italy" to fight together for freedom...slightly violent and old-fashioned, what do you think?
An interesting debate took place in Italy some years ago, I agreed with the ones who claimed it has to be replaced. The best candidate was "Va pensiero", a beautiful aria from Verdi's "Nabucco". Yet we still have "Fratelli d'Italia" 

DDT


----------



## valerie

Well I guess it is normal for a national anthem to be nationalist. What ashames me totally with la Marseillaise are the crude words and concepts in it. I would not like changing the music, but really I cannot stand hearing the lyrics. I'll translate sont verses later when I have some time


----------



## DDT

valerie said:
			
		

> Well I guess it is normal for a national anthem to be nationalist. What ashames me totally with la Marseillaise are the crude words and concepts in it. I would not like changing the music, but really I cannot stand hearing the lyrics. I'll translate sont verses later when I have some time



"Nationalist" was an euphemism...I think some phrases would certainly fit the FN racist purposes...

DDT


----------



## cuchuflete

Hi DDT-

The Italian anthem is far superior to most.  At least it has, conceptually, one very beautiful line:


l'unione e l'amore​
These songs try to promote nationhood at best, nationalism at worst, and the latter is just tribalism on a broader scale.  Some of them are rather funny in their historical contexts...The American one was written as a celebration that a fort survived a naval bombardment, while the enemy burned much of our Capitol to the ground!  (The war was really about money, but aren't they all about either that or ego?)

Cuchu


----------



## lauranazario

LA BORINQUEÑA

"La Borinqueña" was written by the Catalan Felix Astol Artés in 1867. The song became very popular among Puerto Ricans. A year later, the popularity of the song gave to Lola Rodriguez de Tió the idea to adapt the lyrics to a patriotic tone to motivate people to a rebellion against Spain. In 1952, "La Borinqueña" was officially adopted as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Anthem. 

Author: D. Felix Astol y Artes (1813-1901)
Lyrics: Manuel Fernández Juncos (1846-1928)
Musical Arrangement: Ramón Collado 


La tierra de Borinquen
donde he nacido yo,
es un jardín florido 
de mágico fulgor. 

Un cielo siempre nítido
le sirve de dosel
y dan arrullos plácidos
las olas a sus pies. 

Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón;
Exclamó lleno de admiración;
"Oh!, oh!, oh!, esta es la linda
tierra que busco yo". 

Es Borinquen la hija, 
la hija del mar y el sol, 
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol.​
(If anyone is interested in listening to the melody --sorry, didn't find a sung version-- click on the following link. English translation of the lyrics is also available here.) http://www.puertoricomuseum.com/spanpages/museoanthemspan.html

Saludos from my Puerto Rico!!!
LN


----------



## VenusEnvy

Here it is for the United States of America!  



> Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
> What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
> Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
> O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
> And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
> Gave proof through 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?



There are many more verses, but in general, people only know this far.
Click here to hear the score

Our anthem was written by Francis Scott Key, a man who watched the attack on Fort McHenry by the British. After the fighting, he awoke in the morning to see that "our flag was still there". Yes, a song of war, but also a song of hope.


----------



## Zuri

In the United Kingdom we have the dreadful "God Save the Queen".
The first verse goes like this:

_God save our gracious Queen,_
_Long live our noble Queen,_
_God save the Queen!_
_Send her victorious,_
_Happy and glorious,_
_Long to reign over us;_
_God save the Queen!_

Personally, I much prefer the version by the Sex Pistols.


----------



## Sev

valerie said:
			
		

> Well I guess it is normal for a national anthem to be nationalist.


I don't agree...well it depends on what you mean by nationalist of course...but I think it could also call for friendship with other countries... 



> What ashames me totally with la Marseillaise are the crude words and concepts in it. I would not like changing the music, but really I cannot stand hearing the lyrics. I'll translate sont verses later when I have some time


The music does not matter for me too, but now when one listen to it, one think to the awful lyrics, so...maybe we'll have to change everything!!!



> "Nationalist" was an euphemism...I think some phrases would certainly fit the FN racist purposes...


Exactly...


----------



## Focalist

Here are the words of the Spanish national anthem, La Marcha Real:



> «................................................................................................» (repeat)


Well, at least it saves a lot of argument, doesn't it? 

F


----------



## Sev

Focalist said:
			
		

> Here are the words of the Spanish national anthem, La Marcha Real:
> 
> Well, at least it saves a lot of argument, doesn't it?
> 
> F


 
Sounds great to me, can't we adapt it in french ?


----------



## Jana337

The Czech one (translation copied from Wikipedia):

*Original Czech lyrics*

Kde domov můj, 
kde domov můj? 
Voda hučí po lučinách, 
bory šumí po skalinách, 
v sadě skví se jara květ, 
zemský ráj to na pohled! 
A to je ta krásná země, 
země česká, domov můj, 
země česká, domov můj! 

*English translation*

Where (is) my home? 
Where (is) my home? 
Water bubbles across the meadows, 
(Pine)forests rustle over the cliffs, 
In the garden spring's blossom shines, 
an Earthly paradise at sight! 
And this is that beautiful country, 
Czech country, my home, 
Czech country, my home!


----------



## Sev

Great, at last one speaking about beautiful landscape and nature !   I'll come one day to see if it's true !!! 



			
				Jana337 said:
			
		

> The Czech one (translation copied from Wikipedia):
> 
> *Original Czech lyrics*
> 
> Kde domov můj,
> kde domov můj?
> Voda hučí po lučinách,
> bory šumí po skalinách,
> v sadě skví se jara květ,
> zemský ráj to na pohled!
> A to je ta krásná země,
> země česká, domov můj,
> země česká, domov můj!
> 
> *English translation*
> 
> Where (is) my home?
> Where (is) my home?
> Water bubbles across the meadows,
> (Pine)forests rustle over the cliffs,
> In the garden spring's blossom shines,
> an Earthly paradise at sight!
> And this is that beautiful country,
> Czech country, my home,
> Czech country, my home!


----------



## Jana337

> Great, at last one speaking about beautiful landscape and nature !  I'll come one day to see if it's true !!!


 
Glad to hear that! OK, come and see. I am sure that you will be coming back again and again  

Jana


----------



## Manuela

Hi this is the canadian, and I think is a beautiful anthem:

O Canada!
Our home and native land.
True patriot love
in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Ciao 
Manuela


----------



## OlivierG

I don't agree with Sev and Valerie. Or more precisely, I agree the lyrics of the French National anthem can be considered as awful, but there's a story (and history) behind this, and not having changed them is simply great. Hanging in against the "politically correct" is something that pleases me a lot


----------



## Sev

OlivierG said:
			
		

> I don't agree with Sev and Valerie. Or more precisely, I agree the lyrics of the French National anthem can be considered as awful, but there's a story (and history) behind this, and not having changed them is simply great. Hanging in against the "politically correct" is something that pleases me a lot


I don't think it's a matter of "politically correct". And of course I agree we should not forget our history but is it a reason to keep singing during every event (sports and oll others) full of hate words ?? I don't think so...


----------



## Edwin

In the US we also have what some call our unofficial national anthem.  And from time to time it is suggested that the change become official. 

*America, the Beautiful*
​O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain.
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

***

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

***

O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.

***

O Beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years.
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.


Another candidate song for national anthem is:

*America, my country 'tis of thee*​

My country, 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrim's pride,
From ev'ry mountain side
Let freedom ring

My native country, thee
Land of the noble, free
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.


Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.


Our father's God, to thee,
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King.


----------



## fetchezlavache

OlivierG said:
			
		

> I don't agree with Sev and Valerie. Or more precisely, I agree the lyrics of the French National anthem can be considered as awful, but there's a story (and history) behind this, and not having changed them is simply great. Hanging in against the "politically correct" is something that pleases me a lot




i fully agree with you olivier ! there is no point pretending our nation hasn't been bellicose, or hasn't had to fight enemies and be quite fierce... if such were the feelings of the french people at the time it was written, so be it... we sure don't live in the same spirit nowadays, at least i hope, but it's a reminder i think, of awful things that might still happen, and that happen in other countries in the world. 

did i make any sense? i doubt it.


----------



## valerie

OlivierG said:
			
		

> I don't agree with Sev and Valerie. Or more precisely, I agree the lyrics of the French National anthem can be considered as awful, but there's a story (and history) behind this, and not having changed them is simply great. Hanging in against the "politically correct" is something that pleases me a lot


Olivier you're provoking, let's see if feeling ashame of singing *this* is politically correctness


_Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé
Entendez-vous dans nos campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras.
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes!_

Let's go Fatherland's children
The Glory day has come
Against us has been risen
the bloody battle flag of tyranny
Do you hear all over the country
these savage soldiers mooing?
They come to our places
to cut the throat of your sons and of your wifes


_Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons_

Citizens, take your arms
Form your battalions
Let's go, let's go
Let impure blood
water our furrows

_Que veut cette horde d'esclaves
De traîtres, de rois conjurés?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés?
Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter?
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
De rendre à l'antique esclavage!_

What does want this horde of slaves
of traitors, of conspirating kings?
For whom are these ignoble chains
these fetters for a long time prepared?
French, for us, ah, what an outrage
Which passion should it awake?
We are the ones they dare imagine
to keep under to the old slavery! 


Well that's it for today. so...politically correct?

I would be glad somebody enhance this translation, thanks.
Well after all this work, I found a site with several translation including an official one (?) and some history hints
http://www.marseillaise.org/


----------



## Benjy

but you cant have my country tis of thee =[ you stole the tune! *shakes fist*


----------



## cuchuflete

fetchezlavache said:
			
		

> i fully agree with you olivier ! there is no point pretending our nation hasn't been bellicose, or hasn't had to fight enemies and be quite fierce... if such were the feelings of the french people at the time it was written, so be it... we sure don't live in the same spirit nowadays, at least i hope, but it's a reminder i think, of awful things that might still happen, and that happen in other countries in the world.
> 
> did i make any sense? i doubt it.




Fetchez,

You make great sense.  Revisionism, inspired by the most tender of motives, obscures history, thus denying us the opportunity to learn from it.

Un saludo,
Cuchu


----------



## valerie

Fetch, do you sing la Marseillaise every morning to remember the awful things man can do?  

This is a song the soldiers were singing when going to 1914 slaughter, a war song. Not one to represent a parlamentary democracy, leading in the construction of a peaceful European space (till now, at least   ), and claiming to be a pionneer in human rights and human dignity.


To be right, I have to add that the lyrics are seldom sung, normally they play the music and that's it


----------



## Lancel0t

Here is our national Anthem with the English and Spanish version.

*Lupang Hinirang * 
Official version used since 1956 

Bayang magiliw 
Perlas ng Silanganan, 
Alab ng puso, 
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay. 

Lupang Hinirang, 
Duyan ka ng magiting, 
Sa manlulupig, 
Di ka pasisiil. 

Sa dagat at bundok, 
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw, 
May dilag ang tula 
At awit sa paglayang minamahal. 
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y 
Tagumpay na nagniningning, 
Ang bituin at araw niya 
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim. 
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta, 
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo; 
Aming ligaya, na pag may mang-aapi 
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo. 



*Filipinas*
for Jose Palmas

Tierra adorada 
Hija del sol de Oriente 
Su fuego ardiente en ti latiendo esta. 
Patria de amores! 
Del heroismo cuna, 
Los invasores 
No te hallaran jamas. 

En tu azul cielo, en tus auras, 
En tus montes y en tu mar 
Esplende y late el poema 
De tu amada libertad. 
Tu pabellon, que en las lides 
La victoria ilumino 
No vera nunca apagados 
Sus estrellas y su sol. 

Tierra de dichas, del sol y amores, 
En tu regazo dulce es vivir. 
Es una gloria para tus hijos, 
Cuando de ofenden, por ti morir. 



*The Philippine Hymn*
by Camilo Osias and A.L.Lane

Land of the morning, 
Child of the sun returning, 
With fervor burning, 
Thee do our souls adore. 
Land dear and holy, 
Cradle of noble heroes, 
Ne'er shall invaders 
Trample thy sacred shore. 
Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds 
And o'er thy hills and sea, 
Do we behold the radiance, feel and throb, 
Of glorious liberty. 
Thy banner, dear to all our hearts, 
Its sun and stars alight, 
O never shall its shining field 
Be dimmed by tyrant's might! 
Beautiful land of love, 
O land of light, 
In thine embrace 'tis rapture to lie, 
But it is glory ever, when thou art wronged, 
For us, thy sons to suffer and die.


3 diffirent version which simply shows how rich our culture is.


----------



## Narda

Here is Guatemala's first verse:

Guatemala Feliz que tus aras
no profane jamás el verdugo 
ni haya esclavos que laman el yugo
a vencer o a morir llamará

I believe that all national anthems are beautiful.  They normally were created at a very difficult time in the history of our countries.  Granted, there are some that are more beautiful than others, but all of them mark a special time.  Regarding the Marseillese, I find it beautiful and let's not forget how much of an inspiration it has been to so many.


----------



## Edwin

Benjy said:
			
		

> but you cant have my country tis of thee =[ you stole the tune! *shakes fist*



Heck, we stole the whole country--why should we hesitate to steal a simple tune?  _God Save the Queen_ needed new lyrics anyhow.


----------



## vic_us

Zuri said:
			
		

> In the United Kingdom we have the dreadful "God Save the Queen".
> The first verse goes like this:
> 
> _God save our gracious Queen,_
> _Long live our noble Queen,_
> _God save the Queen!_
> _Send her victorious,_
> _Happy and glorious,_
> _Long to reign over us;_
> _God save the Queen!_
> 
> Personally, I much prefer the version by the Sex Pistols.



Sex Pistols? What about Queen's rendition of _God save the Queen_? You guys (although my grandfather was born in Reading) know how to put on a show!


----------



## Manuela

this is the Canadian anthem...and I think it describes the place and its peoples beautifully:
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love
in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
 the True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.


----------



## rob

Dont you agree with me people that all the national anthems..that we have signifies...beauty(of the country), conquest and colonization, and lastly STRUGGLE..
I do think that patriotism...is also like a gasoline that starts fire, in other words, WAR. 
We have our on sides..that is the bottomline of these anthems.


----------



## Dalian

March of the Volunteers
Composer: Nie Er (1912-1935)
Lyricist: Tian Han (1898-1968), 

Qi lai! Bu yuan zuo nu li de ren men,
Ba wo men de xue rou zhu cheng wo men xin de chang cheng.
Zhong hua min zu dao liao zui wei xian de shi hou,
Mei ge ren bei po zhe fa chu zui hou de hou sheng.
Qi lai! Qi lai! Qi lai!
Wo men wan zhong yi xin,
Mao zhe di ren de pao huo,
Qian jin!
Mao zhe di ren de pao huo,
Qian jin! Qian jin! Qian jin! Jin!


ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves!
With our flesh and blood, let us build our new Great Wall!
The Chinese nation faces its greatest danger.
From each one the urgent call for action comes forth.
Arise! Arise! Arise!
Millions with but one heart,
Braving the enemy's fire.
March on!
Braving the enemy's fire.
March on! March on! March on!


----------



## jaykemin

Hi Lauranazario can you translate "La Borinqueña" en español if you don't mind. I'm interested with the song.


Gracias de antemano..


----------



## jaykemin

Perdon

Hi Lauranazario can you translate "La Borinqueña" en ingles if you don't mind. I'm interested with the song.


----------



## Focalist

See this page about La Borinqueña.

F


----------



## Benjy

Edwin said:
			
		

> Heck, we stole the whole country--why should we hesitate to steal a simple tune?  _God Save the Queen_ needed new lyrics anyhow.



lol. i still love our national anthem. even if sometimes when i sing it i feel a little subservient.


----------



## Narda

What is wrong about national anthems?  They are part of our history and not meant to hurt people's feelings.  I believe we all have gotten out of touch with our past and are failing to recognize the efforts of our ancestors to live in a free land.

How about traditions?  Any opinions??


----------



## puroy2005

LUPANG HINIRANG is a beautiful anthem... I'm proud of its artistry.  I just wish filipinos won't just have it sung, I hope we could live up to its lyrics.


----------



## puroy2005

There are things in our countries' traditions that are meant to stay unchanged... Lyrics of our national anthems, I guess, are one of these... There might be some who would like to revise theirs, but let us consider that they were composed during a milestone of our land's history... they serve as a reminder of our past... everytime we sing them, let us celebrate the fruit of what the patriot of our countries sowed instead of thinking new words for them...


----------



## Narda

thank you puroy2005


----------



## lauranazario

jaykemin said:
			
		

> Perdon
> 
> Hi Lauranazario can you translate "La Borinqueña" en ingles if you don't mind. I'm interested with the song.



Thanks for your interest in "*La Borinqueña"*, Jaykemin!!!
Both the Spanish (original) lyrics as well as their English translation can be seen in the following webpage. By clicking on the link you can also hear the actual melody of Puerto Rico's national anthem. http://www.puertoricomuseum.com/spanpages/museoanthemspan.html

As you will all see, "La Borinqueña" is not a "war" song but rather a glorification of our island's inherent beauty and intends to rouse our national pride by focusing on that particular aspect.

Saludos from my sunny Puerto Rico! 
LN


----------



## lauranazario

Focalist said:
			
		

> See this page about La Borinqueña.
> 
> F



Thanks, Focalist for that informative page, as it includes information/lyrics about an unnofficial "revolutionary version" of our national anthem that marks a difficult period in our own history.

Saludos,
LN


----------



## dave

Sev said:
			
		

> In France, we have an awful national anthem : La Marseillaise. Here is the text (thank you Jeannine !) :
> 
> ...
> 
> For those who don't speak french, it's all about war and killing enemies, and impure blood and so on. Uuuggg I really hate that  . Why not something about peace ?



But at least it has a good tune!

The British (or actually English, but has been foisted on our Celtic neighbours) national anthem is truly awful, with the most depressing tune of all anthems. Interestingly, the tune is also shared with the Liechtenstein anthem. 

Although I don't have a Celtic bone in my body, I always find the Scottish, Welsh and Irish anthems incredibly rousing. Hearing 'Flower of Scotland' almost makes me wish I were Scottish!


----------



## Helicopta

There are actually quite a few more verses to God save the Queen. Each more dreary than the last. Unsurprisingly, this one was removed when it became the national anthem for the Bitish isles as opposed to just England...

Lord, grant that Marshal Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush and like a torrent rush,
*Rebellious Scots to crush,*
God save the King

'Land of hope and glory' is actually the national anthem of England. God save the Queen is for the the whole of the UK but for some reason it never gets played, even at sporting events between UK countries. It's has a much better tune as well! Some people think it should be 'Jerusalem', i'd go along with that...

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

I'm not religious but you can't argue with lyrics like that...


----------



## DesertCat

The problem with the US National Anthem (aside from the actual war related conent) is that hardly anyone can sing it correctly due to the huge range between high and low notes.  I much prefer America The Beautiful, particularly when the late Ray Charles sang it.


----------



## Focalist

dave said:
			
		

> Sev said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In France, we have an awful national anthem : La Marseillaise.
> 
> 
> 
> But at least it has a good tune!
> 
> The British (or actually English, but has been foisted on our Celtic neighbours) national anthem is truly awful, with the most depressing tune of all anthems. Interestingly, the tune is also shared with the Liechtenstein anthem.
> 
> Although I don't have a Celtic bone in my body, I always find the Scottish, Welsh and Irish anthems incredibly rousing. Hearing 'Flower of Scotland' almost makes me wish I were Scottish!
Click to expand...

So very well said, Dave!

So far, I've been steering clear of this debate because from what I've seen the discussion has all been about words (fair enough, I suppose, in a linguistic forum) -- but national anthems are surely, more than anything else, about TUNES. Any old rigmarole will do for the words... so long as the music STIRS.

I agree with you so much that *Sev*, however much she may deplore the words of La Marseillaise, ought to know that most Brits (whether they will openly admit it or not) know in their hearts that Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote a tune *to stand up and die for*... the tune of "God Save the King/Queen" is something to *lie down*, give up, and die before.

BTW, the British tune is not only also that of "Oben am jungen Rhein" (the Liechtenstein national anthem), but it was for for many years that of the Swiss national anthem too.

