Do you like your national anthem?

[anomouse]

It's the olympic season!
So the question is, "do you like your country's national anthem?"
I found some countries national anthems quite aggressive.
They sing about wars and revolts, etc, maybe offensive to another country which they fought against. Not sure if this is a good idea to mold their citizens' identities based on past bloodshed and wars.

 

[JimmySeal]

Yes, I like my national anthem.

 

[Haruspex]

They don't just rewrite national anthems, so what can you do?

 

[theAlphaDuck]

they all suck....

except for some of the smaller "newer" countries who have more upbeat numbers...

but for the most part....

slow and dreary...

bleh

 

[Tsuyoiko]

Ours offends me on many levels

 

[Mycernius]

What about you Anomouse, what do you think of your national anthem, Das Deutschlandlied?

 

[Red5]

hai .... I like my national anthem.
coz it has very perfect song

 

[alantin]

It is okay.
Finlandia might be a better one, but "Maamme" (Our Country) is okay too.

 

[Kinsao]

I detest the English national anthem, it is very dreary... Land of hope and glory is at least a better tune!

 

[tada]

Indifferent towards the US national anthem. No strong opinion either way.

 

[Tsuyoiko]

I detest the English national anthem, it is very dreary... Land of hope and glory is at least a better tune!

I agree, Land of Hope and Glory is a better tune. It does provoke some emotion when you hear it on last night at the Proms. But the words aren't much better than God Save the Queen - very imperial

Then there's Rule Britannia, which is just as bad. All three are basically imploring us Brits to go and enslave the rest of the world in God's name, because that's freedom you know

I do like Jerusalem, partly because I'm fond of the story that Jesus visited Glastonbury, which is a place I love. It's good poetry - William Blake is among the greatest British poets of course. And Elgar's tune is very rousing. But I like it just as a poem and a hymn, I don't think it's suitable as a national anthem.

Then again, I'm not even sure why we need a national anthem ☝

 

[bluepilot]

The English national anthem is sooo boring.

Call me old fashioned, but I think that countries need an anthem that kind of stirs you up a little bit inside. Makes you feel a little bit proud of your country.

God saves the Queen, I do not think that does anything for anyone.

Rule Britannia on the other hand, you can feel something with that.

The French national anthem has a nice kind of feel to it (although I do not know/understand the words)

So yeah, I think that national anthems should be upbeat and make you feel proud but with the racism left out.

How about a nice viking song for the new British Anthem. Well, if Britian ever had a new anthem it would probably be something written by Elton John.

And I will never get used to singing 'God save the King'.

 

[anomouse]

Land of hope and glory is at least a better tune!

I heard it during the high school graduation ceremony, and I liked it too. I just didn't know it was a British song. Maybe our school had too many British teachers.

 

[Davey]

Our anthem is pretty old, but I've got nothing against it. although I still don't understand certain parts of it.

What about you Anomouse, what do you think of your national anthem, Das Deutschlandlied?

I guess he has problems answering this question....

 

[theAlphaDuck]

Our anthem is pretty old, but I've got nothing against it. although I still don't understand certain parts of it.
I guess he has problems answering this question....

yea

"we are of German Blood"

thats the line of the dutch national anthem i don't quite understand

 

[Al-Kindi]

yea
"we are of German Blood"
thats the line of the dutch national anthem i don't quite understand

Wilhelmus van Nassau ben ik van Duitse bloed

Wilhelmus van Nassau I am of German blood

that dude had 'German' blood, he basically was german I believe. the anthem is centuries old. there is another line: de koning van hispanje heb ik altijd geeerd: I have always honoured the king of Spain.

funny things is that I have 'Fries' (and arabic) blood, and my ancestors ruled spain before spain was spain.(moors/moroccans). my ancestors from friesland came to holland over a century ago and were considered immigrants, nowadays friesland is considered Holland/the netherlands.(I'm just saying that 'nationalism' changes it's name ad borders through time what was considered german/fries/hollandisch back than doesn't have the same meaning it has right now in 2008) 'our' national anthem is a great example of that.

I'm from Leiden, for the past 400 years every 3 oktober we celebrate the day we kicked out the Spanish. people never 'honoured' the spanish over here lol.

I don't really like 'our' national anthem or any other national anthem because I don't believe in nationalism or borders, actually think nationalism is a threat for the world etc.

 

[Kirakira1232]

Hmmmm I remember singing our national anthem every week at school...although now I can barely remember the first verse. I find the tune very boring but the words are pretty inoffensive I think. Nothing about war or bloodshed lol.

 

[Ashikaga]

Musically speaking, I am not too crazy about the Japanese national anthem. However, hearing it brings back some fond memories of my school years (we would sing it during every weekly assembly) although I much prefered singing our school song which was a tad more...pop. lol

 

[Elizabeth van Kampen]

The Dutch anthems dates from the 16th century, during those days Spain occupied the Netherlands and a part of Belgian.
Willem van Oranje was in fact a German prince who inherited this small country. So the anthem says, "I am of German Blood". The Dutch belong to the Germanic race.
So the Dutch anthem has indeed old-fashined words but the melody is quite nice.

Our anthems always sound much nicer when we are outside our own countries. Yes, like during the Olympic Games for example.

 

[Ashikaga]

Our anthems always sound much nicer when we are outside our own countries. Yes, like during the Olympic Games for example.

I totally agree! .....................................

 

[Anohito]

As far as I'm concerned, the way the tune of The Star Spangled Banner lurches up and down betrays its origins as a drinking song:

Colonial Music Institute

I'm sure it is terribly unpatriotic of me to say so, but I think it is a very bad tune.

 

[Taiko666]

The English national anthem is sooo boring.

There's no English national anthem. 'God Save the Queen' is the national anthem of the UK.

'Land of Hope and Glory' is too tacky. 'Jerusalem' would make a wonderful anthem, although it'll never be accepted due to its Christian lyrics.

When England eventually gets its own antherm, it'll probably be gangsta rap or something.

 

[uchimizu]

My country national anthem speaks about "splitting dirty blood in our soldiers steps". At least it is not politically correct, but the music is not exceptionnal.

Without any political meaning, I quiet like the Isreali anthem music and also the Russian one.

I heard many japanese people complaining that their national anthem is too sad, not really putting soccer players in a fighting mood before a game.

 

[Zentron]

When England eventually gets its own antherm, it'll probably be gangsta rap or something.

Hmm, I'd say it'd most likely be a Garage type song, maybe even Jungle!

 

[vetroxrosa]

I love the french national anthem. I know it better than I know my own....::hangs head in shame:: I think in saying that, I'm relinquishing the last bit of patriotism I had left. Oh well. No one else likes us, why should we even try to defend ourselves?