Other shared tunes: Finland ("Maamme") / Estonia ("Mu Isamaa") and Poland ("Dabrowski Mazurka") / former Yugoslavia ("Hej Slaveni").

The Welsh national anthem (adopted too by the Bretons) is one of the most moving in the world, but there are so many other tear-jerkers (the Czech "Where Is My Home?" for one) and superb rousers-to-action that I cannot even begin to list them all.

F (who watches televised international football matches until they've finished singing the anthems, and then switches off!)


----------



## Cath.S.

Our nation, like most, was born through war, its borders are drawn in dried-up blood. 

These are facts and our anthem accurately reflects them.

Chirac did not speak out against the war in Irak because we are a peace-loving nation, but for strategic, economic and political reasons.

France has been involved in numerous armed conflicts, including in not so faraway times. On the day of my birth the Algerian war was still raging.

May I also remind my fellow countrymen and women that at the time when they're reading these lines France still has quite a few colonies - even though this is not what they are called anymore- and that unrest and therefore bloody repression remain a possibility. I do not wish for it to happen, but I seem to have noticed this unruly world of ours stubbornly refuses to abide by my wishes.

So I _would_ see a point inimplementing drastic changes, in turning arms factories into plant nurseries, in having an _unarmy_ (_une désarmée_) whose only purpose would be to help populations after floods and other such natural disasters.

But I fail to see what good it would do to change _La Marseillaise._


----------



## supercrom

*Himno                 Nacional del Perú

*​ Jurada la independencia, el 28 de julio de 1821, San Martín convocó a un concurso para la elección de una "Marcha Nacional del Perú", concurso al que se presentaron 7 composiciones de seis maestros de música de la capital. Salió triunfadora unade las dos composiciones presentadas por el maestro José Bernardo Alcedo, hermano terciario del Convento de Santo Domingo. La letra fue escrita para esta música por el poeta iqueño José de la Torre Ugarte.El Himno Nacional se cantó por primera vez en público el 23 de septiembre del mismo año, en el Teatro de Lima, y fue entonado por la soprano Rosa Merino.Hacia 1850 se hizo difícil saber cuál era la verdadera música del himno, pues circulaban varias versiones y los escritos con la versión original se perdieron. Así el músico italiano Claudio Rebagliati, con la ayuda del ya anciano José Bernardo Alcedo, reescribe la música del himno, en 1869.

Pasados los años, el gobierno peruano plantea cambiar la letra del himno por lo que se consideraba que la letra era ofensiva a España, nación con la que ya estábamos en paz, y porque su letra refleja un rencor y un tenor de guerra que ya no eran bien vistos. Así se encarga al poeta José Santos Chocano la tarea de escribir las nuevas estrofas. Sin embargo finalmente el sentir popular no aceptó el cambio de letra, pues la letra original refleja el recuerdo de quienes nos dieron la independencia.

Finalmente, el 26 de febrero de 1913, el Congreso de la República respalda la restauración realizada por el maestro Rebagliati en 1869 y promulga la ley 1801 declarando intangibles la letra y música del Himno Nacional.
 (from http://www.exploradoresperuanos.galeon.com/peruhimno.htm)


 * SOMOS LIBRES

* Somos libres, seámoslo siempre
 y antes niegue sus luces el sol,
 que faltemos al voto solemne
 que la patria al Eterno elevó.
Largo tiempo el peruano oprimido
la ominosa cadena arrastró;
condenado a cruel servidumbre
largo tiempo en silencio gimió.
Mas apenas el grito sagrado
¡Libertad! En sus costas se oyó,
la indolencia de esclavo sacude,
la humillada cerviz levantó.


 -----------We usually sing up to this line--------------


   Ya el estruendo de broncas cadenas
que escuchamos tres siglos de horror,
de los libres al grito sagrado
que oyó atónito el mundo, cesó.
Por doquier San Martín inflamado,
Libertad, libertad, pronunció,
y meciendo su base los Andes
la anunciaron, también a una voz.


   Con su influjo los pueblos despiertan
y cual rayo corrió la opinión;
desde el itsmo a las tierras del fuego
desde el fuego a la helada región.
Todos juran romper el enlace
que natura a ambos mundos negó,
y quebrar ese cetro que España,
reclinaba orgullosa en los dos.


   Lima, cumple ese voto solemne,
y, severa, su enojo mostró,
al tirano impotente lanzando,
que intentaba alargar su opresión.
A su esfuerzo sellaron los grillos
y los surcos que en sí reparó,
le atizaron el odio y venganza
que heredara de su Inca y Señor.


   Compatriotas, no más verla esclava
si humillada tres siglos gimió,
para siempre jurémosla libre
manteniendo su propio esplendor.
Nuestros brazos, hasta hoy desarmados
estén siempre cebando el cañón,
que algún día las playas de Iberia
sentirán de su estruendo el terror.


  En su cima los Andes sostengan
la bandera o pendón bicolor,
que a los siglos anuncie el esfuerzo
que ser libres, por siempre nos dió.
A su sombra vivamos tranquilos,
y al nacer por sus cumbres el sol,
renovemos el gran juramento
que rendimos al Dios de Jacob.


 -----------Some day we'll sing all the complete anthem---------------

*English version* (http://en.wikipedia.org)

 We are free, let's always be so
 and may the sun deny its light
 if we fail the solemn vow
 that the motherland swore to the Eternal One.
 For a long time the oppresed Peruvian
dragged the ominous chain;
condemned to a cruel servitude
for a long time he cried in silence.


  But once the sacred cry
 Freedom! in its coasts it was heard
 the slave's indolence shakes,
 the humilliated neck he raised.​ 
You can hear Perú's national anthem's audio here.

Ojalá que siempre seamos siempre, o que al menos nuestra esclavitud o dependencia no sea tan visible....

*CROM*


----------



## Narda

Thank you Equeule!  Yes, changing the words of our history is never going to change the facts.  Raging against the anthems is not going to change their origins.  I also believe that they are a reminder, "lest we forget", which would be ungrateful to the people that fought for what we have today.


----------



## David

The tune of the American anthem is an XVIIIth century drinking song, _Anachreon in Heaven,_ which had lines like "...in love doth entwine/the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine." It is practically impossible for the average person to sing because of the wide range of notes. It used to be a song of hope. It has become a declaration of arrogance and intolerance. Anybody remember the song in the movie _Cabaret,_ sung by a young man in a _biergarten,_: "The future belongs to me!" Terrifying.


----------



## Artrella

*Himno Nacional Argentino y un tanguito de regalo!!!  *


----------



## Sev

Artrella said:
			
		

> *Himno Nacional Argentino y un tanguito de regalo!!!  *


 
Thanks Art. I found the tune...funny ! Makes me think to a child's song! 
Then what do the lyrics mean ? Unfortunately again, I don't speak a word of spanish  , and if I understand *libertad *that's not enough...could you tell us briefly what is it about ? Do you like it ?


----------



## Artrella

Sev said:
			
		

> Thanks Art. I found the tune...funny ! Makes me think to a child's song!
> Then what do the lyrics mean ? Unfortunately again, I don't speak a word of spanish  , and if I understand *libertad *that's not enough...could you tell us briefly what is it about ? Do you like it ?





Yes... Sev... I couldn't find the lyrics in English yet.  As soon as I find them I will post them, ok? So you and the rest can understand the anthem!!!


----------



## Artrella

Argentina Anthem -  Sp/Eng 

Hey Sev!! Here  it is!!!


----------



## Sev

Thanks a lot Art ! Anyway are you ready to "swear to die gloriously" if ever ??  
What are "Las provincias unidas del Sud"?


----------



## Artrella

Sev said:
			
		

> Thanks a lot Art ! Anyway are you ready to "swear to die gloriously" if ever ??
> What are "Las provincias unidas del Sud"?





Yes, I am!!  In spite of the politicians' corruption I love Argentina!!    

And "las Provincias Unidas del Sud" refers to our country. Our country is divided into "provinces".  For instance I live in "la provincia de Buenos Aires".

Bye Sev!!


----------



## basurero

Hola a todos, me gustaría mucho compartir con vosotros el himno nacional de Australia:

* Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
 We'll toil with hearts and hands,
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands,
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

*bueno no?

También el de Nueva Zelanda, donde nací y vivía cuando era niño:

 *MAORI LYRICS

E Ihowä Atua,
O ngä iwi mätou rä
Äta whakarongona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tö atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa 

Öna mano tängata
Kiri whero, kiri mä,
Iwi Mäori Päkehä,
Repeke katoa,
Nei ka tono ko ngä hë
Mäu e whakaahu kë,
Kia ora märire
Aotearoa 

Töna mana kia tü!
Töna kaha kia ü;
Töna rongo hei pakü
Ki te ao katoa
Aua rawa ngä whawhai
Ngä tutü a tata mai;
Kia tupu nui ai
Aotearoa 

Waiho tona takiwä
Ko te ao märama;
Kia whiti töna rä
Taiäwhio noa.
Ko te hae me te ngangau
Meinga kia kore kau;
Waiho i te rongo mau
Aotearoa 

Töna pai me toitü
Tika rawa, ponu pü;
Töna noho, tana tü;
Iwi nö Ihowä.
Kaua möna whakamä;
Kia hau te ingoa;
Kia tü hei tauira;
Aotearoa 

---
ENGLISH LYRICS

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand. 

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our State,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand. 

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand. 

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand. 

May our mountains ever be
Freedoms ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand. 

*Espero que os gusten!!!!


----------



## GermanGirl

Hello everybody!
I was not at all surprised that nobody has posted the lyrics of the German anthem yet since Germany is by no means a patriotic country anymore. It has to do with our history, meaning WW II, that you'll have a hard time finding a German who says "I am proud to be a German".  My generation is just learning not to feel guilty. We are not feeling proud, either, but I think we feel we are responsible for making sure something like that never happens again.

Anyway, here are the lyrics:
*The German anthem*
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
für das deutsche Vaterland.
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
sind des Glückes Unterpfand.
Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,
blühe, deutsches Vaterland.

I won't to a great job translating this, but I'll try
*English translation
*Unity and rights and freedom
for the German home country.
Unity and rights and freedom
are the conditions for happiness.
Blossom in the glory of this happiness,
blossom, German home country.

This is an awful translation, sorry guys! Maybe someone can come up with a better one...


----------



## Sev

egueule said:
			
		

> May I also remind my fellow countrymen and women that at the time when they're reading these lines France still has quite a few colonies - even though this is not what they are called anymore- and that unrest and therefore bloody repression remain a possibility. I do not wish for it to happen, but I seem to have noticed this unruly world of ours stubbornly refuses to abide by my wishes.
> 
> So I _would_ see a point inimplementing drastic changes, in turning arms factories into plant nurseries, in having an _unarmy_ (_une désarmée_) whose only purpose would be to help populations after floods and other such natural disasters.
> 
> But I fail to see what good it would do to change _La Marseillaise._


 
Yes of course egueule. I didn't say that changing _La Marseillaise_ would do any good to populations who suffers from wars or natural disasters. I think that's another topic. 
I only wanted to say that to me, these words represent hatred, and that I would prefer singing a song about the beauty of the country that about hate. 
Of course again, our country as you said has a full-of-blood history but I don't think that a national anthem is there to teach you that. School is the right way we can learn what happened, and don't forget, and never do it again...

By the way, I like your "désarmée" very much...



> It has to do with our history, meaning WW II, that you'll have a hard time finding a German who says "I am proud to be a German".


I think you should'nt feel guilty about that. What is essential, as you said, is "feel responsible for making sure something like that never happens again". And we all should, not only Germans.
Anyway, I'm not "proud" to be french, because it did not choose to ! I simply love France, but pride, I don't see the point...


----------



## Cynethrith

There is no need for Germans to feel guilty. Honestly, if I were a German I'd be fed up with the world regarding Germany as the bad guy of the 20th century. In history there are no "good guys" and "bad guys", there are only winners and losers; if a country loses a war, all of its sins are exaggerated, if a country wins a war, all of its sins are forgotten. That's why there are more books and movies about Auschwitz than about Hiroshima.

Back on topic, I'm glad to see that other people dislike their national anthems too. Ours, the Hungarian national anthem is basically eight stanzas of whining over 1000 years of ***ed up history, which mainly consists of being attacked, ravaged and occupied by about every other nation in Europe. I prefer the EU anthem (Ode to Joy by Schiller & Beethoven.) Of the ones posted here, I think the Australian anthem is the most beautiful.

[edited. I'm not meaning I'm glad that others dislike their anthems but I'm glad I'm not alone with this feeling.]


----------



## Benjy

erm.. comparing hiroshima to auschwitz is a pretty big leap of imagination. that said i dont think that the sins of the parents should be visited on the head of the parents.


----------



## Cynethrith

pretty big leap, but only geographically speaking... both of them were evil acts, killing lots of civilian people. I just hope nothing like these will happen again.


----------



## Benjy

hiroshima was evil? it arguably saved the lives of thousands. it certainly wasn't evil in the same way that auschwitz was.


----------



## pogo

I recently noticed that there was no German national anthem when Westgermany was founded in 1949. During official gatherings sometimes "Ode an die Freude" (ode to joy) was played. The "Deutschlandlied" (now the national anthem of Germany) which GermanGirl posted above was reestablished in 1952.

I think most people have heard of "Ode an die Freude". The text is from a poem by Friedrich Schiller. Beethoven was so fond of it, that he incorparated the lyrics in his   9. Symphonie. 

The original poem by Friedrich Schiller from 1785

1. Freude schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten Feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng geteilt.
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
|: Brüder, überm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen, :|

2. Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein,
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!
Was den großen Ring bewohnet,
Huldige der Sympathie.
|: Zu den Sternen leitet sie,
Wo der Unbekannte thronet. :|

3. Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur,
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod,
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
|: Such ihn überm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muß er wohnen. :|

4. Freude heißt die starke Feder,
In der ewigen Natur,
Freude, Freude treibt die Räder
In der großen Weltenuhr.
Blumen lockt sie aus den Keimen,
Sonnen aus dem Firmament,
Sphären rollt sie in den Räumen
Die des Sehers Rohr nicht kennt.
Froh wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächtigen Plan,
|: Laufet Brüder, eure Bahn,
freudig wie ein Held zum Siegen! :|

5. Aus der Wahrheit Feuerspiegel
Lächelt sie den Forscher an.
Zu der Tugend steilem Hügel
Leitet sie des Dulders Bahn.
Auf des Glaubens Sonnenberge
Sieht man ihre Fahnen wehn,
Durch den Riß gesprengter Särge
Sie im Chor der Engel stehn.
Duldet mutig, Millionen!
Duldet fur die beßre Welt!
|: Droben überm Sternenzelt
Wird ein großer Gott belohnen. :|

6. Göttern kann man nicht vergelten,
Schön ists, ihnen gleich zu sein.
Gram und Armut soll sich melden,
Mit den Frohen sich erfreun.
Groll und Rache sei vergessen,
Unserm Todfeind sei verziehn,
Keine Träne soll ihn pressen,
Keine Reue nage ihn.
Unser Schuldbuch sei vernichtet!
Ausgesöhnt die ganze Welt!
|: Brüder - überm Sternenzelt
Richtet Gott, wie wir gerichtet. :|

7. Freude sprudelt in Pokalen;
In der Traube goldnem Blut
Trinken Sanftmut Kannibalen,
Die Verzweiflung Heldenmut. -
Brüder, fliegt von euren Sitzen,
Wenn der volle Römer kreist;
Laßt den Schaum zum Himmel spritzen:
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist!
Den der Sterne Wirbel loben,
Den des Seraphs Hymne preist,
|: Dieses Glas dem guten Geist
Überm Sternenzelt dort oben! :|

8. Festen Mut in schweren Leiden,
Hilfe, wo die Unschuld weint,
Ewigkeit geschwornen Eiden,
Wahrheit gegen Freund und Feind,
Männerstolz vor Königsthronen -
Brüder, gält' es Gut und Blut:
Dem Verdienste seine Kronen,
Untergang der Lügenbrut!
Schließt den heilgen Zirkel dichter!
Schwört bei diesem goldnem Wein,
|: Dem Gelübde treu zu sein,
schwört es bei dem Sternenrichter! :| 



I only found an translation for the Part from 9. Symphonie



Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuer-trunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein,
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur;
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihre Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan,
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.

CHORUS
Freude, schöner Götterfunken, usw.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über'm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.
lhr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muß er wohnen.




Joy, beautiful divine spark,
Daughter of Elysium,
We enter, drunk with fire,
O heavenly one, your holy shrine.
Your magic once again bonds together
What custom strictly divided,
All Mankind become brothers
Where your gentle wings hold sway.


He who has the great good fortune
To be friend to a friend,
He who has won a dear wife,
Let him mix his rejoicing with ours!
Yes--and whoever has but one soul
Somewhere on earth to call his own!
And he who cannot, let him steal away,
Weeping, out of this company.

Joy is drunk by every creature
From Nature's breast;
Every good one, every bad one
Follows her rosy pathway.
She gave us kisses, and wine,
And one friend, tried unto death;
Even to the worm ecstasy is given,
and the cherub stands before God.


Gladly, as his suns fly through
The magnificent plan of the heavens,
Run, my brothers, your own course
Joyfully, like a hero off to conquest.


Joy, beautiful divine spark, etc.

Let me embrace you, O millions!
This kiss is for the whole world!
Brothers, above the starry firmament
A loving Father must surely dwell.
Do you fall down, O millions?
Are you aware of your Creator, world?
Seek Him above the starry firmament!
For above the stars He must 
dwell.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
feel free to correct me


----------



## traduire2004

Good evening folks,

Interesting topic (cough)! Hence, I am already for quite a while looking for a french (preferably) or english translation of the austrian antheme (not Australia but Austria). The music of "Land der Berge" was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (KV 623a) and Paula von Preradovic wrote the text. Could anybody in the Forum help me or give me a hint where to find an official/literary translation?

Thanx,


----------



## Podd

Manuela said:
			
		

> this is the Canadian anthem...and I think it describes the place and its peoples beautifully:
> O Canada! Our home and native land!
> True patriot love
> in all thy sons command.
> With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
> the True North strong and free!
> From far and wide, O Canada,
> We stand on guard for thee.
> God keep our land glorious and free!
> O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
> O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.


 
C'est assez pathétique que la version française ne dit rien de celle de la version anglaise, il y a seulement le « O Canada » qui est dit de la même façon et en plus que mon compartriote qui n'a pas penser a l'autre 1/3 de la popupaltion canadienne ........ 

O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix! 
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits. 
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. 
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.


----------



## manel.sanchez.ruiz

Catalan anthem repeated verse is :

Catalunya triomfant tornarà a ser rica i plena.

In english sound something like this :

A victorious Catalonia will be already rich and full.


How most historical anthems it rely in some historical facts. Catalan anthem was created after our defetead against Spain and remember an early victory that mada a free Catalonia for some time.

  As well, Catalan anthem have some verses about killing enemies (someone may guess who were this enemies ?). This verses being now under Spanish rule obviously not singed.  Exactly the same that U.S.A. anthem, that have some verses about kill despicablle English, that, obviously, for political correctness with a current allied, are not sing on the America Schools.


----------



## manel.sanchez.ruiz

Spanish anthem now does not have a letter....

  Mainly because now is a democratic country and Spanish anthem letter was made around 1940 and is a fascist song. La Marcha Real music is around one hundred years old has has been maintained.


----------



## GermanGirl

Back to being German again: Do not get me wrong, I do not feel guilty by any means. I agree that since I did not choose where I was born to which parents I can hardly feel guilty or proud or anything. However, I feel responsible to help prevent my country from repeating its history. I also agree that anyone, regardless of his or her nationality, should feel responsible. Not only for making sure the whole Nazi thing never happens again but for assuring peace in general.


I do not think that one can compare Auschwitz and Hiroshima, simply because of the reasons people had to do that. Hiroshima, unlike Auschwitz and other concentration camps, was not based on the idea that one race is inferior and has to be eliminated by incredibly horrible and most sadistic means. Nevertheless, many innocent civilians were killed, that is true.


----------



## Noel Acevedo

Just a footnote on Lauranasarios comment on La Borinqueña.  The version copied in her note was authored by Manuel Fernández Juncos, and has been the "official" anthem since 1977, though sung and taught as our anthem since 1952 upon the establishment of the Commonwealth as the "final" status of Puerto Rico (a colonial status approved by th US congress).  The anthem writen by D Lola Rodríguesz de Tió is the revolutionary anthem and has been adopted by those who seek independance from the US.  The words are below, and like the other anthems contains a call to arms and death to tyrants.
Despierta, borinqueño
     que han dado la señal!
     Despierta de ese sueno
     que es hora de luchar!

     A ese llamar patriótico
     no arde tu corazón?
     Ven! Nos será simpático
     el ruido del cañon.

     Mira, ya el cubano 
     libre será;
     le dará el machete
     su libertad...
     le dará el machete
     su libertad.

     Ya el tambor guerrero
     dice en su son,
     que es la manigua el sitio,
     el sitio de la reunión,
     de la reunión...
     de la reunión.

     El Grito de Lares*
     se ha de repetir,
     y entonces sabremos 
     vencer o morir.

     Bellísima Borinquen,
     a Cuba hay que seguir;
     tu tienes bravos hijos
     que quieren combatir.

     ya por mas tiempo impávido
     no podemos estar,
     ya no queremos, tímidos
     dejarnos subyugar.

     Nosotros queremos
     ser libre ya,
     y nuestro machete
     afilado esta..
     y nuestro machete 
     afilado esta.

     Por que entonces, nosotros
     hemos de estar,
     tan dormidos y sordos
     y sordos a esa señal?
     a esa señal, a esa señal?

     No hay que temer, riqueños
     al ruido del cañon,
     que salvar a la patria
     es deber del corazón!

     ya no queremos déspotas,
     caiga el tirano ya,
     las mujeres indómitas
     también sabrán luchar.

     Nosotros queremos
     la libertad,
     y nuestros machetes 
     nos la dará...
     y nuestro machete 
     nos la dará...

     Vámonos, borinqueños,
     vámonos ya,
     que nos espera ansiosa,
     ansiosa la libertad.
     La libertad, la libertad!

Noel Acevedo


----------



## Marc1

I like the French anthem, it is the simbol of a past, the roots of a nation, nothing to be ashamed of. The past is part of the present, the is no denying it.

This is the Australian National Anthem

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Ant that is why I like Australia.


----------



## cuchuflete

Well, here in this calm corner of the world, our anthem has no reference to blood or canons....

State of Maine Song"
words and music by Roger Vinton Snow

Grand State of Maine,
proudly we sing
To tell your glories to the land,
To shout your praises till the echoes ring.
Should fate unkind
send us to roam,
The scent of the fragrant pines,
the tang of the salty sea
Will call us home.

CHORUS:
Oh, Pine Tree State,
Your woods, fields and hills,
Your lakes, streams and rock bound coast
Will ever fill our hearts with thrills,
And tho' we seek far and wide
Our search will be in vain,
To find a fairer spot on earth
Than Maine! Maine! Maine!

If you want to listen to the music--pretty dull melody-- try this:

music


----------



## pinkpanter

Marc1 said:
			
		

> I like the French anthem, it is the simbol of a past, the roots of a nation, nothing to be ashamed of. The past is part of the present, the is no denying it.
> 
> This is the Australian National Anthem
> 
> ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
> 
> Australians all let us rejoice,
> For we are young and free;
> We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
> Our home is girt by sea;
> Our land abounds in nature's gifts
> Of beauty rich and rare;
> In history's page, let every stage
> Advance Australia Fair.
> In joyful strains then let us sing,
> Advance Australia Fair.
> Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
> We'll toil with hearts and hands;
> To make this Commonwealth of ours
> Renowned of all the lands;
> For those who've come across the seas
> We've boundless plains to share;
> With courage let us all combine
> To Advance Australia Fair.
> In joyful strains then let us sing,
> Advance Australia Fair.
> 
> Ant that is why I like Australia.



I prefer "Waltzing Matilda"

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited ‘til his billy boiled
Who’ll come a-waltzing matilda with me?
Chorus; Waltzing matilda, matilda my darling
You’ll come a-waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he watched and waited ‘til his billy boiled
Who’ll come a-waltzing matilda with me?
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You’ll come a- waltzing matilda with me
(Chorus)
Down came the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred
Down came the troopers, one, two, three
‘Whose is that jumbuck that you’ve got in your tucker-bag?
You’ll come a-waltzing matilda with me!’
(Chorus)
Up jumped the swagman and jumped into the billabong
‘You’ll never take me alive!’ said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You’ll come a-waltzing matilda with me
(Chorus)

--


This is the Swedish national anthem,

*Du Gamla, Du Fria, Du Fjällhöga Nord * 

Du gamla, Du fria, Du fjällhöga Nord, 
du tysta, du glädjerika sköna! 
Jag hälsar dig vänaste land uppå jord 
din sol, din himmel, dina ängder gröna! 
Din sol, din himmel, dina ängder gröna! 

Du tronar på minnen från fornstora dar, 
då ärat ditt namn flög över jorden. 
Jag vet, att du är och du blir, vad du var. 
Ja, jag vill leva, jag vill dö i Norden, 
Ja, jag vill leva, jag vill dö i Norden.  

and the translation, 

O glorious mountain crown'd land of the North, 

thou quiet thou joyous land, I love thee, 

I hail thee as fairest of lands on this earth; 

Thy meadows green, the sun in heav'n above thee, 

Thy meadows green, the sun in heav'n above thee. 


Thy throne is the mem'ry of great days of yore, 

when all through the world thy name was carried, 

thou art this, I know, the same as of old. 

In thee I'll live, in thee I'll die, thou North Land, 

In thee I'll live, in thee I'll die, thou North Land.


----------



## Monalisschen

so here's the austrian one:

Land der Berge, Land am Strome,
Land der Aecker, Land der Dome,
Land der Haemmer, zukunftsreich.
Heimat bist du grosser Soehne,
Volk begnadet fuer das Schoene,
Vielgeruehmtes Oesterreich, Vielgeruehmtes Oesterreich

Heiss umfehdet, wild umstritten,
liegst dem Erdteil du inmitten
einem starken Herzen gleich.
Hast seit fruehen Ahnentagen
hoher Sendung last getragen,
vielgeprueftes Oesterreich, vielgeprueftes Oesterreich

Mutig in die neuen Zeiten,
frei und glaubig sieh uns schreiten,
arbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich.
Einig lass in Bruederchoeren,
Vaterland, dir Treue schwören
Vielgeliebtes Oesterreich, vielgeliebtes Oesterreich

and the english translation i found on the internet

Land of mountains, land on the river,
land of fields, land of spires,
land of hammers, with a rich future,
you are the home of great sons,
a nation blessed by its sense of beauty,
highly praised Austria, highly praised Austria

Strongly fought for, fiercly contested,
you are in the centre of the continent
like a strong heart,
you have born since the earliest days
the burden of a high mission
Much tried Austria, much tried Austria

Watch us striding free and believing,
with courage, into new eras,
working cheerfully and full of hope,
in fraternal chorus let us take in unity
the oath of allegiance to you, our country,
Our much beloved Austria, our much beloved Austria


----------



## Brasiliana

Sev said:
			
		

> I don't agree...well it depends on what you mean by nationalist of course...but I think it could also call for friendship with other countries...
> 
> 
> The music does not matter for me too, but now when one listen to it, one think to the awful lyrics, so...maybe we'll have to change everything!!!
> 
> 
> Exactly...


 
Wow, I wouldn´t imagine to find complaints about La Marseillaise. Actually,its  melody is really pleasant to listen to. Yes, most of national anthens may have "bloody" letters, but this is something I prefer to see from another point of view: they were concepted when people were fighting to build their nation and have their identity respected. So, whenever I listen to any of them, what comes into my mind is History, and it doesn´t bother me


----------



## Brasiliana

basurero said:
			
		

> Hola a todos, me gustaría mucho compartir con vosotros el himno nacional de Australia:
> 
> *Australians all let us rejoice*
> *For we are young and free*
> *We've golden soil and wealth for toil,*
> *Our home is girt by sea:*
> *Our land abounds in nature's gifts*
> *Of beauty rich and rare*
> 
> 
> *Hola Basurero!*
> 
> * So, you were born a kiwi...*
> *I´ve met some of your fellows in Denmark and something I´ll always remember is a Maori dance they use to show  The name was something like (don´t laugh) Haka?! Please,´please,  help me remembering it!! That stuffs is really nice *


----------



## Brasiliana

Maybe it sounds a bit suspectful from myself saying the brazilian antheme has an interesting letter and a beautiful music  But anyone that anylizes the verses will find it´s true. It mentions mainly the amazing natural resources Brasil has, like the florests, minerals, pretty coasts, etc. It´s mentioned that, if necessary, brazillians wouldn´t think twice to defend "the gentle mother, Brasil", but just in case eheh 
 So, you see it´s really not a bloody-revenge calling, its shows very well the pacific spirit people got here.
Here it goes O Hino Nacional Brasileiro

Ouviram do Ipiranga as margens plácidas
De um povo heróico o brado retumbante,
E o sol da Liberdade, em raios fúlgidos,
Brilhou no céu da Pátria nesse instante.

Se o penhor dessa igualdade
Conseguimos conquistar com braço forte,
Em teu seio, ó Liberdade,
Desafia o nosso peito a própria morte!

Ó Pátria amada, 
Idolatrada,       
Salve! Salve!     

Brasil, um sonho intenso, um raio vívido
De amor e de esperança à terra desce,
Se em teu formoso céu, risonho e límpido,
A imagem do Cruzeiro resplandece.

Gigante pela própria natureza,
És belo, és forte, impávido colosso,
E o teu futuro espelha essa grandeza

Terra adorada,    
Entre outras mil, 
És tu, Brasil,      
Ó Pátria amada!   

Dos filhos deste solo és mãe gentil,
Pátria amada,
Brasil! 
 II

Deitado eternamente em berço esplêndido,
Ao som do mar e à luz do céu profundo,
Fulguras, ó Brasil, florão da América,
Iluminado ao sol do Novo Mundo!

Do que a terra mais garrida
Teus risonhos, lindos campos têm mais flores;
"Nossos bosques têm mais vida",
"Nossa vida" no teu seio "mais amores".


Ó Pátria amada, 
Idolatrada,       
Salve! Salve!

Brasil, de amor eterno seja símbolo
O lábaro que ostentas estrelado,
E diga o verde-louro desta flâmula
- Paz no futuro e glória no passado.

Mas, se ergues da justiça a clava forte,
Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta,
Nem teme, quem te adora, a própria morte.

Terra adorada    
Entre outras mil, 
És tu, Brasil,      
Ó Pátria amada!   

Dos filhos deste solo és mãe gentil,
Pátria amada,
Brasil!


----------



## mirandolina

The Italian anthem is back in favour now, thanks to the President, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who joins in the singing heartily and encourages other people to do so. Now even football (soccer) teams at least make an effort to sing along. I think it's better than the aria from Nabucco that some factions were proposing as a replacement. The words are a bit dated, however, and some people do not understand the classical allusions - Scipio, cohorts, and so on.

Unfortunately, no one ever sings it as far as the verse about "l'unione e l'amore" !



As regards La Marseillaise, it's always been a particular favourite of mine. A great tune and rousing words. Especially the fields soaked with the blood of the enemies.



Anyway, a lot better than the dirge "God save the Queen", which even urges violent reprisals against the Scots!  








			
				cuchuflete said:
			
		

> Hi DDT-
> 
> The Italian anthem is far superior to most. At least it has, conceptually, one very beautiful line:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> l'unione e l'amore​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These songs try to promote nationhood at best, nationalism at worst, and the latter is just tribalism on a broader scale. Some of them are rather funny in their historical contexts...The American one was written as a celebration that a fort survived a naval bombardment, while the enemy burned much of our Capitol to the ground! (The war was really about money, but aren't they all about either that or ego?)
> 
> Cuchu


----------



## Ulisse

*EUROPEAN UNION ANTHEM * 

In 1972, the Council of Europe introduced the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode to Joy" as the European anthem. I like it very much ... I also like very much the melody of la Marsellaise .. and the US anthem as well

_Joy, daughter of Elysium
Thy magic reunites those
Whom stern custom has parted;
All men will become brothers
Under thy gentle wing.

Be embraced, Millions!
This kiss for all the world!
Brothers!, above the starry canopy
A loving father must dwell.

Joy, beautiful spark of Gods!,
Daughter of Elysium,
Joy, beatiful spark of Gods!._


----------



## pinkpanter

Ulisse, I did not know the European anthem. Thank you for sharing it with us!


----------



## Outsider

_A Portuguesa

Heróis do mar, nobre povo,
Nação valente, imortal
Levantai hoje de novo
O esplendor de Portugal!

Entre as brumas da memória,
Ó Pátria, sente-se a voz
Dos teus egrégios avós
Que há-de guiar-te à vitória!

Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!_


Heroes of the sea, noble people,
Brave, immortal nation
Let rise again today
The splendour of Portugal!

Amid the mists of memory,
O Fatherland, resounds the voice
Of your egregious ancestors,
Which shall guide you to victory!

To arms, to arms!
Over land and over sea,
To arms, to arms!
To fight for the Fatherland
Against the guns, march, march!


Not the most politically correct of anthems.  

There are two more parts, which you can read here, but they're not usually sung.


----------



## superromu

in France, the pupils will learn la marseillaise at school, in order to enhance the patriotism. in France some say that it will have more racism because of that. i don't think so, i think we lose the patriotism and the chance we have to be french. 
the problem of losing patiotism is that our economy cannot grow, because one always says "we can do it !" or "we don't have the skills" ... 

i like french anthem, when you hear it you have more strength, power, ... when a crowd sing it, i always have "chair de poule" (i don't know english terms for that). it is a good sensation   
so i disagree with sev who said that it is an awful anthem !


----------



## Vanda

Sev said:
			
		

> Great, at last one speaking about beautiful landscape and nature !  I'll come one day to see if it's true !!!


 
Oh yeah Sev!

If you have a chance go and see Czech Rep , I've elected this
country as the country of my heart (not just because my boyfriend
being Czech). 
The country is so beautiful! I compare it to a fairy tale
book: each step you give you find a "fairy" castle! And the people
are so polite!
And as Jana have told you, you'll be back again and again! I had!


----------



## Outsider

superromu said:
			
		

> when a crowd sing it, i always have "chair de poule" (i don't know english terms for that).


"Goosebumps", I think.


----------



## Amityville

The second verse of God Save the Queen has always been my favourite:-

O lord God arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall!
Confound their knavish tricks,
Confuse their politics,
On you our hopes we fix,
God save the Queen!

especially 'confuse their politics', what a thing to pray for, but those rascally foreigners are always up to no good.


----------



## Jonegy

Artrella said:
			
		

> *Himno Nacional Argentino y un tanguito de regalo!!!  *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://gosouthamerica.about.com/library/graphics/argflagm.GIF


 
And all these years I thought it was "La Cumparsita".

As has been said before, leaving the words out of it, I love the music to "Kimi Gayo"  the Japanese anthem.


----------



## stephenwallis

*South Africa's national anthem* is made up of four languages. Are there any other anthems that are sung multi-lingually? This differs from countries like Canada and Switzerland where their anthems have different language versions to be sung by citizens in their mother-tongue. All South Africans sing the anthem in isiXhosa, Sesotho, Afrikaans AND English.

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. 

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. 

Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee, 

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land. 

*Translation*
The isiXhosa/ isiZulu of the first stanza, the Sesotho of the second stanza and the Afrikaans of the third stanza translate into English as follows: 

Lord, bless Africa
May her spirit rise high up
Hear thou our prayers
Lord bless us. 

Lord, bless Africa
Banish wars and strife
Lord, bless our nation
Of South Africa. 

Ringing out from our blue heavens
From our deep seas breaking round
Over everlasting mountains
Where the echoing crags resound ... 

----------------

For those interested in the history of the anthem and how it came from the merger of two previous anthems... read on Wikipedia under "South African anthem".


----------



## oscarlami

This is the Galician national anthem. It was written by the romantic poet Eduardo Pondal in the 19th century. The english translation only covers the first half. 

You can find a complete version and MP3 downloads in the website of the Galician government. 


.xunta.es/xeral/cifras/english/ihino

There is also a downloadable version of the Old Galician Kingdom March, with the bagpipes and all (!). Specially recommended for Scots, they’ll find it familiar. 

And the lirics are very unusual for an anthem. It beggins asking for the meaning of the sound of the trees in the coast. The part that starts "Of your verdant..." is what the trees say. 

It must be the only anthem inspired by the sound of trees, as far as I know.

*Himno Galego*

¿Qué din os rumorosos
na costa verdecente
ao raio transparente
do prácido luar?

¿Qué din as altas copas
de escuro arume arpado
co seu ben compasado
monótono fungar?

Do teu verdor cinguido
e de benignos astros
confín dos verdes castros
e valeroso chan,

non des a esquecemento 
da inxuria o rudo encono;
desperta do teu sono
fogar de Breogán.

Os bos e xenerosos
a nosa voz entenden
e con arroubo atenden
o noso ronco son,

mais sóo os iñorantes
e féridos e duros, 
imbéciles e escuros
non nos entenden, non.

Os tempos son chegados 
dos bardos das edades
que as vosas vaguedades
cumprido fin terán;

pois, donde quer, xigante
a nosa voz pregoa
a redenzón da boa
nazón de Breogán.



*Galician national anthem*


What do the murmurs say 
of the coasts growing green once more
under the lucid glimmer 
of the soft moonlight?

What do the tree tops say
of the dark bristly pine needle 
with its well measured 
sombre groaning?

- "Of your verdant surroundings
and your gracious heavenly bodies,
limit of the green castros
and precious soil....

Do not ever forget
the injustice of coarse grudging,
wake up from your dream,
home of Breogán."


----------



## utopia

The Israeli anthem, Hatikva (the hope), goes like this:


kol od balevav pnima

nefesh yehudi homiya

ulfaatei mizrah kadima

ain letsion tsofia


Od lo avda tikvatenu

hatikva bat shnot alpaim

lihiyot am hofshi beartsenu

erets tsion yerushalaim


translation to english:


While yet within the heart, inwardly, 
The soul of a Jew yearns, 
And towards the vistas of the East, eastward, 
An eye looks toward Zion, Our hope is not yet lost, 
The hope born of two thousand years, 
To be a free people in our land, 
In the land of Zion, Jerusalem.


----------



## Mita

Aquí está el himno nacional de mi Chile hermoso:
Coro:

Dulce Patria, recibe los votos
Con que Chile en tus aras juró
Que o la tumba serás de los libres
O el asilo contra la opresión.

*I*

Ha cesado la lucha sangrienta;
Ya es hermano el que ayer invasor;
De tres siglos lavamos la afrenta
Combatiendo en el campo de honor.
El que ayer doblegábase esclavo
Libre al fin y triunfante se ve;
Libertad es la herencia del bravo,
La Victoria se humilla a sus pies.

_Coro_*

II
*Alza, Chile, sin mancha la frente;
Conquistaste tu nombre en la lid;
Siempre noble, constante y valiente
Te encontraron los hijos del Cid.
Que tus libres tranquilos coronen
A las artes, la industria y la paz,
Y de triunfos cantares entonen
Que amedrenten al déspota audaz.
_Coro_

*III*
Vuestros nombres, valientes soldados,
Que habéis sido de Chile el sostén,
Nuestros pechos los llevan grabados;
Los sabrán nuestros hijos también.
Sean ellos el grito de muerte
Que lancemos marchando a lidiar,
Y sonando en la boca del fuerte
Hagan siempre al tirano temblar.

_Coro_*

IV*
Si pretende el cañón extranjero
Nuestros pueblos osado invadir;
Desnudemos al punto el acero
Y sepamos vencer o morir.
Con su sangre el altivo araucano
Nos legó por herencia el valor;
Y no tiembla la espada en la mano
Defendiendo de Chile el honor

_Coro_*

V
*Puro, Chile, es tu cielo azulado,
Puras brisas te cruzan también,
Y tu campo de flores bordado
Es la copia feliz del Edén.
Majestuosa es la blanca montaña
Que te dio por baluarte el Señor,
Y ese mar que tranquilo te baña
Te promete futuro esplendor.

_Coro_
*
VI
*Esas galas, ¡oh, Patria!, esas flores
Que tapizan tu suelo feraz,
No las pisen jamás invasores;
Con tu sombra las cubra la paz.
Nuestros pechos serán tu baluarte,
Con tu nombre sabremos vencer,
O tu noble, glorioso estandarte,
Nos verá combatiendo caer.

_Coro_


----------



## Brioche

Edwin said:
			
		

> In the US we also have what some call our unofficial national anthem. And from time to time it is suggested that the change become official.
> 
> 
> Another candidate song for national anthem is:
> 
> *America, my country 'tis of thee*​
> 
> My country, 'tis of thee
> Sweet land of liberty,
> Of thee I sing;
> Land where my fathers died,
> Land of the pilgrim's pride,
> From ev'ry mountain side
> Let freedom ring



You do realise that the tune of_ *My country 'tis of thee*_ is the same as the UK's _*God save the Queen*_?
It would be quite impossible for the US and the UK to have the same tune.

The Prussians, German, Austrians, Swiss, Swedes, Russians, and Danes have used that tune too.

Liechtenstein still uses the tune, and when England met Liechtenstein in a qualifier for the 2004 European Football Championship, they played the tune twice!


----------



## asm

The Mexican (it is also a military song, saying that Mexicans will protect our land, even to our death if necessary.

*MEXICANOS, AL GRITO DE GUERRA *

*EL ACERO APRESTAD Y EL BRIDON ,*

*Y RETIEMBLE EN SUS CENTROS LA TIERRA *

*AL SONORO RUGIR DEL CAÑON.*



*I*



*¡CIÑA OH PATRIA! TUS SIENES DE OLIVA*

*DE LA PAZ EL ARCÁNGEL DIVINO, *

*QUE EN EL CIELO TU ETERNO DESTINO*

*POR EL DEDO DE DIOS SE ESCRIBIO.*

*MAS SI OSARE UN EXTRAÑO ENEMIGO*

*PROFANAR CON SUS PLANTAS TU SUELO,*

*PIENSA !OH PATRIA QUERIDA! QUE EL CIELO*

*UN SOLDADO EN CADA HIJO TE DIO.*



*(coros)*



*MAS SI OSARE UN EXTRAÑO ENEMIGO *

*PROFANAR CON SU PLANTA TU SUELO, *

*PIENSA ¡OH PATRIA QUERIDA! QUE EL CIELO *

*UN SOLDADO EN CADA HIJO TE DIO.*



*II*



*EN SANGRIENTOS COMBATES LOS VISTE, *

*POR TU AMOR PALPITANDO SUS SENOS,  *

*ARROSTRAR LA METRALLA SERENOS, *

*Y LA MUERTE O LA GLORIA BUSCAR. *

*SI EL RECUERDO DE ANTIGUAS HAZAÑAS*

*DE TUS HIJOS INFLAMA LA MENTE, *

*LOS LAURELES DEL TRIUNFO TU FRENTE *

*VOLVERÁN INMORTALES A ORNAR. *



*(coros)*



*III*



*COMO AL GOLPE DEL RAYO LA ENCINA *

*SE DERRUMBA HASTA EL HONDO TORRENTE,*

*LA DISCORDIA VENCIDA, IMPOTENTE, *

*A LOS PIES DEL ARCÁNGEL CAYÓ.*

*YA NO MÁS DE TUS HIJOS LA SANGRE*

*SE DERRAMA EN CONTIENDA DE HERMANOS; *

*SÓLO ENCUENTRA EL ACERO EN SUS MANOS, *

*QUIEN TU NOMBRE SAGRADO INSULTÓ.*



*(coros)*



*IV*



*DEL GUERRERO INMORTAL DE ZEMPOALA*

*TE DIFIENDE LA ESPADA TERRIBLE*

*Y SOSTIENE SU ESPADA INVENCIBLE *

*TU SAGRADO PENDÓN TRICOLOR*

*EL SERA DEL FELIZ MEXICANO*

*EN LA PAZ Y EN LA GUERRA EL CAUDILLO*

*PORQUE ÉL SUPO SUS ARMAS DE BRILLO*

*CIRCUNDAR EN LOS CAMPOS DE AMOR*



*(coros)*



*V*



*¡GUERRA, GUERRA SIN TREGUA AL QUE INTENTE *

*DE LA PATRIA MANCHAR LOS BLASONES! *

*¡GUERRA, GUERRA! LOS PATRIOS PENDONES *

*EN LAS OLAS DE SANGRE EMPAPAD.*

*¡GUERRA, GUERRA! EN EL MONTE, EN EL VALLE*

*LOS CAÑONES HORRÍSONOS TRUENEN, *

*Y LOS ECOS SONOROS RESUENEN*

*CON LAS VOCES DE ¡UNIÓN! ¡LIBERTAD!*



*(coros)*



*VI*



*ANTES PATRIA, QUE INERMES TUS HIJOS *

*BAJO EL YUGO SU CUELLO DOBLEGUEN,*

*TUS CAMPIÑAS CON SANGRE SE RIEGUEN,*

*SOBRE SANGRE SE ESTAMPE SU PIE. *

*Y TUS TEMPLOS, PALACIOS Y TORRES*

*SE DERRUMBEN CON HÓRRIDO ESTRUENDO, *

*Y SUS RUINAS EXISTAN DICIENDO;*

*DE MIL HEROES LA PATRIA AQUÍ FUE. *



*(coros)*



*VII*



*SI A LA LID CONTRA HUESTE ENEMIGA*

*NOS CONVOCA LA TROMPA GUERRERA*

*DE ITURBIDE LA SACRA BANDERA*

*!MEXICANOS! VALIENTES SEGUID*

*Y A LOS FIEROS BRIDONES LES SIRVAN*

*LAS VENCIDAS ENSEÑAS DE ALFOMBRA*

*LOS LAURELES DEL TRIUNFO DEN SOMBRA*

*A LA FRENTE DEL BRAVO ADALID.*



*(coros)*



*VIII*



*VUELVA ALTIVO A LOS PATRIOS HOGARES *

*EL GUERRERO A CONTAR SU VICTORIA, *

*OSTENTANDO LAS PALMAS DE GLORIA*

*QUE SUPIERA EN LA LID CONQUISTAR.*

*TORNARÁNSE SUS LAUROS SANGRIENTOS*

*EN GUIRNALDAS DE MIRTOS Y ROSAS,*

*QUE EL AMOR DE LAS HIJAS Y ESPOSAS*

*TAMBIEN SABE A LOS BRAVOS PREMIAR. *



*(coros)*



*IX*



*Y EL QUE A GOLPE DE ARDIENTE METRALLA *

*DE LA PATRIA EN LAS ARAS SUCUMBA, *

*OBTENDRÁ EN RECOMPENSA UNA TUMBA, *

*DONDE BRILLE DE GLORIA LA LUZ. *

*Y DE IGUALA LA ENSEÑA QUERIDA, *

*A SU ESPADA SANGRIENTA ENLAZADA, *

*DE LAUREL INMORTAL CORONADA*

*FORMARÁ DE SU FOSA LA CRUZ.*



*(coros)*



*X*



*¡PATRIA! ¡PATRIA! TUS HIJOS TE JURAN*

*EXHALAR EN TUS ARAS SU ALIENTO, *

*SI EL CLARÍN CON SU BÉLICO ACENTO*

*LOS CONVOCA A LIDIAR CON VALOR.*

*¡PARA TI LAS GUIRNALDAS DE OLIVA! *

*¡UN RECUERDO PARA ELLOS DE GLORIA! *

*¡UN LAUREL PARA TI DE VICTORIA! *

*¡UN SEPULCRO PARA ELLOS DE HONOR! *



*(coros)*



*MEXICANOS AL GRITO DE GUERRA*

*EL ACERO APRESTAD Y EL BRIDÓN *

*Y RETIEMBLE EN SUS CENTROS LA TIERRA *

*AL SONORO RUGIR DEL CAÑON.*​


			
				Sev said:
			
		

> In France, we have an awful national anthem : La Marseillaise. Here is the text (thank you Jeannine !) :
> 
> 
> 
> For those who don't speak french, it's all about war and killing enemies, and impure blood and so on. Uuuggg I really hate that  . Why not something about peace ?
> 
> I'm curious to know what kind of national anthems you have in countries all over the world, and what do you think about "La Marseillaise". Should we change it ?


----------



## Mei

manel.sanchez.ruiz said:
			
		

> Catalan anthem repeated verse is :
> 
> Catalunya triomfant tornarà a ser rica i plena.
> 
> In english sound something like this :
> 
> A victorious Catalonia will be already rich and full.
> 
> 
> How most historical anthems it rely in some historical facts. Catalan anthem was created after our defetead against Spain and remember an early victory that mada a free Catalonia for some time.
> 
> As well, Catalan anthem have some verses about killing enemies (someone may guess who were this enemies ?). This verses being now under Spanish rule obviously not singed. Exactly the same that U.S.A. anthem, that have some verses about kill despicablle English, that, obviously, for political correctness with a current allied, are not sing on the America Schools.


 
Hi all there,

Here you have the all anthem Catalonia's lyrics. 

English
Ever-triumphant Catalonia
Will again be rich and plentiful
Retreat, you haughty and arrogant people!
Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland! 
Good sickle-stroke!
Now is the time, oh reapers,
Now is the time to be on the alert,
For another June coming,
Our sickle let us sharpen.
Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland! 
Good sickle-stroke!
Let the enemy tremble
at the sight of our pennon.
For as we reap the golden wheat
If need be, we reap the chains.
Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland! 
Good sickle-stroke!

Catalan

Catalunya triomfant 
tornarà a ser rica i plena! 
Endarrera aquesta gent 
tan ufana i tan superba! 

Bon cop de falç! 
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra! 
Bon cop de falç! 

Ara és l'hora segadors! 
Ara és l'hora d'estar alerta! 
Per quan vingui un altre juny 
esmolem ben bé les eines! 

Bon cop de falç! 
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra! 
Bon cop de falç! 

Que tremoli l'enemic 
en veient la nostra ensenya; 
com fem caure espigues d'or,
quan convé seguem cadenes! 

Bon cop de falç! 
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra! 
Bon cop de falç!

If you want more information about Catalonia: www.friendsofcatalonia.com/info_varis.htm 

Cheers 

Mei


----------



## Brioche

If you want a stirring tune, listen to the Russian (old Soviet) Anthem.

http://www.funet.fi/pub/culture/russian//lyrics/political/sovnat1.wav


----------



## tmoore

Lancelot, cuando vivi en Filipinas en los años 1.983-85 habia un cantante y compositor filipino llamado Freddy Aguilar, muy famoso en Filipinas, una de sus canciones era muy patriotica y era mas bien contra el regimen de Marcos,se llamaba "Bayan Ko, aunque no entendia las palabras tiene una musica muy bonita y estupendamete interpretada por su autor Freddie Aguilar Sabes las palabras en ingles?


----------



## Garou

RUSSIAN ANTHEM (ALL RISE )
Download music from here (9.0MB, 3:51, 320kbps) by the State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Felix Korobov, and joint choir of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre (from CD single “Anthem of Russian Federation, Anthem of Moscow”, 2002)).

ENGLISH:

Russia — our sacred state,
Russia — our beloved country.
Mighty will-power, great glory
Shall remain your honors for all time! 
REFRAIN:
Praise our free Fatherland,
Long-lasting union of brotherly peoples,
Ancestor-given wisdom of the people!
Long live, Country! We are proud of you! 
From the southern seas to the polar realm
Our forests and fields stretch.
You are one in the world! You are alone like that,
God-guarded native land! 
REFRAIN Plenty of room for dreams and for life
The coming years are promising us.
Allegiance to our Motherland gives us strength.
So it had been, so it is, and so it always will be! 


RUSSIAN:
*Первый куплет* 
Россия - священная наша держава!
Россия - любимая наша страна!
Могучая воля, великая слава -
Твое достоянье на все времена.
*Припев*
Славься, Отечество наше свободное
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная,
Славься страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
*Второй куплет*
От южных морей до полярного края
Раскинулись наши леса и поля.
Одна ты на свете! Одна ты такая!
Хранимая Богом родная земля.
*Припев*
Славься, Отечество наше свободное
Братских народов союз вековой,
Предками данная мудрость народная,
Славься страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
*Третий куплет*
Широкий простор для мечты и для жизни,
Грядущее нам открывают года.
Нам силу дает наша верность Отчизне.
Так было, так есть и так будет всегда!


----------



## gorbatzjov

As Belgium is a trilingual country, our anthem exists in three languages Two of them (Dutch and Frenc) are official and always song after eachother on official holidays; the third ( German) is only used when a German matter is involved.

Dutch:
 O dierbaar België, O heilig land der vaad'ren
Onze ziel en ons kracht zijn u gewijd.
Aanvaard ons hart en het bloed van onze adren,
Wees ons doel in arbeid en in strijd.    
Bloei, o land, in eendracht niet te breken;
Wees immer u zelf en ongeknecht,
Het woord getrouw, dat ge onbevreesd moogt spreken:
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht. (x3)  

French: 
 O Belgique, ô mère chérie,
A toi nos coeurs, à toi nos bras,
A toi notre sang, ô Patrie !
Nous le jurons tous, tu vivras !
Tu vivras toujours grande et belle
Et ton invincible unité
Aura pour devise immortelle :
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté ! (ter)

German:
 Oh teures Belgien,
Oh heiliges Land der Väter,
Unser Wille und unser Herz sind Dir geweiht.
Treib unser Herz und das Blut in unseren Adern,
Zeig uns das Ziel in Arbeit und im Streit.
Blühe, oh Land, in Eintracht nicht zu brechen;
Bleib stets du selbst und ungeknechtet,
Getreu dem Wort, das furchtlos ausgesprochen werden soll:
Für König, für Freiheit und für Recht.


----------



## diegodbs

I live in a country where nobody sings the National Anthem because it has no lyrics. And I'm glad it hasn't. I would be even more glad if there was no National Anthem at all. I can't see the need to identify myself with a ditty that someone decided, whenever it was, that should represent me or the place where I live.


----------



## Laia

Mei said:
			
		

> Hi all there,
> 
> Here you have the all anthem Catalonia's lyrics.
> 
> English
> Ever-triumphant Catalonia
> Will again be rich and plentiful
> Retreat, you haughty and arrogant people!
> Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland!
> Good sickle-stroke!
> Now is the time, oh reapers,
> Now is the time to be on the alert,
> For another June coming,
> Our sickle let us sharpen.
> Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland!
> Good sickle-stroke!
> Let the enemy tremble
> at the sight of our pennon.
> For as we reap the golden wheat
> If need be, we reap the chains.
> Good sickle-stroke, you defenders of the homeland!
> Good sickle-stroke!
> 
> Catalan
> 
> Catalunya triomfant
> tornarà a ser rica i plena!
> Endarrera aquesta gent
> tan ufana i tan superba!
> 
> Bon cop de falç!
> Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra!
> Bon cop de falç!
> 
> Ara és l'hora segadors!
> Ara és l'hora d'estar alerta!
> Per quan vingui un altre juny
> esmolem ben bé les eines!
> 
> Bon cop de falç!
> Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra!
> Bon cop de falç!
> 
> Que tremoli l'enemic
> en veient la nostra ensenya;
> com fem caure espigues d'or,
> quan convé seguem cadenes!
> 
> Bon cop de falç!
> Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra!
> Bon cop de falç!
> 
> If you want more information about Catalonia: www.friendsofcatalonia.com/info_varis.htm
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Mei


 
Hola!
Good website, Mei, it's also available to hear _Els Segadors _with music and all. Fine.

There's another song (_El Cant de la Senyera_) that although is not the official anthem of Catalonia, it looks like another one. 
I think it was written by Joan Maragall between 1800-1900 (I don't remember) and it was forbidden during Franco's dictatorship.


Please please excuse me for my translation at English... I know it's not very good, but I've tried to make it understandable)

*El Cant de la Senyera* (The Singing of the Senyera)

*Al damunt dels nostres cants* (Above our singing)
*aixequem una Senyera* (we raise a Senyera (= Catalan's flag))
*que els farà més triomfants.* (that will make its more triumphants)
*Au, companys, enarborem-la* (Let's raise it, mates/friends)
*en senyal de germandat!* (in sign of fraternity)
*Au, germans, al vent desfem-la* (Come on, brothers, with the wind let's open it out)
*en senyal de llibertat.* (in sign of freedom)
*Que volei! Contemplem-la* (Let it fly! Let's contemplate it)
*en sa dolça majestat!* (in its sweet majesty)
*Oh bandera catalana!,* (Oh Catalan flag)
*nostre cor t'és ben fidel:* (our heart is loyal to you)
*volaràs com au galana* (you will fly as a beautiful bird)
*pel damunt del nostre anhel:* (above our desire)
*per mirar-te sobirana* (we'll be looking at you, sovereign)
*alçarem els ulls al cel*. (we'll look up to the sky)
*I et durem arreu enlaire*, (and we'll take you anywhere above)
*et durem, i tu ens duràs:* (we will take you and you will take us)
*voleiant al grat de l'aire,* (flying as air's liking)
*el camí assenyalaràs.* (you will show us the way).

cheers!


----------



## vic1.0

> The Mexican (it is also a military song, saying that Mexicans will protect our land, even to our death if necessary.
> 
> *MEXICANOS, AL GRITO DE GUERRA *
> 
> *EL ACERO APRESTAD Y EL BRIDON ,*
> 
> *Y RETIEMBLE EN SUS CENTROS LA TIERRA *
> 
> *AL SONORO RUGIR DEL CAÑON.*​


 
hi asm, hi everybody!
i really like the mexican national anthem! could you tell me which verses do you actually sing out of the ten? thanks!

---
vic

please, correct my english!


----------



## vic1.0

now here is the hungarian:

Isten, áldd meg a magyart
Jó kedvvel, bőséggel,
Nyújts feléje védő kart,
Ha küzd ellenséggel;
Bal sors akit régen tép,
Hozz rá víg esztendőt,
Megbünhödte már e nép
A multat s jövendőt!

and the translation:

O my God, the Magyar bless
With Thy plenty and good cheer!
With Thine aid his just cause press,
Where his foes to fight appear.
Fate, who for so long didst frown,
Bring him happy times and ways;
Atoning sorrow hath weighed down
Sins of past and future days.

for me it's the most beautiful song. i'm always about to cry when i hear it.


----------



## Heba

Here is the English translation of the Egyptian National Anthem

CHORUS:
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
Egypt! O mother of all lands,
My hope and my ambition,
How can one count
The blessings of the Nile for mankind?
CHORUS
Egypt! Most precious jewel,
Shining on the brow of eternity!
O my homeland, be for ever free,
Safe from every foe!
CHORUS
Egypt! Noble are thy children,
Loyal, and guardians of thy soil.
In war and peace
We give our lives for thy sake.
CHORUS

And here is the original version in Arabic:

ARABIC LYRICS
CHORUS:
Biladi Biladi Biladi
Laki Hubbi Wa Fuadi
Biladi Biladi Biladi
Laki Hubbi Wa Fuadi
Misr Ya Umm Al Bilad
Inti Ghayati Wal Murad
Wa 'Ala Kull Il 'Ibad
Kam Lineelik Min Ayadi.
CHORUS
Misr Inti Aghla Durra
Fawq Gabeen Ad-dahr Ghurra
Ya Biladi 'Aishi Hurra
Wa As 'Adi Ragh-al-adi.
CHORUS
Misr Awladik Kiram
Aufiya Yar'u-ziman
Saufa Takhti Bil-maram
Bittihadhim Wa-ittihadi.
CHORUS
---


----------



## marinax

Artrella said:
			
		

> And "las Provincias Unidas del Sud" refers to our country. Our country is divided into "provinces". For instance I live in "la provincia de Buenos Aires".


 
actually, is more than that.
Argentina, in his early years, was a large country that included Uruguay, some parts of Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru (if i'm not forgetting something else). All of this territory was known as "Virreinato del Rio de la Plata" and later "Provincias Unidas del Sud"...
(this might not be quite accurate, but close )

and just as a comment... I find our anthem very boring !!! :b


----------



## marinax

DDT said:
			
		

> An interesting debate took place in Italy some years ago, I agreed with the ones who claimed it has to be replaced. The best candidate was "Va pensiero", a beautiful aria from Verdi's "Nabucco". Yet we still have "Fratelli d'Italia" DDT


 
I vote for "va pensiero" !!! it is so strong and moving !


----------



## la reine victoria

I've heard quite a bit of discussion recently, on radio phone-in shows, about changing the British Anthem 'God Save the Queen' as it is considered too dreary.  The most popular suggested alternative is the famous poem by William Blake - 'Jerusalem'

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills? 

Bring me my bow of burning gold;
Bring me my arrows of desire;
Bring me my spear; O clouds unfold;
Bring me my chariot of fire.

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.


----------



## Krümelmonster

GermanGirl said:
			
		

> *The German anthem*
> Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
> für das deutsche Vaterland.
> Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
> sind des Glückes Unterpfand.
> Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,
> blühe, deutsches Vaterland.



Well, that's just a small part of it. The whole anthem goes:

 Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!Danach lasst uns alle streben brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit sind des Glückes Unterpfand;|: Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes, blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|  (Unity and justice and freedom for the German fatherland
let's all pursue that fraternal with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom are the pledge of fortune.
Blossom in the shine of this fortune, blossom German fatherland.)

 The original anthem had two other strophes. It went:

1. Strophe  Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt,Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze brüderlich zusammenhältVon der Maas bis an die Memel, von der Etsch bis an den Belt.|: Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt! :|(Germany, Germany above all, above all in the world   if it always keeps together fraternally... how to say "Schutz und Trutz?"    From the Maas to the Memel, from the Etsch to the Belt.
   Germany, Germany above all, above all in the world)
     2. Strophe Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue, deutscher Wein und deutscher SangSollen in der Welt behalten ihren alten schönen Klang,Uns zu edler Tat begeistern unser ganzes Leben lang.|: Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue, deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang! :|  (German women, German loyalty, German wine and German song
shall keep their old beautiful sound in the world
and inspire to noble acts all our life.
German women, German loyalty, German wine and German song.)


----------



## jonuthun

well as i see every one has post their national anthem i have to put mine i come from a little place calle dhonduras it is located in central america i dont live there now but it is always in heart i love honduras as any of you love your country  and our national anthem goes like these

*CORO***
Tu bandera es un lampo de cielo
por un bloque de nieve cruzado;
y se ven en su fondo sagrado
cinco estrellas de pálido azul;
en tu emblema, que un mar rumoroso
Con sus ondas bravías escuda,
de un volcán tras la cima desnuda,
hay un astro de nítida luz.
*I*
India Virgen y hermosa dormías
de tus mares al canto sonoro,
cuando echada en tus cuencas de oro
el audaz navegante te halló;
y al mirar tu belleza extasiado,
al influjo ideal de tu encanto
la orla azul de tu espléndido manto
con un beso de amor consagró.
*II*
De un país donde el sol se levanta,
más allá del atlante azulado,
aquel hombre te había soñado
y en tu busca a la mar se lanzó.
Cuando erguiste la pálida frente,
en la viva ansiedad de tu anhelo,
bajo el dombo gentil de tu cielo,
ya flotaba un extraño pendón.
*III*
Era inútil que el indio, tu amado,
se aprestara a la lucha con ira,
porque envuelto en su sangre Lempira
en la noche profunda se hundió.
Y de la épica hazaña, en memoria,
la leyenda tan sólo ha guardado
de un Sepulcro el lugar ignorado
y el severo perfil de un peñón.
*IV*
Por tres siglos tus hijos oyeron
el mandato imperioso del amo,
por tres siglos tu inútil reclamo
en la atmósfera azul se perdió.
Pero un día de gloria tu oído
Percibió, poderoso y distante,
Que allá lejos, por sobre el Atlante
Indignado rugía un león.
*V* 
Era Francia, la libre, la heroica,
que en su sueño de siglos dormida,
despertaba iracunda a la vida
al reclamo viril de Datón.
Era Francia que enviaba a la muerte
la cabeza del rey consagrado
y que alzaba soberbia a su lado
El altar de la Diosa Razón.
*VI*
Tú también, Oh mi Patria! Te alzaste
de tu sueño servil y profundo;
tú también enseñaste al mundo
destrozando el infame eslabón.
Y de tu celo bendito, tras la alta
cabellera del monte salvaje
como un ave de negro plumaje,
la colonia fugaz se perdió.
*VII*
Por guardar ese emblema divino
marcharemos, ¡Oh Patria! A la muerte,
generosa será nuestra suerte,
si morimos pensando en tu amor.
Defendiendo tu santa bandera,
y en tus pliegues gloriosos cubiertos,
serán muchos, Honduras, tus muertos,
pero todos caerán con honor.
*CORO*


----------



## panjabigator

Any of you Farsi speakers should listen to Pakistan's national anthem.  Its entirely Farsi in vocabulary, except I believe the word order is that of Urdu, and the only word of Indic origin is /kaa/.


----------



## belano75

manel.sanchez.ruiz said:
			
		

> Spanish anthem now does not have a letter....
> 
> Mainly because now is a democratic country and Spanish anthem letter was made around 1940 and is a fascist song. La Marcha Real music is around one hundred years old has has been maintained.


 
The Spanish anthem is one of the oldest in Europe, it is used from the 18th century, and it have never had official lyrics.

It have had two unofficial lyrics: the first one during Alfonso XIII reign (end of 19th century and begining of 20th one), and the second one during Franco's dictatorship (1939-1975). When democracy came back to Spain (1978) the Parlament decided to follow with the tradicional situation: to use an anthem without lyrics.

It's easy to find lyrics for an anthem: just with a contest. This situation has nothing to do with Franco's time, but with a so long tradition of 250 years.

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


----------



## linguist786

Here's India's . I must say I like the way all the little bits of India are mentioned (Punjab, *Gujarat *, Maratha.. etc).

Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya He
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha
Dravida Utkala Banga
Vindhya Himachal Yamuna Ganga
Ucchala Jaladhi Taranga
Tubh Shubha Name Jage
Tubh Shubha Ashisha Mange
Gahe Tubh Jaya Gata
Jan Gan Mangaldayak Jay He
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
Jaye He ! Jaye He ! Jaye He !
Jaye, Jaye, Jaye, Jaye He

(Rough) translation:

"Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny. Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha, of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal; It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea. They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, victory, victory to thee."


----------



## panjabigator

Interestingly enough, the song is actually written in Pure Sanskritic Bengali.  I once had an argument with an Indian lady that it wasnt Hindi...


----------



## Brioche

la reine victoria said:
			
		

> I've heard quite a bit of discussion recently, on radio phone-in shows, about changing the British Anthem 'God Save the Queen' as it is considered too dreary. The most popular suggested alternative is the famous poem by William Blake - 'Jerusalem'
> 
> 
> And was the _holy_ _Lamb of God_
> On England's pleasant pastures seen?
> And did the _countenance divine_
> Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
> And was _Jerusalem _builded here
> Among those dark _satanic_ mills?


 
Well, that will never get up in modern, multi-cultural Britain. 
References to not only to God, but specifically to Christian belief.

It might help, if Jerusalem were changed to Al-Quds.


----------



## .   1

> For those who don't speak french, it's all about war and killing enemies, and impure blood and so on. Uuuggg I really hate that  . Why not something about peace ?
> 
> I'm curious to know what kind of national anthems you have in countries all over the world, and what do you think about "La Marseillaise". Should we change it ?


 
I have always loved the pomp and the music and the martial splendour La Marseillaise and I am sadly not at all surprised that the words and emotions expressed are less than uplifting.

The vigour of The Maori Haka has always inspired me and the enigmatic words and emotions intrigue me.

Australia has a lacklustre Anthem with music that could easily be played in an elevator to match but at least there is no hint of conquest or bloodshed or eating people and the vainglorious smaltz is kept to a minimum so I will take the typical aussie attitude and not bother to change it because it raises no emotion in me at all and for a National Anthem I think that is just fine.

.,,
Imagine all the people...vale J.L.


----------



## diegodbs

> Well, that will never get up in modern, multi-cultural Britain.
> References to not only to God, but specifically to Christian belief.


 
I am not a Christian and I don't believe in God. Churches and cathedrals are part of their cultural heritage, Milton, Blake and Shakespeare as well.

Should that modern and multi-cultural Britain avoid that British citizens know about cathedrals or Milton? Can't Muslims or atheists read Blake because of the word God or Christian beliefs in Blake's verses? Is there any reason why an anthem is more important than the cultural heritage of a country? Is an anthem more important than Gothic cathedrals?


----------



## Brioche

diegodbs said:
			
		

> I am not a Christian and I don't believe in God. Churches and cathedrals are part of their cultural heritage, Milton, Blake and Shakespeare as well.
> 
> Should that modern and multi-cultural Britain avoid that British citizens know about cathedrals or Milton? Can't Muslims or atheists read Blake because of the word God or Christian beliefs in Blake's verses? Is there any reason why an anthem is more important than the cultural heritage of a country? Is an anthem more important than Gothic cathedrals?


 
You don't have to convince me!

May be you're not keeping up with the PC idiocy rampant in the UK these days.


----------



## maxiogee

dave said:
			
		

> Although I don't have a Celtic bone in my body, I always find the Scottish, Welsh and Irish anthems incredibly rousing. Hearing 'Flower of Scotland' almost makes me wish I were Scottish!




I find the Irish National Anthem a depressingly militaristic dirge. 
Full of the usual jingoistic (insert your favourite rude word here) ____ and rabble-rousing tripe! 

Here's a few flavours…

* Soldiers are we whose lives are pledged to Ireland;

* Sworn to be free, no more our ancient sire land shall shelter the despot or the slave.

* Tonight we man the gap of danger in Erin's cause, come woe or weal 'mid cannons' roar and rifles peal, we'll chant a soldier's song.

If anyone was to cast about for a new Irish anthem they could do far worse than Song for Ireland —> this version, sung by Mary Black, is particularly beautiful.

We have recently abandoned playing the Irish National Anthem at rugby matches, as we draw our team from all over the island, and play instead something I have never heard, called "Ireland's Call" - the lyrics are as bad as any national anthem - a notion reinforced by the fact that they were writted by the usually mediocre Phil Coulter.

Anthems are a concept I find past its sell-by-date. Nationalism and patriotism call to a part of us which I find doesn't exist in me - the "my country is better than your country" section of the brain. I must have been born without it.

I will admit that I, too, have always liked "Flower of Scotland" - but more for the wistful melancholy than the glorious fighters element, and I suppose there's a bit of "those English bustards" (inculcated in my youth) with which it resonates.


----------



## ireney

I just couldn't decide which of the following links to put for the Greek national anthem so I put all three!

 this one  is sort of official. FOr some reason though I couldn't hear the tune

 this one  I could certainly hear the music from (not the best 'performance' I've ever heard

 this one  has some historical facts too.

It's a rather 'bloody' and 'grim' national anthem but I wouldn't want it changed. Same goes for the French National Anthem which, bedides the "impure blood" notion that I still haven't figured out, I just love (the Italian remains my favourite but that maybe because I just adore (I mean it) the Italian language  (wouldn't say no to _anything_ by Verdi though, hehe)


----------



## Becker

This is the Sri Lankan national anthem:

Sri Lanka matha, apa Sri Lanka,
Namo namo namo namo matha.
Sundara siri barini,
Surandi athi sobamana Lanka
Dhanya dhanaya neka mal pala thuru piri, jaya bhoomiya ramya.
Apa hata sapa siri setha sadanaa, jeevanaye matha!
Piliganu mana apa bhakti pooja,
Namo namo matha.
Apa Sri Lanka,
Namo namo namo namo matha,
apa Sri Lanka, namo namo namo namo matha.
Obave apa vidya obamaya apa sathya obave apa shakti
apa hada thula bhakti oba apa aloke
apage anuprane oba apa jeevana ve
apa muktiya obave
Nava jeevana demine nithina apa
Pubudu karan matha
Gnana veerya vadavamina ragena yanu
mana jaya bhoomi kara
Eka mavekuge daru kala bavina
yamu yamu wee nopama
Prema vadamu sama bheda durara da namo namo matha


Translation:

Mother Lanka - we salute Thee!
Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,
Beauteous in grace and love,
Laden with corn and luscious fruit
And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,
Giver of life and all good things,
Our land of joy and victory,
Receive our grateful praise sublime,
Lanka! we worship Thee. 
Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,
Thou art our strength and inward faith,
Our light divine and sentient being,
Breath of life and liberation.
Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.
Inspire us for ever.
In wisdom and strength renewed,
Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended,
In love enfolded, a mighty nation
Marching onward, all as one,
Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom


----------



## Outsider

maxiogee said:
			
		

> I find the Irish National Anthem a depressingly militaristic dirge.
> [...]
> 
> * Sworn to be free, no more our ancient sire land shall shelter the despot or the slave.


I like that verse. It's a nice sentiment.


----------



## shaloo

linguist786 said:
			
		

> Here's India's . I must say I like the way all the little bits of India are mentioned (Punjab, *Gujarat *, Maratha.. etc).
> 
> Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya He
> Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
> Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha
> Dravida Utkala Banga
> Vindhya Himachal Yamuna Ganga
> Ucchala Jaladhi Taranga
> Tubh Shubha Name Jage
> Tubh Shubha Ashisha Mange
> Gahe Tubh Jaya Gata
> Jan Gan Mangaldayak Jay He
> Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
> Jaye He ! Jaye He ! Jaye He !
> Jaye, Jaye, Jaye, Jaye He
> 
> (Rough) translation:
> 
> "Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny. Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha, of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal; It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea. They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, victory, victory to thee."


 
That great soul, Rabindranath Tagore!

Each time I sing our national anthem, there's a sense of belonging to the nation, pride and a feeling of "Yess! India is mine!" . Such inspiring are the words! I always wonder how the great Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore could so compactly phrase the greatness of a country.
Its so melodious and so patriotic that I get tears in my eyes whenever I listen to or sing our national anthem. Oh....Im getting too emotional I guess.


----------



## Sofia29

Argentina's anthem is a military march. The online versions that were posted don't do it justice (although I'm sure it's hard to find something better). For those who are interested and have iTunes, there's a version of it by the Japan Philarmonic that's pretty good (you can listen to 30 seconds of it for free). There's also a rock version by Charly García (though not on Itunes).

BTW, I *love* La Marseillaise. Best melody ever. And who doesn't love French history???

Ohh and these lines from the Peruvian anthem:

"Mas apenas el grito sagrado
¡Libertad! En sus costas se oyó"

are almost exactly like part of our anthem:

"Oíd mortales el grito sagrado
Libertad, libertad, libertad"

I had no idea!


----------



## panjabigator

There was some move to make Vande Mataram the national anthem of India.


----------



## shaloo

panjabigator said:
			
		

> There was some move to make Vande Mataram the national anthem of India.


 
But you know, with the drum beats and all that pomp and show, Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jayahey........wow, it fills the air with patriotism.
It has been digested by people in such a way that we could'nt imagine another one for it.

Well, VandeMaataram is unique too and has its own charm, but ........our ears have been very much used to the former one, so much that we stand up still even as we listen to a small tune of it, being played somewhere in some radio or in a movie.

Vandemaataram is usually sung at the beginning of any cultural gathering whereas Jana Gana Mana is sung during the end of the programme.

So, in a way, its like both of them have the same reverence in the hearts of us, the citizens of India, irrespective of being our national anthem or not .

Jai Hind!


----------



## panjabigator

hehe, but people make the argument that Jana Gana Mana was written for the British!


----------



## maree

The Norwegian national anthem (English translation on wikipedia. I'm lazy )

*1.*
*Ja, vi elsker dette landet,*
*som det stiger frem,*
*furet, værbitt over vannet,*
*med de tusen hjem.*
*Elsker, elsker det og tenker*
*på vår far og mor*
*og den saganatt som senker*
*drømme på vår jord.*
*Og den saganatt som senker,*
*senker drømme på vår jord.*
2.
Dette landet Harald berget
med sin kjemperad,
dette landet Håkon verget
medens Øyvind kvad;
Olav på det landet malte
korset med sitt blod,
fra dets høye Sverre talte
Roma midt imot.
3.
Bønder sine økser brynte
hvor en hær dro frem,
Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte,
så den lystes hjem.
Kvinner selv stod opp og strede
som de vare menn;
andre kunne bare grede,
men det kom igjen!
4.
Visstnok var vi ikke mange,
men vi strakk dog til,
da vi prøvdes noen gange,
og det stod på spill;
ti vi heller landet brente
enn det kom til fall;
husker bare hva som hendte
ned på Fredrikshald!
5.
Hårde tider har vi døyet,
ble til sist forstøtt;
men i verste nød blåøyet
frihet ble oss født.
Det gav faderkraft å bære
hungersnød og krig,
det gav døden selv sin ære –
og det gav forlik.
6.
Fienden sitt våpen kastet,
opp visiret for,
vi med undren mot ham hastet,
ti han var vår bror.
Drevne frem på stand av skammen
gikk vi søderpå;
nu vi står tre brødre sammen,
og skal sådan stå!
*7.*
*Norske mann i hus og hytte,*
*takk din store Gud!*
*Landet ville han beskytte,*
*skjønt det mørkt så ut.*
*Alt hva fedrene har kjempet,*
*mødrene har grett,*
*har den Herre stille lempet*
*så vi vant vår rett.*
*8.*
*Ja, vi elsker dette landet,*
*som det stiger frem,*
*furet, værbitt over vannet,*
*med de tusen hjem.*
*Og som fedres kamp har hevet*
*det av nød til seir,*
*også vi, når det blir krevet,*
*for dets fred slår leir.*

We usually only sing the verses that I bolded. I didn't know there was so many verses until now...

Well, If you are lazy like me, and won't bother to look up the translation, I'll give you a brief recap: It merely describes the country of Norway, then goes roughly through the country's history. It concludes with that if the country's peace is threatened we will also stand up and fight.

The thing I don't like with this anthem is the mentioning of God. I'm not at all religious, and I know that many of my friends feel the same way.
But the song is written in the nineteenth century, so I guess that's an excuse


----------



## Beobachter

At nationalanthems.us, you can find links to audio files of both vocal and instrumental versions of most of the worlds' national and regional anthems, several hundred in all.


----------



## invictaspirit

I dislike any national anthem that claims God for that country or suggests that God prefers that country over others. For that, and many other reasons, I do not like our British national anthem. It has a verse:

_O Lord, our God, arise_
_Scatter our enemies_
_And make them fall!_
_Confuse their politics_
_Confound their knavish tricks_
_On Thee our hopes we fix_
_God Save Us all._

*Britain (or just England) needs a new national anthem.*

Very few people genuinely enjoy _God save the Queen_. Musically, it is a dirge. Morally, it speaks very little of us, the people. _Land of Hope and Glory_ and _Rule Britannia_ have much, much better tunes but are too Victorian and concentrate too much on imperial conquest. I love _Jerusalem_, but perhaps it is too Christian for some.

There is a sentimental and nationalistic verse which I nonetheless love from the otherwise unacceptable _Rule Britannia_ which is:

_Not that false joy that dreams content_
_With what our sires have won;_
_The blood a hero sire hath spent_
_Still nerves a hero son._

Perhaps if and when the Scots and Welsh vote for independence, the English can invent a new national anthem.


----------



## emma42

I agree with everything you've said, Invictaspirit, lad.  I love that verse from Rule Britannia.

Jerusalem is an exceedingly beautiful song, both in its poetry and music.

The National Anthem is an appalling piece of dross.


----------



## Alicky

This are the original lyrics of Argentina's Anthem. 
*HIMNO NACIONAL ARGENTINO*​Sean eternos los laureles
que supimos conseguir:
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.
Oíd ¡mortales! el grito sagrado:
¡Libertad, libertad, libertad!
Oíd el ruido de rotas cadenas:
Ved en trono a la noble Igualdad.
Se levanta a la faz de la tierra
Una nueva y gloriosa Nación:
Coronada su sien de laureles
Y a su planta rendido un León
Coro
De los nuevos campeones los rostros
Marte mismo parece animar;
La grandeza se anida en sus pechos,
A su marcha todo hacen temblar.
Se conmueven del Inca las tumbas
Y en sus huesos revive el ardor,
Lo que ve renovado a sus hijos
De la Patria el antiguo esplendor.
Coro
Pero sierras y muros se sienten
Retumbar con horrible fragor:
Todo el país se conturba con gritos
de venganza, de guerra y furor.
En los fieros tiranos la envidia
Escupió su pestífera hiel
Su estandarte sangriento levantan
Provocando a la lid más cruel.
Coro
¿No los veis sobre Méjico y Quito
Arrojarse con saña tenaz.
Y cual lloran bañados en sangre
Potosí, Cochabamba y la Paz?
¿No los veis sobre el triste Caracas
Luto llanto y muerte esparcir?
¿No los veis devorando cual fieras
todo pueblo que logran rendir?
Coro
A vosotros se atreve ¡Argentinos!
El orgullo del vil invasor,
Vuestros campos ya pisa contando
Tantas glorias hollar vencedor.
Mas los bravos que unidos juraron
Su feliz libertad sostener.
A esos tigres sedientos de sangre
Fuertes pechos sabrán oponer.
Coro
El valiente argentino a las armas
Corre ardiendo con brío y valor,
El clarín de la guerra cual trueno
En los campos del Sud resonó;
Buenos Aires se pone a la frente
De los pueblos de la ínclita Unión,
Y con brazos robustos desgarran
Al ibérico altivo León
Coro
San José, San Lorenzo, Suipacha,
Ambas Piedras, Salta y Tucumán,
La Colonia y las mismas murallas
Del tirano en la Banda Oriental;
Son letreros eternos que dicen:
Aquí el brazo argentino triunfó.
Aquí el fiero opresor de la patria
Su cerviz orgullosa dobló.
Coro
La victoria al guerrero argentino
Con sus alas brillantes cubrió,
Y azorado a su vista el tirano
Con infamia a la fuga se dio;
Sus banderas, sus armas se rinden
Por trofeos a la Libertad.
Y sobre alas de gloria alza el pueblo
Trono digno a su gran majestad.
Coro
Desde un polo hasta el otro resuena
De la fama el sonoro clarín.
Y de América el nombre enseñado,
Les repite ¡mortales! Oid:
¡Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron
las provincias unidas del Sud!
Y los libres del mundo responden:
¡Al Gran Pueblo Argentino, Salud!


----------



## Poetic Device

You asked if France should change their anthem.  Whell, that depends.  Do you think that your anthem represents France as an entire nation: history, people culture and all?  If not, then I would say yes.

I am sorry that my answer is not that straight forward.


----------



## elpoderoso

Sev said:


> In France, we have an awful national anthem :
> 
> 
> 
> For those who don't speak french, it's all about war and killing enemies, and impure blood and so on. Uuuggg I really hate that  . Why not something about peace ?
> 
> I'm curious to know what kind of national anthems you have in countries all over the world, and what do you think about "La Marseillaise". Should we change it ?


Change the words by all means if it bothers you, but leave the tune, it's excellent.


----------



## .   1

elpoderoso said:


> Change the words by all means if it bothers you, but leave the tune, it's excellent.


It is quite an amazing piece of music.  It would be difficult to not walk with a straight back when that music fills your ears.

.,,


----------



## Qcumber

This is the first time I hear of people ashamed of their national anthem. Either they are foreigners who pose as nationals or they are just going through some identity crisis.


----------



## sunbeam1

The Scottish "national anthem" is O Flower of Scotland.  Its not official but we all consider it to be!

Words are:
O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen.
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's army,
And sent him homeward
Tae think again. 

The hills are bare now,
And autumn leaves lie thick and still
O'er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again. 

Those days are past now
And in the past they must remain
But we can still rise now
And be the nation again!
That stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again. 

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen.
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's army,
And sent him homeward
Tae think again.

Tune is here : http://www.contemplator.com/tunebook/midimusic/flwrscot.mid
It commemorates commemorates the battle of Bannockburn (1314) when the Scottish army under the leadership of Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II of England.

Therefore its not very friendly towards the english, sorry!

x


----------



## itxaro

Qcumber said:


> This is the first time I hear of people ashamed of their national anthem. Either they are foreigners who pose as nationals or they are just going through some identity crisis.


Are you serious? Well, I've read the last couple of pages in this thread and I can't see the word "ashamed" mentioned, but I totally agree with those who have said that _God Save the Queen_ is an uninspiring dirge with some dodgy verses which seriously needs getting rid of.
If you've never heard anyone say anything like that before then you must live in a cupboard! (possibly one lined with Union Jack wallpaper).


----------



## emma42

If people want to change their National Anthem, it presumably means that they quite _like _their country and want a decent song to associate with it.  The English National Anthem is, indeed, an embarrassing dirge.  The Marseilleise is great!  Well, the tune is.

See how the Scottish anthem (unofficial) differs from so many others?  It's about wanting some invading bugger out of the country, rather than invading everyone else's country.  And it's got lovely bits about hills and glens.


----------



## itxaro

emma42 said:


> See how the Scottish anthem (unofficial) differs from so many others? It's about wanting some invading bugger out of the country, rather than invading everyone else's country. And it's got lovely bits about hills and glens.


I guess that most national anthems fall into just a few categories, though... the (unofficial) Scottish one being the "We are a small proud nation (with nice glens and stuff) who once fought off those nasty invaders, and one day we will rise again!"-type vibe... although I agree that that's much more preferable to the "We are almighty, we kicked your arse back in the day, God is on our side"-type thing.
I love the Welsh national anthem, not sure about the lyrics, but as far as inspiring tunes go it has to be one of the best. If only England had something similar...


----------



## .   1

Qcumber said:


> This is the first time I hear of people ashamed of their national anthem. Either they are foreigners who pose as nationals or they are just going through some identity crisis.


I am not ashamed of The Australian Anthem and it is not reactionary or god bothering but it is trite.
'our land is girt by sea'
Give me a break.
Most of it has less depth than that.
'our land abounds with nature's gifts'
Fair dinkum.  Where do the gifts of other lands come from?

I do not know many Aussies who are actually proud of this Anthem and the scary part is that the current Anthem is so beige tht many people prefer the preceding God Save The Queen as an Anthem.

.,,


----------



## emma42

First Verse of the New English National Anthem
 (to the tune of "I'm Getting Married in the Morning" from My Fair Lady)
 
Come, all you English men and women,
Let's have a lovely cup of tea!
All moan together
About the weather
And slag off the mon-ar-chee!

It's the best I could do in the short time available, as I need to mend a puncture in my bicycle in order to cyle to Evensong in the mellow autumn mist.​


----------



## la reine victoria

> Invictaspirit
> I love _Jerusalem_, but perhaps it is too Christian for some.


 

But we _are_ a Christian nation, with a Christian sovereign.  

I am sick to death of the political correctness which prevents us from "offending immigrants" of other faiths.

"God save the Queen" is totally Christian.




LRV


----------



## Lusitania

Here goes the Portuguese national anthem translated into English as Outsider also put it down in portuguese. Here some national anthems can be heard.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Heroes of the sea, noble race,
Valiant and immortal nation,
Now is the hour to raise up on high once more
Portugal's splendour.
From out of the mists of memory,
Oh Homeland, we hear the voices
Of your great forefathers
That shall lead you on to victory!

CHORUS:
To arms, to arms
On land and sea!
To arms, to arms
To fight for our Homeland!
To march against the enemy guns!

Unfurl the unconquerable flag
In the bright light of your sky!
Cry out all Europe and the whole world
That Portugal has not perished.
Your happy land is kissed
By the Ocean that murmurs with love.
And your conquering arm
Has given new worlds to the world!

CHORUS

Salute the Sun that rises
On a smiling future:
Let the echo of an insult be
The signal for our revival.
The rays of that powerful dawn
Are like a mother's kisses
That protect us and support us
Against the insults of fate.

CHORUS


----------



## don maico

emma42 said:


> First Verse of the New English National Anthem
> (to the tune of "I'm Getting Married in the Morning" from My Fair Lady)
> 
> Come, all you English men and women,
> Let's have a lovely cup of tea!
> All moan together
> About the weather
> And slag off the mon-ar-chee!
> 
> It's the best I could do in the short time available, as I need to mend a puncture in my bicycle in order to cyle to Evensong in the mellow autumn mist.​



I should stick to your day job


----------



## elpoderoso

As can be seen in football and rugby matches, not many people know all the words to their national anthem, so it think we should all find a really good tune for our national anthems (that"s if we don't have one already like france) and mumble along incoherently, that way nobody will be offended by the lyrics.


----------



## Lusitania

In Portugal we are very good at playback, especially football players


----------



## sarcie

elpoderoso said:


> As can be seen in football and rugby matches, not many people know all the words to their national anthem, so it think we should all find a really good tune for our national anthems (that"s if we don't have one already like france) and mumble along incoherently, that way nobody will be offended by the lyrics.


 
Yet another excellent reason to adopt Billy Connolly's suggestion for a replacement to "God Save the Queen" - the theme tune from the Archers! He suggests not bothering to invent new words, but rather to sing along in the the style of "rum-te-tum-te-tum-te-tum, tra la-la la-la..."


----------



## emma42

don maico said:


> I should stick to your day job



I know, don maico!  It's rubbish.  And I can usually give E E Cummings a  run for his money.

Excellent idea, sarcie.


----------



## Kajjo

Krümelmonster said:


> Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!


The German and English text of the German national anthem can be found here.

Kajjo


----------



## itxaro

elpoderoso said:


> As can be seen in football and rugby matches, not many people know all the words to their national anthem,


I only know "God save our gracious queen, long live our noble queen, God save the queen"...after that I'm not sure, not that I'd ever sing it anyway.


----------



## Tsoman

What if the time comes when France must be war-like again? Then you'll wish you had your old (and really cool) national anthem back.


----------



## spakh

*iSTiKLAL MARŞI*​ 
*Korkma, sönmez bu şafaklarda yüzen al sancak*
*Sönmeden yurdumun üstünde tüten en son ocak.*
*O benim milletimin yıldızıdır parlayacak!*
*O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak!*​ 
*Çatma, kurban olayım, çehreni ey nazlı hilal!*
*Kahraman ırkıma bir gül... ne bu şiddet, bu celâl?*
*Sana olmaz dökülen kanlarımız sonra helal.*
*Hakkıdır, Hakk'a tapan milletimin istiklal.*​ 
*Ben ezelden beridir hür yaşadım, hür yaşarım;*
*Hangi çılgın bana zincir vuracakmış? Şaşarım!*
*Kükremiş sel gibiyim, bendimi çiğner, aşarım.*
*Yırtarım dağları, enginlere sığmam, taşarım.*​ 
*Garbın âfâkını sarmışsa çelik zırhlı duvar.*
*Benim iman dolu göğsüm gibi serhaddim var.*
*Ulusun, korkma! Nasıl böyle bir imânı boğar,*
*'Medeniyyet!' dediğin tek dişi kalmış canavar?*​ 
*Arkadaş, yurduma alçakları uğratma sakın;*
*Siper et gövdeni, dursun bu hayâsızca akın.*
*Doğacaktır sana va'dettiği günler Hakk'ın,*
*Kim bilir, belki yarın, belki yarından da yakın.*​ 
*Bastığın yerleri 'toprak' diyerek geçme, tanı!*
*Düşün altındaki binlerce kefensiz yatanı.*
*Sen şehid oğlusun, incitme, yazıktır, atanı.*
*Verme, dünyâları alsan da bu cennet vatanı.*​ 
*Kim bu cennet vatanın uğruna olmaz ki feda?*
*Şühedâ fışkıracak toprağı sıksan, şühedâ!*
*Cânı, cânânı, bütün varımı alsın da Hudâ,*
*Etmesin tek vatanımdan beni dünyâda cüdâ.*​ 
*Rûhumun senden İlahî, şudur ancak emeli:*
*Değmesin ma' bedimin göğsüne nâ-mahrem eli!*
*Bu ezanlar-ki şehâdetleri dinin temeli-*
*Ebedî yurdumun üstünde benim inlemeli.*​ 
*O zaman vecd ile bin secde eder -varsa- taşım.*
*Her cerîhamdan, İlâhî, boşanıp kanlı yaşım;*
*Fışkırır rûh-ı mücerred gibi yerden na'şım;*
*O zaman yükselerek arşa değer belki başım!*​ 
*Dalgalan sen de şafaklar gibi ey şanlı hilâl!*
*Olsun artık dökülen kanlarımın hepsi helâl.*
*Ebediyyen sana yok, ırkıma yok izmihlâl;*
*Hakkıdır, hür yaşamış, bayrağımın hürriyet,*
*Hakkıdır, Hakk'a tapan milletimin istiklâl!*​ 
*Mehmet Akif Ersoy*​ 
There you go Turkey's national anthem.


----------



## Maja

Benjy said:


> *hiroshima* was evil? it *arguably saved the lives of thousands*. it certainly wasn't evil in the same way that auschwitz was.


 ??????????


----------



## Maja

Sev said:


> I'm curious to know what kind of national anthems you have in countries all over the world, and what do you think about "La Marseillaise". *Should we change it*?


I don't know as I don't speak  French. Sorry.

............................

As to Serbian national anthem, I found the lyrics and the translation on the internet, so I cannot vouch 100% for its validity, but here it is:

 Боже правде
​ Боже правде, ти што спасе​ од пропасти до сад нас,
чуј и одсад наше гласе
и од сад нам буди спас.
​ ​ Моћном руком води, брани
будућности српске брод,
Боже спаси, Боже храни,
српске земље, српски род!
​ ​ Сложи српску браћу драгу
на свак дичан славан рад,
слога биће пораз врагу
а најјачи српству град.
​ ​ Нек на српској блиста грани
братске слоге знатан плод,
Боже спаси, Боже храни
српске земље, српски род!
​ ​ Нек на српско ведро чело
твог не падне гнева гром
Благослови Србу село
поље, њиву, град и дом!
​ ​ Кад наступе борбе дани
к' победи му води ход
Боже спаси, Боже храни
српске земље, српски род!
​ ​ Из мрачнога сину гроба
српске славе нови сјај
настало је ново доба
Нову срећу, Боже дај!
​ ​ Отаџбину српску брани
пет вековне борбе плод
Боже спаси, Боже брани
моли ти се српски род!

​ In English:

​ God of Justice; Thou who saved us​ when in deepest bondage cast,
 Hear Thy Serbian children's voices,
 Be our help as in the past.

​ With Thy mighty hand sustain us,
 Still our rugged pathway trace;
 God, our hope; protect and cherish
 Serbian lands and Serbian race!

​ Bind in closest links our kindred
 Teach the love that will not fail,
 May the loathed fiend of discord
 Never in our ranks prevail.

​ Let the golden fruits of union
 Our young tree of freedom grace;
 God, our Master! guide and prosper
 Serbian lands and Serbian race!

​ Lord! Avert from us Thy vengeance,
 Thunder of Thy dreaded ire;
 Bless each Serbian town and hamlet,
 Mountain, meadow, heart and spire.

​ When our host goes forth to battle
 Death or victory to embrace-
 God of armies! be our leader
 Strengthen then the Serbian race!

​ On our sepulchre of ages
 Breaks the resurrection morn,
 From the slough of direst slavery
Serbia anew is born.

​ Through five hundred years of durance
 We have knelt before Thy face,
 God, our Master! guide and prosper
 Thus entreats the Serbian race!​


----------



## Hockey13

Manuela said:


> Hi this is the canadian, and I think is a beautiful anthem:
> 
> O Canada!
> Our home and native land.
> True patriot love
> in all thy sons command.
> With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
> The True North strong and free!
> From far and wide, O Canada,
> We stand on guard for thee.
> God keep our land glorious and free.
> O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
> O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
> 
> Ciao
> Manuela


 
Having read just the first page of this thread, I would have to agree that the Canadian anthem is one of my favorites. It is relatively neutral in terms of violence and it gives me goosebumps just like the American one does. This is probably because the two go hand-in-hand for me as a hockey player (Devils season tickets it was always O Canada and then the Star-Spangled Banner). I was always taught by my parents that I had the choice to take my hat off for both, and usually I did because I respect the many people who have died for good and questionable purposes under their flags...not their leaders whose job it is to be heroic, yet fail miraculously time and time again.


----------



## Hockey13

Maja said:


> ??????????


 
Try not to be too surprised. Hailing from a place like Serbia I'm sure you understand the complexities and harsh realities of war. Here is the debate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki#Debate_over_bombings

I continue to stand undecided on the issue with an understanding that I would not have wanted Truman's job.

*Edit*: I also forgot to mention that America's shame turned into the world's knowledge of the true destructive power of these bombs. Historically speaking, a third world war was probably spared because we were all so afraid of MAD and turning our favorite cities into Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Of course, now we have the problem of dirty bombs and such, but that would have happened anyway as the technology was there.


----------



## blindsay

I think Canada's could be much better.  (Not that I don't tear up a little when it spontaneously erupts at a hockey game)

It sounds a bit better in French. Same tune, different song.   It is also often heard half English and half French, with the first half in French, the second in English.  That's what you'd hear at federal government functions, for example.

                        O Canada!
                           Terre de nos aïeux,
                        Ton front est ceint                           de fleurons       glorieux!
                        Car ton bras                           sait porter l'épée,
                        Il sait porter                           la croix!
                        Ton histoire                           est une épopée
                        Des plus                           brillants exploits.
                        Et ta valeur,                           de foi trempée,
      Protégera nos foyers                           et nos droits.
                        Protégera nos foyers                           et nos       droits.


----------



## Mirko_87

one of my favourites........South Africa national anthem


Nkosi sikeleli Afrika
maluphakanyisu uphondo lwayo
yizwa imithadanzo yethu
nkosi sikelela
thina lusapho lwayo

Morena boloka sechaba sa heso
o fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho
O se boloke o se boloke
sechaba sa heso
sechaba sa South Afrika
South Afrika

Uit die blou van onse hemel
uit die diepte van ons see
Oor ons ewige gebergtes
waar die kranse antwoord gee

Sounds the call to come together
and united we shall stand
Let's us live and stream for freedom
in South Africa, our land


----------



## Bonjules

Hello, 
I just wanted to correct some mistakes that have
been repeated throughout these posts:

First, ever since Hispanic immigration to the US has
increased so dramatically, the beginning of the national anthem has been changed to: "José, can you see...
Secondly, the UK hymn has always meant to read:
"God shave the queen". 
saludos


----------



## Hockey13

Bonjules said:


> Hello,
> I just wanted to correct some mistakes that have
> been repeated throughout these posts:
> 
> First, ever since Hispanic immigration to the US has
> increased so dramatically, the beginning of the national anthem has been changed to: "José, can you see...
> Secondly, the UK hymn has always meant to read:
> "God shave the queen".
> saludos


 
Mildly funny, but inaccurate for anyone coming to this post for information.


----------



## Beobachter

sunbeam1 said:


> The Scottish "national anthem" is O Flower of Scotland. Its not official but we all consider it to be!


 


Why is this more popular than "Scotland the Brave"? That one seems to me to be a more rousing tune.


----------



## Beobachter

jonuthun said:


> well as i see every one has post their national anthem i have to put mine i come from a little place calle dhonduras it is located in central america i dont live there now but it is always in heart i love honduras as any of you love your country and our national anthem goes like these


 

When you sing this, would you normally sing Verse I, or only Verse VII?


----------



## John-Paul

Mirko_87 said:


> one of my favourites........South Africa national anthem
> 
> Remember the day when Mandela was sworn in and they started singing that? The anthem should celebrate the land and the culture. The Dutch anthem may be the oldest (appr. 1560), but it's odd: I'm of German blood and loyal to the Spanish king. Why not renew these anthems every 10 or 15 years? Flags too!


----------



## Beobachter

John-Paul said:


> Mirko_87 said:
> 
> 
> 
> one of my favourites........South Africa national anthem
> 
> Remember the day when Mandela was sworn in and they started singing that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, on that day they sang the full version of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" followed by the full version of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika," the former anthem. For a while (beginning on that day), South Africa had two official national anthems which would be sung in their entirety. In 1995 they were combined into a single, quadralingual anthem.
Click to expand...


----------



## maxiogee

Hockey13 said:


> Mildly funny, but inaccurate for anyone coming to this post for information.



There was more humour in it than there was necessity in yours.

Maybe it's about time countries examined the need for - or at least the concept behind - national anthems.


----------



## Pedro y La Torre

maxiogee said:


> Maybe it's about time countries examined the need for - or at least the concept behind - national anthems.



I agree.


----------



## .   1

I tried to quote you but you didn't seem to say anything.
Y Cymro,
What is the point of your post?

.,,


----------



## Y CYMRO

. said:


> I tried to quote you but you didn't seem to say anything.
> Y Cymro,
> What is the point of your post?
> 
> .,,


 
I tried to place a link for the live singing of the Welsh national anthem at the millenium stadium but coudnt because i dont have enough postings


----------



## Bilma

vic1.0 said:


> hi asm, hi everybody!
> i really like the mexican national anthem! could you tell me which verses do you actually sing out of the ten? thanks!
> 
> ---
> quote]
> 
> *Mexicanos, al grito de guerra
> el acero aprestad y el bridón,
> y retiemble en sus centros la tierra
> al sonoro rugir del cañón. *
> *I*
> *Ciña ¡oh patria!, tus sienes de oliva
> de la paz el arcángel divino,
> que en el cielo tu eterno destino,
> por el dedo de Dios se escribió.*
> 
> *Mas si osare un extraño enemigo,
> profanar con su planta tu suelo,
> piensa ¡oh patria querida! que el cielo
> un soldado en cada hijo te dio.*
> 
> 
> 
> _*Coro*_ *II
> *¡Guerra, guerra sin tregua al que intente
> de la patria manchar los blasones!
> ¡Guerra, guerra! Los patrios pendones
> en las olas de sangre empapad.
> 
> ¡Guerra, guerra! En el monte, en el valle
> los cañones horrísonos truenen,
> y los ecos sonoros resuenen
> con las voces de ¡unión, libertad!
> 
> _*Coro*_
> *III
> *Antes, patria, que inermes tus hijos
> bajo el yugo su cuello dobleguen,
> tus campiñas con sangre se rieguen,
> sobre sangre se estampe su pie.
> 
> Y tus templos, palacios y torres
> se derrumben con hórrido estruendo,
> y sus ruinas existan diciendo:
> De mil héroes la patria aquí fue.
> 
> *Coro
> *
> *IV
> ¡Patria, patria! Tus hijos te juran
> exhalar en tus aras su aliento,
> si el clarín con su bélico acento
> los convoca a lidiar con valor.
> 
> ¡Para ti las guirnaldas de oliva!
> ¡Un recuerdo para ellos de gloria!
> ¡Un laurel para ti de victoria!
> ¡Un sepulcro para ellos de honor!*
> 
> 
> _*Coro*_
> *Mexicanos, al grito de guerra
> el acero aprestad y el bridón,
> y retiemble en sus centros la tierra
> al sonoro rugir del cañón. *
> 
> 
> 
> _Letra de Francisco González Bocanegra.
> Música de Jaime Nunó._
> 
> *The parts in bold is what we sing.*


----------



## Beobachter

Y CYMRO said:


> I tried to place a link for the live singing of the Welsh national anthem at the millenium stadium but coudnt because i dont have enough postings


 
There are many links to vocal performances of the Welsh anthem here: http://www.nationalanthems.us/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1083658847


----------



## grog

*La Marseillaise - English lyrics*

   Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised
Listen to the sound in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts
_To arms citizens Form your battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows_
  What do they want this horde of slaves
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings?
For whom these vile chains
These long-prepared irons?
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What methods must be taken?
It is us they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!
  What! These foreign cohorts!
They would make laws in our courts!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our brow would yield under the yoke
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny
  Tremble, tyrants and traitors
The shame of all good men
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward
Against you we are all soldiers
If they fall, our young heros
France will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you
  Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows
Spare these sad victims
That they regret taking up arms against us
But not these bloody despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who pitilessly
Ripped out their mothers' wombs
We too shall enlist
When our elders' time has come
To add to the list of deeds
Inscribed upon their tombs
We are much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining them
  Drive on sacred patriotism
Support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty
Join the struggle with your defenders
Under our flags, let victory
Hurry to your manly tone
So that in death your enemies
See your triumph and our glory!



Voilà! For those of you who speak English


----------



## amnariel

I've carefully browsed this thread to make sure no one from my country already posted  and "proudly" announced that our national anthem does not have lyrics!! And its unoficially but oftenly called "Intermezzo". 

It is a political issue since we had a war twelve years ago and now we have a country... well... that actually can not have lyrics for the anthem since one of constitutional people would always object to its contents. And so we have an instrumental national anthem, that many people don't even recognise when played. Amazing, ay?


----------



## ireney

Amnariel why not have one that says how beautiful Bosnia and Herzegovina is? I'm sure no one would object to that! (Feel free to tell me it's not my place  )


----------



## übermönch

DDT said:


> "Nationalist" was an euphemism...I think some phrases would certainly fit the FN racist purposes...
> 
> DDT


Oh, I think you are being overly sensible. Just as a comparisson, the lyrics of the royal Danish anthemn:

_     Kong Kristian stod ved højen mast
     i røg og damp;
     hans værge hamrede så fast,
     at gotens hjelm og hjerne brast.
     Da sank hvert fjendtligt spejl og mast
     i røg og damp.
     Fly, skreg de, fly, hvad flygte kan!
     hvo står for Danmarks Kristian
     hvo står for Danmarks Kristian
     i kamp?

     Niels Juel gav agt på stormens brag.
     Nu er det tid.
     Han hejsede det røde flag
     og slog på fjenden slag i slag.
     Da skreg de højt blandt stormens brag:
     Nu er det tid!
     Fly, skreg de, hver, som véd et skjul!
     hvo kan bestå mod Danmarks Juel
     hvo kan bestå mod Danmarks Juel
     i strid?

     O, Nordhav! Glimt af Wessel brød
     din mørke sky.
     Da ty'de kæmper til dit skød;
     thi med ham lynte skræk og død.
     Fra vallen hørtes vrål, som brød
     den tykke sky.
     Fra Danmark lyner Tordenskjold;
     hver give sig i himlens vold
     hver give sig i himlens vold
     og fly!

     Du danskes vej til ros og magt,
     sortladne hav!
     Modtag din ven, som uforsagt
     tør møde faren med foragt
     så stolt som du mod stormens magt,
     sortladne hav!
     Og rask igennem larm og spil
     og kamp og sejer før mig til
     og kamp og sejer før mig til
     min grav! 



*ENGLISH*:
     King Kristian stood by the lofty mast
     In mist and smoke;
     His sword was hammering so fast,
     Through Gothic helm and brain it passed;
     Then sank each hostile hulk and mast,
     In mist and smoke.
     "Fly!" shouted they, "fly, he who can!
     Who braves of Denmark's Kristian,
     Who braves of Denmark's Kristian,
     In battle?"

     Nils Juel gave heed to the tempest's roar,
     Now is the hour!
     He hoisted his blood-red flag once more,
     And smote upon the foe full sore,
     And shouted loud, through the tempest's roar,
     "Now is the hour!"
     "Fly!" shouted they, "for shelter fly!
     Of Denmark's Juel who can defy,
     Of Denmark's Juel who can defy,
     The power?"

     North Sea! a glimpse of Wessel rent
     Thy murky sky!
     Then champions to thine arms were sent;
     Terror and Death glared where he went;
     From the waves was heard a wail, that rent
     Thy murky sky!
     From Denmark thunders Tordenskiol',
     Let each to Heaven commend his soul,
     Let each to Heaven commend his soul,
     And fly!

     Path of the Dane to fame and might!
     Dark-rolling wave!
     Receive thy friend, who, scorning flight,
     Goes to meet danger with despite,
     Proudly as thou the tempest's might,
     Dark-rolling wave!
     And amid pleasures and alarms,
     And war and victory, be thine arms,
     And war and victory, be thine arms,
     My grave! _ ​ 
Now, uh, is the French anthemn really that bloodythirsty, overly nationalst and obselete? 


------------------------------------------------

Now, to the German ones, as some of you may have noticed, the Federal Republic has still the same anthemn as the Third Reich, the Deutschlandlied. Only the first Stanza is not sung, it says:

_ Germany, Germany above all,
  above all in the world,
  When it always, for protection and defence,
  Brotherly stands together.
  From the Meuse to the Neman, 
  From the Adige to the Belt, 
   |: Germany, Germany above all,
    Above anything in the world. :|_

 I don't like it, I really don't. It wouldn't be much different if we took the Nazi Party anthemn after cutting the racist material. And I bet they dropped it just because neither Meuse, nor Neman, nor Adige, nor the Belt belong to Germany any longer... bloody conservatves. 

After the unification there were talks of taking the GDR anthemn or the Kinderhymne. Either would be a great alternative to the Nazi parade tune we have, but our cons are allergic towards sane descissions 

GDR anthemn:
Auferstanden aus Ruinen
MP3

Berthold Brecht's Kinderhymne


----------



## tanzhang

*In Tagalog:* http://www.philippines.hvu.nl/flag.htm

Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.

Lupang Hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig, 'Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.

*Translated In English...*

Beloved country,
Pearl of the Orient,
The heart's fervor
In your bosom is ever alive.

Chosen Land,
You are the cradle of the brave.
To the conquerors
You shall never surrender.

Through the seas and mountains,
Through the air and your azure skies,
There is splendor in the poem
And song for dear freedom.

The sparkle of your flag
Is shining victory.
Its stars and sun
Forever will never dim.


Land of the morning, of glory, of our affection,
Life is heaven in your arms;
When someone oppresses you, it is our pleasure
To die for you.


----------



## Outsider

Beobachter said:


> There are many links to vocal performances of the Welsh anthem here: http://www.nationalanthems.us/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1083658847


And here it is in full glory: 

_Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.

Cytgan:

Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,
Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd;
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si
Ei nentydd, afonydd i mi.
Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwald tan ei droed,
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ac erioed,
Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.
_

The Land Of My Fathers

The land of my fathers, the land of my choice,
The land in which poets and minstrels rejoice;
The land whose stern warriors were true to the core,
While bleeding for freedom of yore.	

Chorus:

Wales! Wales! fav'rite land of Wales!
While sea her wall, may naught befall
To mar the old language of Wales.
Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards,
Each hill and each valley, excite my regards;
To the ears of her patriots how charming still seems
The music that flows in her streams.
My country tho' crushed by a hostile array,
The language of Cambria lives out to this day;
The muse has eluded the traitors' foul knives,
The harp of my country survives.


----------



## .   1

amnariel said:


> I've carefully browsed this thread to make sure no one from my country already posted  and "proudly" announced that our national anthem does not have lyrics!! And its unoficially but oftenly called "Intermezzo".
> 
> It is a political issue since we had a war twelve years ago and now we have a country... well... that actually can not have lyrics for the anthem since one of constitutional people would always object to its contents. And so we have an instrumental national anthem, that many people don't even recognise when played. Amazing, ay?


I think that this is wonderful.
I wish our anthem was musical rather than banal.

.,,


----------



## alexacohen

Spanish national anthem doesn't have lyrics either. I don't like it, by the way. But the fact that it doesn't have lyrics doesn't deter people from making them up.
I remember some words as it was sung in my childhood:
Franco, Franco, the white a$$ed rascal who governed us
was just a criminal...
An ass of a man, a snake of a man, a wolf for a man
he was just an animal.
Doesn't show much respect for the National Anthem, I'm afraid...
Alexa


----------



## Brioche

übermönch said:


> Now, to the German ones, as some of you may have noticed, the Federal Republic has still the same anthemn as the Third Reich, the Deutschlandlied. Only the first Stanza is not sung, it says:
> 
> _ Germany, Germany above all,
> above all in the world,
> When it always, for protection and defence,
> Brotherly stands together.
> From the Meuse to the Neman,
> From the Adige to the Belt,
> |: Germany, Germany above all,
> Above anything in the world. :|_
> 
> I don't like it, I really don't. It wouldn't be much different if we took the Nazi Party anthemn after cutting the racist material. And I bet they dropped it just because neither Meuse, nor Neman, nor Adige, nor the Belt belong to Germany any longer... bloody conservatves.
> 
> After the unification there were talks of taking the GDR anthemn or the Kinderhymne. Either would be a great alternative to the Nazi parade tune we have, but our cons are allergic towards sane descissions


I don't think you're being really fair to the anthem.

When the poem was originally written in 1841 Germany was not united, and the sentiment of the poem was that Prussians, Bavarians, Swabians, Hessian, Pomeranians &c &c should strive for German unity, and put it ahead of regionalism.

The tune, by Hayden, dates from the Napoleonic wars, and was the tune for the anthem of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, who became Francis I of Austria. It remained the tune for the Austrian Anthem until 1918.

It's not a Nazi poem, it's not a Nazi tune, and it's nothing like the Nazi Horst Wessel song.

From 1871 until 1918 the German Imperial Anthem "Hail to thee in the victor's crown", was sung to the same tune as "God save the King/Queen".


----------



## Athaulf

maxiogee said:


> There was more humour in it than there was necessity in yours.
> 
> Maybe it's about time countries examined the need for - or at least the concept behind - national anthems.



Few people are aware how recent the concept of a national anthem really is. For example, the U.S. didn't have an official national anthem until as recently as 1931, when the current one was officially given that status.


----------



## Athaulf

Brioche said:


> I don't think you're being really fair to the _[German]_ anthem.
> 
> When the poem was originally written in 1841 Germany was not united, and the sentiment of the poem was that Prussians, Bavarians, Swabians, Hessian, Pomeranians &c &c should strive for German unity, and put it ahead of regionalism.



That's true. Although the German nationalism had its dark side already back then, the spirit in which the song was written wasn't much different from the romantic nationalist silliness that was in full swing all across Europe at the time. 



> The tune, by Hayden, dates from the Napoleonic wars, and was the tune for the anthem of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, who became Francis I of Austria.


And Haydn in fact lifted the melody of a Croatian folk song on that occasion. 



> It remained the tune for the Austrian Anthem until 1918.


Not just Austrian, but of the whole Austria-Hungary, with official translations into many different languages of the Empire.


----------



## Athaulf

. said:


> I think that this is wonderful.
> I wish our anthem was musical rather than banal.



I agree -- most of the national anthems I've seen have very nice melodies, but hopelessly banal and cheesy lyrics. This goes for the Croatian one too. 

The Croatian anthem has another problem -- one verse is horribly mismatched with the melody, so that in singing, you have to distort it either by introducing a hideously sounding, otherwise nonexistent word or by breaking the grammar in an ugly and unnatural way. Ugh.


----------



## .   1

Athaulf said:


> I agree -- most of the national anthems I've seen have very nice melodies, but hopelessly banal and cheesy lyrics. This goes for the Croatian one too.
> 
> The Croatian anthem has another problem -- one verse is horribly mismatched with the melody, so that in singing, you have to distort it either by introducing a hideously sounding, otherwise nonexistent word or by breaking the grammar in an ugly and unnatural way. Ugh.


Mate,
You could be describing 'Our land is girt by sea'. Pass the bucket I need to call Ruth.

.,,


----------



## Brioche

Australians should learn some of the other verses of "Advance Australia Fair".

_When gallant Cook from Albion sail'd,
To trace wide oceans o'er,
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore.
Then here he raised Old England's flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
"Britannia rules the wave!"
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

Should foreign foe e'er sight our coast,
Or dare a foot to land,
We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore
To guard our native strand;
Britannia then shall surely know,
Beyond wide ocean's roll,
Her sons in fair Australia's land
Still keep a *British* soul.
In joyful strains the let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"_

Keep passing that bucket.


----------



## .   1

Brioche said:


> Australians should learn some of the other verses of "Advance Australia Fair".
> 
> Keep passing that bucket.


I wish I didn't know that.  How did that get passed by the censors?

Merde, I just filled mine so I'll just have to lean over the side of the ship, "watchunder!"

.,,


----------



## amnariel

ireney said:


> Amnariel why not have one that says how beautiful Bosnia and Herzegovina is? I'm sure no one would object to that! (Feel free to tell me it's not my place  )



  That is a great idea, but (ah, the famous BUT) then we would have arguments which beauty should be described first...


----------



## Nanon

Here goes the Venezuelan national anthem - I noticed nobody posted it so I will stand for my second homeland...
English lyrics are here. And you can hear it from here (official website - no politics intended - but it has a recording by a symphonic orchestra).

The lyrics sound like many other national anthems. The *"Gloria al Bravo Pueblo"* is a patriotic song related to the national independence. Melodically speaking, it may sound martial at first, but then it has a _fermata _on a cadence that creates a suspended feel just before the stanza ends and you can't go on marching...

Talking strictly about music, there are some anthems I find very moving: these are the *Bulgarian *anthem, the *Moroccan *anthem and the *Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika*. 

Much has been said in other posts about the *Marseillaise*: luckily we don't sing all the stanzas (!) and I can't say I _love _it, but I wouldn't like to have it changed either. Making a "milder" version of the Marseillaise would be denying the national and international importance of the French revolution...

Now back to Venezuela!

(Coro)​ Gloria al Bravo Pueblo ​ que el yugo lanzó​ la Ley respetando​ la virtud y honor.​ 
I​ ¡Abajo cadenas! (bis)​ Gritaba el señor; (bis)​ y el pobre en su choza ​ Libertad pidió:​ A este santo nombre​ tembló de pavor ​ el vil egoísmo​ que otra vez triunfó.

(Coro)​ II​ Gritemos con brío: (bis)​ Muera la opresión (bis)​ Compatriotas fieles, ​ la fuerza es la unión;​ y desde el Empíreo​ el Supremo Autor, ​ un sublime aliento ​ al pueblo infundió.

​ (Coro)​ III​ Unida con lazos (bis)​ que el cielo formó, (bis)​ la América toda ​ existe en Nación;​ y si el despotismo ​ levanta la voz,​ seguid el ejemplo ​ que Caracas dio.​ (Coro) ​


----------



## alexacohen

I only like an anthem, if you care to call it an anthem.
It's Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Fourth Movement.
Ode To Joy.
O friends! Not these sounds!
But let us strike up more pleasant sounds and more joyful! 

Joy, o wondrous spark divine,
Daughter of Elysium,
Drunk with fire now we enter,
Heavenly one, your holy shrine.
Your magic powers join again
What fashion strictly did divide;
Brotherhood unites all men
Where your gentle wing's spread wide. 
The man who's been so fortunate
To become the friend of a friend,
The man who has won a fair woman - 
To the rejoicing let him add his voice.
The man who calls but a single soul
Somewhere in the world his own!
And he who never managed this - 
Let him steal forth from our throng! 
Joy is drunk by every creature
From Nature's fair and charming breast;
Every being, good or evil,
Follows in her rosy steps.
Kisses she gave to us, and vines,
And one good friend, tried in death;
The serpent she endowed with base desire
And the cherub stands before God. 
Gladly as His suns do fly
Through the heavens' splendid plan,
Run now, brothers, your own course,
Joyful like a conquering hero 
Embrace each other now, you millions!
The kiss is for the whole wide world!
Brothers - over the starry firmament
A beloved Father must surely dwell. Do you come crashing down, you millions?
Do you sense the Creators presence, world?
Seek Him above the starry firmament,
For above the stars he surely dwells. 
Ehh.. is it copyrighted???
Alexa


----------



## Nanon

Ahem... copyrighted... I suppose not. Let's hope Schiller and Beethoven are now public domain, Alexa!
This alto here should have added it to her list of favourites...


----------



## the queen

Hello 
Perhaps the french anthem is very nationalistic but come on guys it was written in 1792 in different conditions,so even I am not french I kinda understand it.
p.s. you all have very intresting anthems


----------



## TRG

This would make a great national anthem.  It just needs a country.  Any suggestions?  Here are the words, but you can supply your own if you have a country.

  Rally sons of Notre Dame:
 Sing her glory and sound her fame,
 Raise her Gold and Blue
 And cheer with voices true:
 Rah, rah, for Notre Dame
 We will fight in ev-ry game,
 Strong of heart and true to her name
 We will ne'er forget her
 And will cheer her ever
 Loyal to Notre Dame

    Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
 Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
 Send a volley cheer on high,
 Shake down the thunder from the sky.
 What though the odds be great or small
 Old Notre Dame will win over all,
 While her loyal sons are marching
 Onward to victory.


----------



## Musical Chairs

In Japan at field days, they play the national anthem (like a recording without words) but nobody sings to it. They raise a flag at the same time. It's nice (peaceful sounding) but boring, in my opinion. I also like how it's pretty short 

Edit: I think the US national anthem is too long, and I think it's also a bit hard to sing to, especially at the end. France's looks VERY long. Do people actually sing to it? How often do they play it?


----------



## sarcie

maxiogee said:


> * Soldiers are we whose lives are pledged to Ireland;
> * Sworn to be free, no more our ancient sire land shall shelter the despot or the slave.
> * Tonight we man the gap of danger in Erin's cause, come woe or weal 'mid cannons' roar and rifles peal, we'll chant a soldier's song.



But I will say that the Irish words sound much more lyrical, regardless of meaning exactly the same.



> If anyone was to cast about for a new Irish anthem they could do far worse than Song for Ireland —> this version, sung by Mary Black, is particularly beautiful.



This is a beautiful and emotional song and would indeed make a wonderful alternative anthem. 



> We have recently abandoned playing the Irish National Anthem at rugby matches, as we draw our team from all over the island, and play instead something I have never heard, called "Ireland's Call" - the lyrics are as bad as any national anthem - a notion reinforced by the fact that they were writted by the usually mediocre Phil Coulter.



This is not strictly true - they no longer sing "Amhráin na bhFiann" at away matches as the team incorporates the entire island. At home matches, both anthems are played. "Ireland's Call" is a dreadful song though, that's true - and although hearing 80,000 Irish fans sing it gave me goosebumps, I suspect they could have sung the theme song to Bosco and had the same effect. Mostly it's the roar of sound that appeals to me when our anthem (either of them) is played, I don't think too much about the lyrics. Once the rugby starts, the song is neither here nor there anyway


----------



## Brioche

> Originally Posted by alexacohen
> But why Australia's national anthem mentions five times Britain and only one Australia?



Those other verses are part of the original poem, but are *not* part of the National Anthem.

Only the first and third stanzas are the official national anthem. This version also reworks the original poem, to make it more PC.

_Australia's sons let us rejoice_, [original]
Australians all let us rejoice, [official anthem version]
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
_To make our youthful Commonwealth_ [old]
To make this Commonwealth of ours [new]
Renowned of all the lands;
_For loyal sons beyond the seas_ [old]
For those who've come across the seas [new]
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"


----------



## Voxy

GermanGirl said:


> Hello everybody!
> I was not at all surprised that nobody has posted the lyrics of the German anthem yet
> ...
> have a hard time finding a German who says "I am proud to be a German".
> ...



Come on, give me a break. The world championship 2006 proved you wrong anyway. 
Anyway, for those, who want to dig in, here you go:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Nationalhymne



> Unity and justice and freedom
> for the German fatherland;
> This let us all pursue,
> brotherly with heart and hand.
> Unity and justice and freedom
> are the pledge of happiness.
> |: Flourish in this blessing's glory,
> flourish, German fatherland.


By the way, this is the Strophe we usually (and wholeheartedly) sing,
EDIT: ähm, in German of course.
I stand my man and i love my country very much indeed.


----------



## Nanon

Musical Chairs said:


> Edit: I think the US national anthem is too long, and I think it's also a bit hard to sing to, especially at the end. France's looks VERY long. Do people actually sing to it? How often do they play it?



Of course not. The first stanza and the chorus are sung, and if you need to add something, then the two last stanzas, or one of these two.
And yes, the French do sing to it, including the "impure blood" line in the chorus! It may sound belliquous and nationalistic, but as *the queen* says, it is a part of history and a symbol of the Republic, and so it remains. 
In reply to one of the first posts in page 1: right-wing extremists do not like the Marseillaise very much. From 1940 to 1944, under the Nazi occupation, France had another anthem in praise of Maréchal Pétain. The lyrics were utterly bad (in my opinion), and the melody was hastily taken from a song composed for the Tour de France...


----------



## Musical Chairs

Do they teach it to children in school?


----------



## Bonjules

Well, Voxy,
Thanks for the link, but a literal translation of the first line of 
the 'official' third stanza ('Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit'...)just won't do.
It doesn't sound right, since the number of syllables is wrong - this translation claims some lyric quality and isn't prose.
So it needs to be 'Unity and justice, freedom..' or
'Justice, unity and freedom...', which would be even better.
'Unity' was in spot #1 probably because, as Brioche pointed out, at the time Germany was a hodgepodge of kingdoms and pricipalities, not united at all.
One could, of course make the point that it should, again, be the most
important item, since the country is -again - feeling some drifting apart and alienation, having to do with the post- '89 policy, which left the 'new'
eastern federal states deprived, angry and constituting a financial drain on
the rest.


----------



## Nanon

Musical Chairs said:


> Do they teach it to children in school?



Yes, they do. But I believe it's only the first stanza and the chorus. And French children are not supposed to sing the anthem every morning before school begins, like they do in other countries! In fact, most children are likely to sing it or to recite it just a couple of times in their school years.
You see, nothing is quite systematical about this anthem question here, although there have been some discussions about symbols of national identity such as knowing the words to the Marseillaise, having a flag at home and the like, during the recent presidential campaign...


----------



## ayaram7700

Mita said:


> Aquí está el himno nacional de mi Chile hermoso:
> Coro:
> 
> Dulce Patria, recibe los votos
> Con que Chile en tus aras juró
> Que o la tumba serás de los libres
> O el asilo contra la opresión.
> 
> *I*
> 
> Ha cesado la lucha sangrienta;
> Ya es hermano el que ayer invasor;
> De tres siglos lavamos la afrenta
> Combatiendo en el campo de honor.
> El que ayer doblegábase esclavo
> Libre al fin y triunfante se ve;
> Libertad es la herencia del bravo,
> La Victoria se humilla a sus pies.
> 
> _Coro_
> 
> *II*
> Alza, Chile, sin mancha la frente;
> Conquistaste tu nombre en la lid;
> Siempre noble, constante y valiente
> Te encontraron los hijos del Cid.
> Que tus libres tranquilos coronen
> A las artes, la industria y la paz,
> Y de triunfos cantares entonen
> Que amedrenten al déspota audaz.
> _Coro_
> 
> *III*
> Vuestros nombres, valientes soldados,
> Que habéis sido de Chile el sostén,
> Nuestros pechos los llevan grabados;
> Los sabrán nuestros hijos también.
> Sean ellos el grito de muerte
> Que lancemos marchando a lidiar,
> Y sonando en la boca del fuerte
> Hagan siempre al tirano temblar.
> 
> _Coro_
> 
> *IV*
> Si pretende el cañón extranjero
> Nuestros pueblos osado invadir;
> Desnudemos al punto el acero
> Y sepamos vencer o morir.
> Con su sangre el altivo araucano
> Nos legó por herencia el valor;
> Y no tiembla la espada en la mano
> Defendiendo de Chile el honor
> 
> _Coro_
> 
> *V*
> Puro, Chile, es tu cielo azulado,
> Puras brisas te cruzan también,
> Y tu campo de flores bordado
> Es la copia feliz del Edén.
> Majestuosa es la blanca montaña
> Que te dio por baluarte el Señor,
> Y ese mar que tranquilo te baña
> Te promete futuro esplendor.
> 
> _Coro_
> 
> *VI*
> Esas galas, ¡oh, Patria!, esas flores
> Que tapizan tu suelo feraz,
> No las pisen jamás invasores;
> Con tu sombra las cubra la paz.
> Nuestros pechos serán tu baluarte,
> Con tu nombre sabremos vencer,
> O tu noble, glorioso estandarte,
> Nos verá combatiendo caer.
> 
> _Coro_


 
Hola  a todos foreros: 

Sin ánimo de entrar en polémica, para información de todos, sólo cantamos la estrofa  que empieza "Puro,  Chile, es tu cielo azulado..."
Las demás, por su extensión,  llenarían cualquier acto oficial. Además, durante la *dictadura de Pinochet*, ellos habían incorporado aquella estrofa que dice "Vuestros nombres "valientes" soldados (y ladrones, asesinos tambien)" pero por ley se eliminó gracias a Dios, ya que mientras fui profesora de una escuela, nos OBLIGABAN  a cantarla y estábamos arriesgando nuestros trabajos si no lo hacíamos.

Saludos a todos, cada himno nacional parece tener vida propia... y como dijo alguien,  ojalá todos los países vivieran y progresaran de acuerdo a sus lindos himnos. A lo menos, a veces nos dan algo de ánimo para seguir adelante...

Tengan un lindo día

Ayaram7700


----------



## Nander

Sorry to bump this thread 

I was looking through the Culture Discussion forum and found this thread. I see that the Swedish national anthem has been discussed, but no one has mentioned the most interesting aspect of it (from a language perspective that is).

It includes the only sentence I've ever come across that has *all three* *tenses *(present, past, future) of the *same verb*. And I can't really think of any other sentence where it would be possible.

The sentence is  _Jag vet, att du *är *och du *blir*, vad du *var *_and it translate to _I know that you *are*, and you *will be*, what you *were*.

_Very interesting and peculiar, if you ask me


----------



## PocketWatch

I really like the US national anthem. 
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through 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 mist 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
’Tis the star-spangled banner. Oh! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation,
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God We Trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The first stansza is the one most people know. I really like the history behind anthems.


----------



## robbie_SWE

The Romanian national anthem:

_Deşteaptă-te, române, din somnul cel de moarte, _
_În care te-adânciră barbarii de tirani _
_Acum ori niciodată croieşte-ţi altă soartă, _
_La care să se-nchine şi cruzii tăi duşmani. _​ 
_Acum ori niciodată să dăm dovezi în lume _
_Că-n aste mâni mai curge un sânge de roman, _
_Şi că-n a noastre piepturi păstrăm cu fală-un nume _
_Triumfător în lupte, un nume de Traian. _​ 
_Înalţă-ţi lata frunte şi caută-n giur de tine,_ 
_Cum stau ca brazi în munte voinici sute de mii;_ 
_Un glas ei mai aşteaptă şi sar ca lupi în stâne,_ 
_Bătrâni, bărbaţi, juni, tineri, din munţi şi din câmpii._​ 
_Priviţi, măreţe umbre, Mihai, Ştefan, Corvine, _
_Româna naţiune, ai voştri strănepoţi, _
_Cu braţele armate, cu focul vostru-n vine, _
_"Viaţa-n libertate ori moarte" strigă toţi._​ 
_Pre voi vă nimiciră a pizmei răutate_ 
_Şi oarba neunire la Milcov şi Carpaţi_ 
_Dar noi, pătrunşi la suflet de sfânta libertate,_ 
_Jurăm că vom da mâna, să fim pururea fraţi._​ 
_O mamă văduvită de la Mihai cel Mare_ 
_Pretinde de la fii-şi azi mână d-ajutori,_ 
_Şi blastămă cu lacrămi în ochi pe orişicare,_ 
_În astfel de pericul s-ar face vânzători._​ 
_De fulgere să piară, de trăsnet şi pucioasă,_ 
_Oricare s-ar retrage din gloriosul loc,_ 
_Când patria sau mama, cu inima duioasă,_ 
_Va cere ca să trecem prin sabie şi foc._​ 
_N-ajunge iataganul barbarei semilune,_ 
_A cărui plăgi fatale şi azi le mai simţim;_ 
_Acum se vâră cnuta în vetrele străbune,_ 
_Dar martor ne e Domnul că vii nu o primim._​ 
_N-ajunge despotismul cu-ntreaga lui orbie,_ 
_Al cărui jug de seculi ca vitele-l purtăm;_ 
_Acum se-ncearcă cruzii, cu oarba lor trufie,_ 
_Să ne răpească limba, dar morţi numai o dăm._​ 
_Români din patru unghiuri, acum ori niciodată_ 
_Uniţi-vă în cuget, uniţi-vă-n simţiri._ 
_Strigaţi în lumea largă că Dunărea-i furată_ 
_Prin intrigă şi silă, viclene uneltiri._​ 
_Preoţi, cu crucea-n frunte căci oastea e creştină,_ 
_Deviza-i libertate şi scopul ei preasfânt._ 
_Murim mai bine-n luptă, cu glorie deplină,_ 
_Decât să fim sclavi iarăşi în vechiul nost'pământ._​ 
An English translation:​ 
*Wake up, O Romanian, from your deadly sleep *
*Into which you've been sunk by the barbaric tyrants *
*Now, as at no other time, your fate renew, *
*To which your cruel enemies will bow too. *

*Now or never let's give proof to the world *
*That in these veins still flows a Roman blood, *
*That in our chests we still maintain our pride in a name *
*The victor in his battles, the name of Trajan!*

*Raise your broad forehead and look around you *
*Like fir trees, hundreds of thousands of heroes are standing firm; *
*A voice they still wait to jump like wolves among the sheep, *
*Elders, men, youths, boys, from mountains to the plains. *

*Watch on, shadows of highnesses, Mihai, Stefan, Corvinus, *
*The Romanian Nation, your great grandchildren, *
*With weapons in their arms, with your fire in their veins, *
*"Life in freedom or death!" shout all. *

*You were vanquished by the evils of your envy *
*And by your blind disunity, at Milcovand the Carpathians*
*But we, whose souls were pierced by holy liberty, *
*Swear that for ever in brotherhood will join. *

*A widowed mother from the time of Michael the Great*
*Claims from her sons today a helping hand, *
*Casting curses, with tears in her eyes, on whosoever, *
*In such great peril, a traitor would become. *

*Of thunder and of brimstone should they perish *
*Those who flee our glorious endeavor *
*When our land, our mother with tears in her heart, *
*Will ask us to cross through swords and blazing fire. *

*Didn't we have enough of the yatagan of the barbaric crescent*
*Whose fatal wounds even today we still feel? *
*Now the knout is intruding our ancestral homes, *
*But we give witness before the Lord that alive, we do not accept it *

*Didn't we have enough of the blinded despotism *
*Whose yoke, like cattle, for centuries we've carried? *
*Now let the cruel ones try, in their blind arrogance, *
*T o take away our language, but give it we will only in our death! *

*Romanians from the four corners, now or never *
*Unite in thought, unite in feeling *
*Proclaim to the wide world that the Danube is stolen *
*Through intrigue and force, sly machinations. *

*Priests, lead with your crucifixes! Because our army is Christian, *
*The motto is Liberty and its goal is holy, *
*Better to die in battle, in full glory, *
*Than to once again be slaves upon our ancient ground! *

It pretty much says it all!  What do you guys think? 

 robbie


----------



## curly

The Irish national anthem in full, and not just the selected worst bits, is this

Soldiers are we, 
whose lives are pledged to Ireland
Some have come from a land beyond the wave
Sworn to be free
No more our ancient Ireland
Shall shelter the despot or the slave:
Tonight we man the Bearna baoghal
In Erin's cause
come woe or weal
mid cannon's roar and rifle's peal
We'll chant a soldier's song

We'll sing a song, a soldier's song
With cheering, rousing chorus
As round our blazing fires we throng, 
The starry heavens o'er us;
impatient for the coming fight,
And as we wait the morning's light
Here in the silence of the night
we'll sing a soldier's song

In the valley green or towering crag
our fathers fought before us, 
And conquered 'neath the same old flag
That's proudly floating o'er us,
We're children of a fighting race
That never yet has known disgrace, 
And as we march the foe to face,
We'll sing a soldier's song

Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale!
The long watched day is breaking;
The serried rank of Innisfail
Shall set the tyrant quaking.
Our camp fires now are burning low;
See in the east a silvery glow
Out yonder waits the Saxon foe,
So sing a soldier's song
-----------------------------------------------------------------

There's very little controversy about the lyrics here, because it's always sung in Irish, so no-one knows what they're singing. In fact most people don't even know the lyrics in Irish. Listen carefully to us next time you get the chance, you will probably make out

Sinne fianna fail atá fá gheall ag éirinn, grunt grunt roar!!, Hurghh arghhh eee!! That's why we love our anthem, it's a great excuse to just cut loose and roar and grunt as loudly as possible 

The tune itself is ok, some people like it, music teachers hate it.


----------



## Nanon

curly said:


> Sinne fianna fail atá fá gheall ag éirinn, grunt grunt roar!!, Hurghh arghhh eee!! That's why we love our anthem, it's a great excuse to just cut loose and roar and grunt as loudly as possible



Immensely funny!!! 
A brilliant demonstration that loving one's country and paying blind (deaf?) respect to patriotic symbols (some of them absurd sometimes) are not the same thing.
Ahem... do you always _roar _Gaelic?!?


----------



## Sock

Here´s the Estonian one:

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm,
Kui kaunis oled sa!
Ei leia mina iial teal
See suure laia ilma peal,
Mis mull' nii armas oleks ka
Kui sa mu isamaa!

Sa oled mind ju sünnitand
Ja üles kasvatand;
Sind tänan mina alati
Ja jään sul truuks surmani!
Mul kõige armsam oled sa,
Mu kallis isamaa!

Su üle Jumal valvaku,
Mu armas isamaa!
Ta olgu sinu kaitseja
Ja võtku rohkest' õnnista'
Mis iial ette võtad sa,
Mu kallis isamaa!

---
ENGLISH TRANSLATION

My native land, my joy, delight,
How fair thou art and bright!
And nowhere in the world all round
Can ever such a place be found
So well beloved as i love thee,
My native country dear!

My little cradle stood on thy soil,
Whose blessings ease my toil.
With my last breath my thanks to thee,
For true to death I'll ever be,
O worthy, most beloved and fine,
Thou, dearest country mine!

May God in Heaven thee defend,
My best, my dearest land!
May He be guard, may He be shield,
For ever may He bless and wield
O graciously all deeds of thine,
Thou dearest country mine!

Actually, the music of our and Finnish anthem is excatly the same (by Fredrik Pacius), only the lyrics differ. And we both started using it almost at the same time (19 cent.). I don´t think neither of us should change it, because we both also have "unofficial" anthems.


----------



## Yuribear

panjabigator said:


> Interestingly enough, the song is actually written in Pure Sanskritic Bengali. I once had an argument with an Indian lady that it wasnt Hindi...



Well that was because this beautiful song to God was written by Rabindranath Tagore. Although I am not sure whether he did write it before India's independence or if Gandhiji and Nehru asked him to write this song especially to become the National Anthem. If you find out let me know.

Actually, I just found out here that...
_*The Indian National anthem, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas.  The lyrics were rendered into English by Tagore himself.*_


----------



## -Epic-

wow I never thoght so meny anthems talk about war and some are realy long.

Israel anthem Hatikva (the hope):

כל עוד בלבב פנימה
נפש יהודי הומיה,
ולפאתי מזרח קדימה
עין לציון צופיה

עוד לא אבדה תקותנו,
התקווה בת שנות אלפים,
להיות עם חופשי בארצנו
ארץ ציון וירושלים.




(should sound like)
_Kol od baleivav p'nimah_
_Nefesh y'hudi homiyah_
_Ulfa'atei mizrach kadimah_
_Ayin l'tziyon tzofiyah_

_Od lo avdah tikvateinu
Hatikvah bat sh'not alpayim
Lihyot am chofshi b'artzeinu

Eretz tziyon virushalayim




(translation)
_As long as in the heart, within,
A Jewish soul still yearns,
And towards the end of the East
An eye still watches toward Zion,

Our hope is not yet lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our own land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.


----------

